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Race Williams #7

Murder from the East

carroll john daly

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"Murder from the East" is a book that has a bit of international intrigue, the menace of terrorisms, beautiful adventuresses, and a very tough guy private eye, Race Williams, the first in the hard-boiled mode and the model for all those that would follow. The plot, a foreign entity infiltrating the United States, that establishes local groups to operate from, terrorizes the population with senseless cruel murders, and kidnaps Government employees to gain access to secret information, is modern, one could say, contemporary.
    Genres

312 pages, Paperback

First published January 1,1935
Series
Race Williams

This edition

Format
312 pages, Paperback
Published
January 1, 1978 by Intl Polygonics Ltd
ISBN
9780930330019
ASIN
0930330013
Language
English

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About the author

Profile Image for carroll john daly

carroll john daly

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With a single screen writing credit to his name, Carroll John Daly is an unlikely mention as being the originator of the private eye... but he just might be. And he was, by contemporary accounts, a strange guy; born in Yonkers, New York in 1889, he most certainly was neurotic, agoraphobic and had a severe fear of dentists. These considerable obstacles to a conventional career were fortuitously offset by the genetic good fortune of having a sympathetic wealthy uncle who encouraged his writing efforts. Daly began to make a name for himself in the nickel and dime pulps in the early 1920s. He was 33 when he managed to get published in the fledgling Black Mask. His character Terry Mack is significant as the first tough-talking private eye (debuting in May, 1923) ever to appear in the pulp genre. Daly's characterization was pretty crudely drawn and he quickly created another character in the same vein, the twin-toting .45 gumshoe Race Williams. Black Mask hired a visionary editor, Joe "Cap" Shaw in 1926, who almost immediately took an intense dislike to Daly's one-dimensional writing style. Shaw conceded to his popularity for the time being, while methodically building up a stable of far greater writing talent. Criticism aside, Daly's 'The Snarl of the Beast' (1927) has the distinction as being acknowledged as the first private eye novel ever published. As Joe Shaw groomed other writers, contemporary critics began to condemn Daly, accusing him of subverting the morals of society and bemoaning the quality of his writing. The mind-numbing void the Race Williams character filled in Black Mask became less important in the early 1930s as the magazine featured vastly superior stories written by the likes of Raoul Fauconnier Whitfield and John K. Butler. Daly and Shaw argued continually over the quality of Daly's writing, and to a lesser extent money and to the delight of Joe Shaw, Daly walked off the magazine in late 1934. Daly would sporadically reappear in Black Mask after Shaw left the publication in 1936, but would fade into obscurity, ending his writing career ignobly by writing comic book dialog. He died in 1958, unappreciated and virtually forgotten by those working in the genre he largely helped create.

* Complete list of his short stories.

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Rating(3.5 / 5.0, 4 votes)
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4 reviews All reviews
Profile Image for Kimberly .
maika72
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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Oh, my. This was a vacation into the world of pastime fiction, specifically the tough-guy detective sub-genre. It has all the elements one would expect. There's the grin he gives when someone tells him that doing X is impossible, right out of Conan the Cimmerian's stylebook. He likes to carry two 44s and shows nonchalance about having to kill some bad guy. The female characters, just like in the Bond movies, are all over him, from the innocent little thing to the ones with several levels of BAD. And then there are the racist stereotypes. Written in the '30s, it uses not-so-well-disguised Japanese as the bad guys. The first-person narrator carefully calls them vaguely Eastern or "Eurasian" at times, but also likes to describe them as yellow, with a sickening yellow tone and evilly slant-eyed. It's almost as if they're setting up a movie with Bogart or Robert Mitchum, but we just need to clean up the references to the sneaky and utterly evil Japs. Raymond Chandler wasn't above this attitude either. I took a detour into his work a few years back. One of the movies Mitchum made had a great scene of a shootup in a black bar by the cops, but left out that the narrator was referring to it as "a dinge joint" in the text. Of course, he wasn't afraid of any "dinges." I bet you never heard that word before.

OK, vacation over. No more bimbos on the beach and strong drink at the bar. But if you want to study this genre, here's some of its early generation. It's a fascinating look into the past, with all its flaws and allure.
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nicetush
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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This is, without a doubt, not a great book from a literary perspective.

However, when considered from a writer's point of view, it is an excellent reference.

Time and again, the author places the protagonist in a perilous situation where death seems inevitable, only to rescue him at the eleventh hour. This is truly an art.

Moreover, there is a dinner party scene that is堪称经典.

The book was published in 1935 and will remain on my reference shelf.

It serves as a valuable resource for writers, offering insights into creating tension and suspense, as well as crafting memorable scenes.

Despite its shortcomings in terms of pure literary merit, it has much to offer in terms of its narrative techniques and storytelling devices.

Overall, it is a book that I would recommend to any aspiring writer looking to improve their craft.
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yellowunicorn1
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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I was a bit disappointed in this book.

While the novels of Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler and Mickey Spillane still hold up, not so with Daly. His plot twists, which might have seemed innovative in his time, now appear rather hackneyed when examined from a modern perspective.

The characters he creates lack the depth and complexity that we have come to expect from contemporary literature. They seem one-dimensional and fail to engage the reader on a deeper level.

Even his writing style feels outdated. The prose is often simplistic and lacks the elegance and sophistication of his more renowned contemporaries.

However, if you are interested in seeing the evolution of the hard-nosed detective genre, this book can be an interesting read. It provides a glimpse into the early days of the genre and shows how it has developed over time.

But on its own, without the context of its historical significance, I really wouldn't recommend it. There are far better examples of the hard-nosed detective genre available that offer more engaging plots, well-developed characters, and superior writing.

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bauzlotz
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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Like a comic strip with just words,

this entry level Hard Boiled novel is truly remarkable.

It almost single-handedly defines the genre,

introducing readers to the gritty, tough world of Hard Boiled fiction.

The story is filled with vivid characters,

intense action, and a sense of danger that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Despite being an entry level novel,

it doesn't hold back on the complexity and depth of its themes.

It explores the darker side of human nature,

the corruption and violence that lurk beneath the surface of society.

Overall, this novel is well worth reading.

Whether you're a fan of the Hard Boiled genre or just looking for a thrilling and engaging read,

this book is sure to satisfy.
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