FORGOTTEN BOOKS #267: DRUM BEAT: THE CHESTER DRUM CASEBOOK By Stephen Marlowe

DRUM BEAT
Yes, this is the third FFB in a row featuring Milton Lesser’s work. Lesser legally changed his name to Stephen Marlowe. In the past two FFBs, I reviewed Milton Lesser’s science fiction stories. After a decade of writing SF, Lesser switched to crime and suspense in the 1960s writing under the Stephen Marlowe pseudonym that was to become his name. Marlowe’s Chester Drum series featured a unique private eye. Where many private eyes were based in a single city–Michael Shayne in Miami, Philip Marlowe in L.A., Sam Spade in San Francisco–Marlowe gave Drum an international beat. Cases in France, Spain, and Italy are included in this book. Bill Pronzini’s detailed Introduction explores the Stephen Marlowe oeuvre. I’d never seen this book before because it was published by Five Star, a publisher who specialized in selling its books to libraries. But Drum Beat is available at the usual Internet sources at reasonable prices. This collection is well worth it especially because it includes what Marlowe considered his best Chester Drum novel, Dominique.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Prelude: A Fast Drumroll by Bill Pronzini
“Drum Beat”
“Baby Sister”
Chester Drum Takes Over
Wanted–Dead and Alive
A Place to Visit
Drum Beat–Dominique

17 thoughts on “FORGOTTEN BOOKS #267: DRUM BEAT: THE CHESTER DRUM CASEBOOK By Stephen Marlowe

    1. george Post author

      Sergio, FIVE STAR books were mostly sold to libraries and got very little marketing or distribution. I doubt there’s a paperback edition.

      Reply
  1. Barry Ergang

    The Chester Drum novels are generally excellent.

    One minor correction, George. Philip Marlowe was based in L.A., not San Francisco. Hammett’s Sam Spade and Stephen Greenleaf’s John Marshall Tanner, among others, were San Franciscans.

    Reply
  2. Richard R.

    At times Drum seems to function as a spy almost as much as he does a P.I. I have liked the Drum books I’ve read, and have a few more on the shelf.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Bob, I apologize for my mistake. I blame it on the aging process and the stress of correcting 100 research papers.

      Reply
  3. Cap'n Bob

    We all make mistakes, and some of us love to jump on them when they pop up. I know you meant to say Philip Marlowe of San Diego.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      John, I’m sure you would enjoy Stephen Marlowe’s DRUM BEAT. Marlowe was prolific so you have plenty of his work to choose from.

      Reply

Leave a Reply to Bill Crider Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *