Hard-boiled - Ronald James

'You've promised me a murder. Now go out and bring it in!'

Stories of Crime ' Detection Volume Eight contains a novel, a novelette and two short stories:

Hard-Boiled  Gangster Mike Flannery is out of jail and looking to expand his protection racket in West London. Crime reporter Julian Mendoza is on his trail, and must defend the owner of Kenley stadium from kidnapping, blackmail and murder.

Hanging's Too Good  Old Dan Riordan is worried about something and has asked reporter Julian Mendoza to meet him at the factory where he is night watchman. Nearing the building, Mendoza is held at gunpoint until an explosion blows up the factory. Vowing to avenge his friend, Julian must chase down a ruthless gang of thieves.

The War Makers  Julian Mendoza and Detective Inspector Howells work to uncover the truth about 'The Secret of World Power!'

Partners in Crime  A dysfunctional aristocratic family finds that some members are not willing to play by the rules.

JAMES JACK RONALD (1905-1972) was a prolific writer of pulp fiction, mystery stories and dramatic novels. Raised in Glasgow, Ronald moved to Chicago aged seventeen to 'earn his fortune', later returning to the UK to pursue a writing career. His early works were serializations and short stories syndicated in newspapers and magazines around the world. Ronald wrote under a number of pseudonyms, including Michael Crombie, Kirk Wales, Peter Gale, Mark Ellison and Kenneth Streeter among others. Several books were adapted into films, including Murder in the Family (1938), The Witness Vanishes (1939), and The Suspect (1944).