Brett Halliday cover gallery

Brett Halliday was the pen-name of Davis Dresser (1904-1977), a prolific writer of western and detective novels under a variety of names. As Halliday he created private eye Michael Shayne who became a star of radio, films and TV, as well as 70 novels. Many of the later novels were ghosted by Robert Terrall, while contributions to Michael Shayne's Mystery Magazine were ghosted by Sam Merwin, W. Ryerson Johnson, Richard Deming, Robert Arthur, Michael Avallone, Dennis Lynds, Edward Y. Breese, Frank Belknap Long, Max Van Derveer, Bill Pronzini, Jeffrey M. Wallman, David Mazroff, Gary Brandner, Clayton Matthews, George Warren, James M. Reasoner, Livia J. Washburn, Hal Blythe, Charles Sweet, Michael Taylor, James Devlin, Tim Rourke and others.

Mum's the Word for Murder, as by Asa Baker. New York, Stokes, 1938;  London, Gollancz, 1939; as by Brett Halliday, New York, Dell, 1953.
Mayflower 5918, 1965, 191pp, 3/6. Cover by Robert McGinnis (Dell 5918, 1964)
----, 1969.

Dividend on Death. New York, Holt, 1939; London, Jarrolds, 1941.
Arthur Barker / Dragon Books 27,  1958, 192pp, 2/6.
Mayflower 035-71954-8, 196?, 3/6. Cover by Robert McGinnis (Dell D293, 1959)

The Private Practice of Michael Shayne. New York, Holt, 1940; London, Jarrolds, 1941.
Arthur Barker / Dragon Books 22,  1958, 192pp, 2/6.
Mayflower 035-7148-8, 1963, 190pp.

The Uncomplaining Corpses. New York, Holt, 1940; London, Jarrolds, 1942.
Viking Novels 242, (May) 1957, 160pp, 2/-.
Mayflower 9216, 1964, 192pp. 2/6. Cover by Robert McGinnis (Dell 9216, 1963)
Mayflower, 1969, 192pp.

Tickets for Death. New York, Holt, 1941; London, Jarrolds, 1942.
(no UK paperback)

Bodies Are Where You Find Them. New York, Holt, 1941; Leicester, Linford, 1993.
(no UK paperback)

The Corpse Came Calling. New York, Dodd Mead, 1942; as The Case of the Walking Corpse, Kingston, New York, Quin, 1943.
Mayflower 1496, 1964, 191pp, 2/6. Cover by Robert McGinnis (Dell D401, 1961)
Mayflower 11441-5, 1969, 191pp.

Murder Wears a Mummer's Mask. New York, Dodd Mead, 1943; as In a Deadly Vein, New York, Dell, 1956.
Jarrolds 344, nd (1955?), 160pp, 1/6. 36th thou. Cover by Henry Fox?
Arrow Books, 1964, 192pp.
as In a Deadly Vein, Mayflower 4016, 1964, 192pp.
----, 1969, 192pp.

Blood on the Black Market. New York, Dodd Mead, 1943; revised edition, as Heads You Lose, New York, Dell, 1958.
Arrow Books, 1964, 192pp.
Mayflower 3518, 1965, 2/6. Cover by Robert McGinnis (Dell B123, 1958, Syndicate Girl by Frank Kane)

Michael Shayne's Long Chance. New York, Dodd Mead, 1944; London, Jarrolds, 1945.
(no UK paperback)

Murder and the Married Virgin. New York, Dodd Mead, 1944; London, Jarrolds, 1946.
Jarrolds 323, nd (Sep 1953), 1/6. Cover by Henry Fox

Murder Is My Business. New York, Dodd Mead, and London, Jarrolds, 1945.
Jarrolds 324, nd (Oct 1953), 160pp, 1/6. 35th thou. Cover by Henry Fox
Arthur Barker / Dragon Books 10,  (Feb) 1957, 192pp, 2/6.

Marked for Murder. New York, Dodd Mead, 1945; London, Jarrolds, 1950.
Mayflower, 1960.

Dead Man's Diary, and Dinner at Dupre's. New York, Dell, 1945.
(no UK paperback)

Blood on Biscayne Bay. Chicago, Ziff Davis, 1946; London, Jarrolds, 1950.
(no UK paperback)

Counterfeit Wife. Chicago, Ziff Davis, 1947; London, Jarrolds, 1950.
Jarrolds 265, nd (Aug 1952), 176pp, 2/-. 35th thou.

Blood on the Stars. New York, Dodd Mead, 1948; as Murder Is a Habit, London, Jarrolds, 1951.
(no UK paperback)

A Taste for Violence. New York, Dodd Mead, 1949; London, Jarrolds, 1952.
(no UK paperback)

Call for Michael Shayne. New York, Dodd Mead, 1949; London, Jarrolds, 1951.
Viking Novels 214, (Sep) 1956, 192pp, 2/-. Cover by Walt Howarth
Mayflower 035-0972-8, 1963, 192pp.

Before I Wake, as by Hal Debrett. New York, Dodd Mead, 1949; London, Jarrolds, 1953; as by Brett Halliday, New York, Dell, 1955.
(no UK paperback)

This Is It, Michael Shayne. New York, Dodd Mead, 1950; London, Jarrolds, 1952.
(no UK paperback)

A Taste of Cognac. New York, Dell, 1951.
(no UK paperback)

Framed in Blood. New York, Dodd Mead, 1951; London, Jarrolds, 1953.
(no UK paperback)

When Dorinda Dances. New York, Dodd Mead, 1951; London, Jarrolds, 1953.
Arthur Barker / Dragon Books  16, (Jul) 1957, 192pp, 2/6.
Mayflower 9462, 1964, 2/6. Cover by Robert McGinnis (Dell 9462, 1963)
----, 1969, 191pp.

What Really Happened. New York, Dodd Mead, 1952; London, Jarrolds, 1953.
Mayflower 9458, 1964, 2/6. Cover by Robert McGinnis (Dell 9458, 1963)

One Night with Nora. New York, Torquil, 1953; as The Lady Came by Night, London, Jarrolds, 1954.
as The Lady Came by Night, Arthur Barker / Dragon Books 32,  2/6.
Mayflower 11310-9, 1968, 191pp.

She Woke to Darkness. New York, Torquil, 1954; London, Jarrolds, 1955.
(no UK paperback)

Death Has Three Lives. New York, Torquil, and London, Jarrolds, 1955.
Badger Books CS5, (Nov) 1959, 157pp, 2/-. Cover by Ron Smethurst
Mayflower Books 1828,  2/6.

Stranger in Town. New York, Torquil, 1955; London, Jarrolds, 1956.
Consul Books 1115, (Feb) 1962, 2/6.

The Blonde Cried Murder. New York, Torquil, 1956; London, Jarrolds, 1957.
Consul Books 1114, (Feb) 1962, 2/6.

Weep for a Blonde. New York, Torquil, 1957; London, Long, 1958.
Consul Books M1039, 1961, 192pp, 2/6.

Shoot the Works. New York, Torquil, 1957; London, Long, 1958.
World Distributors M950, (Aug) 1960, 158pp. Cover by Robert McGinnis (Dell 7844, 1958)

Murder and the Wanton Bride. New York, Torquil, 1958; London, Long, 1959.
(no UK paperback)

Fit to Kill, ghosted by Robert Terrall. New York: Torquil, 1958.
World Distributors M990, (Nov) 1960, 191pp, 2/6. Cover by Robert McGinnis (Dell D314, 1959)

Die Like a Dog. New York: Torquil, 1959; London: John Long, 1961.
Consul Books 1263, (Nov) 1963, 188pp, 2/6.

Target: Mike Shayne, ghosted by Robert Terrall. New York: Torquil, 1959; London: John Long, 1960.
(no UK paperback)

Date with a Dead Man. New York, Torquil, 1959.
(no UK paperback)

Dolls Are Deadly, ghosted by Walter Ryerson Johnson. New York: Torquil, 1960; London, Mayflower, 1963.
Mayflower-Dell 2088-8, 1963, 192pp, 2/6.

The Homicidal Virgin. New York: Torquil, 1960; London: Mayflower, 1963.
Mayflower Books 3698-8, 1963, 190pp.

Murder Takes No Holiday, ghosted by Robert Terrall. New York: Torquil, 1960.
Mayflower 6126. Cover by Robert McGinnis (Mike Shayne's Torrid Twelve, Dell K109, 1961)

The Careless Corpse. New York: Torquil, 1961.
(no UK Paperback)

Killer From the Keys. New York: Torquil, 1961; London, Mayflower, 1963.
Mayflower 4476, 1963.

Murder in Haste, ghosted by Robert Terrall. New York, Torquil, 1961; London: Mayflower, 1963.
Mayflower 5970, 1963, 175pp, 2/6. Cover by Robert McGinnis (Dell)

Murder by Proxy. New York: Torquil, 1962; London: Mayflower, 1968.
Mayflower 5949, 1964, 159pp, 2/6. Cover by Robert McGinnis (Dell 5949, 1963)
Mayflower 11333-8, 1968, 159pp.

Never Kill a Client. New York: Torquil, 1962; London, Mayflower, 1964.
Mayflower 6300, 1964, 159pp, 2/6. Cover by Robert McGinnis (Dell 6300, 1963)

Pay-Off in Blood. New York: Torquil, 1962; London, Mayflower, 1963.
Mayflower 6858, 1963, 160pp, 2/6. Cover by Robert McGinnis (Dell 6858, 1963)

Too Friendly, Too Dead. New York: Torquil, 1963; London: Mayflower, 1964.
Mayflower 8949, 1964, 160pp, 2/6. Cover by Robert McGinnis (Dell 8949, 1964)
----, 1968.

Note: no further titles were published as UK paperbacks.
The Body Came Back. New York: Torquil, 1963.
The Corpse That Never Was. New York: Torquil, 1963.
A Redhead for Mike Shayne. New York: Torquil, 1964.
Shoot to Kill. New York: Torquil, 1964; Leicester, Linford, 1992.
Michael Shayne's 50th Case. New York: Torquil, 1964.

Nice Fillies Finish Last, ghosted by Robert Terrall. New York, Dell, 1965.
The Violent World of Michael Shayne, ghosted by Robert Terrall. New York, Dell, 1965.
Armed . . . Dangerous, ghosted by Robert Terrall. New York, Dell, 1966.
Murder Spins the Wheels, ghosted by Robert Terrall. New York, Dell, 1966.
Mermaid on the Rocks, ghosted by Robert Terrall. New York, Dell, 1967.
Guilty as Hell, ghosted by Robert Terrall. New York, Dell, 1967.
Violence Is Golden, ghosted by Robert Terrall. New York, Dell, 1968.
So Lush, So Deadly, ghosted by Robert Terrall. New York, Dell, 1968.
Lady, Be Bad, ghosted by Robert Terrall. New York, Dell, 1969.
Six Seconds to Kill, ghosted by Robert Terrall. New York, Dell, 1970.
Fourth Down to Death, ghosted by Robert Terrall. New York, Dell, 1970.
Count Backwards to Zero, ghosted by Robert Terrall. New York, Dell, 1971.
I Come to Kill You, ghosted by Robert Terrall. New York, Dell, 1971.
Caught Dead, ghosted by Robert Terrall. New York, Dell, 1972.
Kill All the Young Girls, ghosted by Robert Terrall. New York, Dell, 1973.
Blue Murder, ghosted by Robert Terrall. New York, Dell, 1973.
Last Seen Hitchhiking, ghosted by Robert Terrall. New York, Dell, 1974.
At the Point of a .38, ghosted by Robert Terrall. New York, Dell, 1974.
Million Dollar Handle, ghosted by Robert Terrall. New York, Dell, 1976.
Win Some, Lose Some, ghosted by Robert Terrall. New York, Dell, 1976.


Omnibus

Michael Shayne Takes Over. New York: Holt, 1941; London: Jarrolds, 1944. (contains: Dividend on Death, The Private Practice of Michael Shayne, The Uncomplaining Corpses, and Bodies Are Where You Find Them)
Michael Shayne Investigates. London: Jarrolds, 1943. (contains: Bodies Are Where You Find Them and The Corpse Came Calling)
Michael Shayne Takes a Hand. London: Jarrolds, 1944. (contains: Murder Wears a Mummer's Mask and Blood on the Black Market)
Michael Shayne's Triple Mystery. Chicago: Ziff-Davis, 1948 (contains: Dead Man's Diary, A Taste for Cognac, and Dinner at Dupre's)

Anthologies

Michael Shayne's Torrid Twelve, ed. Leo Margulies. New York, Dell, 1961.
Dangerous Dames, ed. Mike Shayne. New York, Dell, 1965.
(contains: "A Better Mantrap" by Day Keene (Detective Tales, Oct. 1947), "Collector's Item" by Jerome Barry (new), "Hang That Husband High" by Bruno Fischer (Detective Tales, July 1948), "Simone" by Joan Vatsek (Today's Woman, 1949), "The Statement of Jerry Malloy" by Anthony Boucher (new), "She-Wolf" by Rutherford Montgomery (extract from Gray Wolf), "Women Are Poison" by Brett Halliday (Detective Fiction Weekly, 31 October 1936), "Speak To Me of Death" by John West (new), "If I Can Ever Forget" by Frank Gruber (Detective Fiction Weekly, 30 April 1938), "Witness for the Prosecution" by Q. Patrick (Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, July 1946), "Rhapsody in Blood" by Harold Q. Masur (Manhunt, Aug. 1953), and "Angelica Is Still Alive" by Walter Snow (new))