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| 1962 1963 1965 | |
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Publishing: The fourth series of the Sexton Blake Library comes to an end with THE LAST TIGER, which leaves Blake and Paula Dane relaxing on a beach contemplating marriage. The Library would not resume until 1965, making 1964 the first year without any new Sexton Blake stories for 71 years. Blake author Anthony Parsons dies aged 69. | |
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 4th series ·
Issue 515 · Jan. 1963 · Fleetway Publications · 1' ANGER AT WORLD'S END by Desmond Reid (J. N. Chance, with revisions by W. Howard Baker and Wilfred McNeilly)· Illustrator: Unknown Other content: None Notes: None at present. Unrated |
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 4th series ·
Issue 516 · Jan. 1963 · Fleetway Publications · 1' DEATH IN SMALL DOSES by Martin Thomas (Thomas Martin) · Illustrator: Unknown Other content: None Notes: None at present. Unrated |
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 4th series ·
Issue 517 · Feb. 1963 · Fleetway Publications · 1' THE IMPOSTER by Philip Chambers & W. Howard Baker · Illustrator: Unknown Other content: None Notes: None at present. Unrated |
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 4th series ·
Issue 518 · Feb. 1963 · Fleetway Publications · 1' THE SLAYING OF JULIAN SUMMERS by Richard Williams (Stephen Frances, revised by W. Howard Baker and George Paul Mann) · Illustrator: Petronius Other content: None Notes: Stephen Frances was better known as Hank Janson. Unrated |
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 4th series ·
Issue 519 · Mar. 1963 · Fleetway Publications · 1' CULT OF DARKNESS by Desmond Reid (V. J. Hanson, with revisions by W. Howard Baker) · Illustrator: Noiquet Other content: Mail Bag Notes: None at present. Unrated |
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 4th series ·
Issue 520 · Mar. 1963 · Fleetway Publications · 1' SPEAK ILL OF THE DEAD by Richard Williams (Rex Dolphin, revised by Philip Chambers) · Illustrator: Camps Other content: Mail Bag Notes: None at present. Unrated |
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 4th series ·
Issue 521 · Apr. 1963 · Fleetway Publications · 1' LOTUS LEAVES AND LARCENY by Philip Chambers · Illustrator: Stefan Barany Other content: Mail Bag Notes: None at present. Unrated |
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 4th series ·
Issue 522 · Apr. 1963 · Fleetway Publications · 1' MURDER IN CAMERA by W. A. Ballinger (W. Howard Baker) · Illustrator: Unknown Other content: Mail Bag Notes: None at present. Unrated |
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 4th series ·
Issue 523 · May 1963 · Fleetway Publications · 1' MURDER BY PROXY by Richard Williams (Bob Hopkins and Max Marquis, revised by W. Howard Baker and George Paul Mann) · Illustrator: Iranzo Other content: Mail Bag Notes: None at present. Unrated |
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 4th series ·
Issue 524 · May 1963 · Fleetway Publications · 1' THE GIRL WHO SAW TOO MUCH by Desmond Reid (Sydney Bounds, with revisions by W. Howard Baker and George Paul Mann) · Illustrator: Camps Other content: None Notes: None at present. Unrated |
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 4th series ·
Issue 525 · Jun. 1963 · Fleetway Publications · 1' THE SOUND OF MURDER by Martin Thomas (Thomas Martin) · Illustrator: Camps Other content: Mail Bag Notes: None at present. Unrated |
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 4th series ·
Issue 526 · Jun. 1963 · Fleetway Publications · 1' THE LAST TIGER by W. A. Ballinger (W. Howard Baker based on material provided by Wilfred McNeilly and George Paul Mann) · Illustrator: Jean Chapman Other content: Mail Bag; A Personal Message of Farewell From Sexton Blake to the Readers of Sexton Blake Library. Notes: The end of an era. The Sexton Blake Library began back in 1915 with THE YELLOW TIGER and finishes here, at the end of the fourth series, with THE LAST TIGER. Well, that's not strictly true; two years from now it'll return for a fifth series but it'll be in paperback format and just won't feel 'Blake-ish'. This one is the final booklet-style issue and it provides a series finale which, unfortunately, is distinctly lacking in style. The saga has drifted so far off course by this stage that it's hard to regret its demise. In my opinion, W. Howard Baker, the series editor, made a mistake when he tried to shift the stories into James Bond territory. Blake could never compete with 007; he's a different sort of animal altogether. This tale is a case in point. It begins when Blake is commissioned by an insurance compay to investigate the disappearance of a number of passenger aircraft over the Pacific. He, Tinker, Paula and Marion fly out to the planes' departure point: Honolulu. There, while surfing, Blake is attacked by a shark after a lump of dried blood is planted in his shorts (yes, that's how absurd this story is). The murder attempt leads Blake to his first suspect and thence to the next targeted aircraft, which is already in mid-flight. 'Borrowing' an executive jet, Blake and Paula give chase and end up trapped on a remote island after the jet is dragged out of the air by a force beam. This remarkable weapon has been developed by a regiment of Japanese soldiers who live in an underground complex. These guys don't realise that the Second World War has ended and are determined to return to Japan to revive its imperial fortunes. Blake turns the tables, rounds up the bad guys, and finishes up relaxing with Paula on Waikiki beach... possibly proposing marriage. Ugh! Rating:  This only has one thing going for it; the letters page is
filled with tributes to the Blake saga from names that'll be familiar to
all fans: Eric Parker, Arthur Kent, Arthur MacLean, Jack Trevor Story,
Wilfred McNeilly and Peter Saxon, among others. There's also a goodbye
message from Sexton Blake himself on the back cover (he reveals that his
middle initial is 'T'). Uplifting stuff... but no replacement for a good
story, which we definitely don't have here.
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| 1962 1963 1965 | |