The Phantom Detective: The Dancing Doll Murders

The Phantom Detective was a pulp magazine published from 1933 to 1953, with each issue containing a Phantom Detective novel. It was obviously inspired by the success of The Shadow which began its run in 1931.

The Dancing Doll Murders was the 52nd of the 170 Phantom Detective novels. It was credited to Robert Wallace, a pseudonym used by several writers. It appeared in the June 1937 issue.

The Phantom is a typical pulp masked crime-fighter. His true identity is known only to crusading newspaper publisher Frank Havens. The Phantom is in reality Richard Curtis Van Loan, a very rich and apparently very idle young man.

The Phantom naturally has a secret hideout with a well-equipped scientific laboratory. His main weapon however is his genius for disguise. This genius stretches credibility to a breathtaking degree - in a few minutes The Phantom can take on the appearance of any man.

The Dancing Doll Murders boasts a very cool opening. A rich old man is dying and his heirs are gathered to make sure of getting their shares of the spoils. One of the heirs, Don Winstead, has just received an odd package. It’s a German musical box with a dancing doll. The doll looks just like Don Winstead, except for the knife protruding from its chest. A few minutes later three masked men break in and now Don Winstead really does have a knife protruding from his chest!

The family lawyer, Squires, believes he possesses a vital clue but he will only reveal to the famous Phantom. Unfortunately before can do this he receives a dancing doll and soon he is dead as well.

The Phantom is determined to crack this case. He has an idea of the identity of the next intended victim. Perhaps his talent for disguise will prove useful. It does prove useful, up to a point.

An enormous amount of mayhem ensues. There are gun battles, knifings, trucks used as battering rams, car chases and speedboat chases. Time and again The Phantom finds himself in situations from escape seems impossible.

The pacing is breathless. It’s an adrenalin rush rollercoaster of action.

Believability was clearly not a priority. The bad guys can open fire at The Phantom with multiple submachine guns and somehow every slug misses its mark. But this is a masked crimefighter pulp hero story so you don’t expect anything even vaguely resembling realism. What matters is that the story keeps powering along. Which it does.

The Phantom is certainly quick-thinking, which is more than can be said for the goons sent to eliminate him. They’re all drug addicts anyway so you don’t expect them to be overly efficient.

There is of course a diabolical criminal mastermind and he has a very ingenious hideout.

The style is ultra-pulpy. I'm fine with that.

The plot is actually not too bad, with some fairly neat twists.

The Dancing Doll Murders is pure pulp entertainment and while it features lots of familiar ideas it’s all done with energy and flair. Highly recommended.

Wildside Press have reprinted this book in paperback.