Mon 2 Feb 2026
ROBERT MARTIN – She, Me and Murder. Jim Bennett #12. Curtis, paperback original, 1962. Expanded version of the story that appeared in Dime Detective Magazine, November 1948.
Jim Bennett, who may have been Cleveland’s first fictional private eye, is hired by an elderly man who has befriended a young stage actress, When her current boy friend is killed, there are only three possible suspects.
As opposed to the prose of an Ed McBain, for example, which scorches and sings, Martin’ is – at first – plain, dowdy, and chaste. The pace picks up, however, when Bennett’s secretary/fiancee is kidnapped, and the triple-switch at the ending is a doozy.
— Reprinted from Mystery.File.3, February 1988.
February 3rd, 2026 at 12:23 pm
I always thought Bennett was one of the more realistic characters and enjoyed the midwest setting.
February 3rd, 2026 at 2:44 pm
Your assessment of the Bennett books is pretty much perfect, David. I haven’t read them all, but they’re high on the list of books I’m planning to. I think I own them all, but if not, they aren’t terribly hard to find. Steeger Books has also done one volume of Bennett’s pulp stories, and Stark House has done at least one 2-in-1 edition of early novels. I hope they continue!
February 6th, 2026 at 10:36 am
I remember the days where those CURTIS paperbacks were all over the spinner racks. Today, I see a CURTIS paperback maybe once or twice a year at a used bookstore or Library Book Sale.
February 6th, 2026 at 12:59 pm
I remember when Curtis Books came onto the scene as well. They did indeed start appearing in full force at the time. The reason I am still fond of them is that they published a lot of mysteries that I really enjoyed. Besides the Robert Martin books I also remember in particular the Ed Noon private eye books by Michael Avallone previously published only in England.
I haven’t been in a used bookstore in maybe 15 years, but that their books don’t show u there doesn’t surprise me. In spite of how common they were in the 60s, I wonder how many they actually sold when they were new. On the other hand, of course, is that we’re talking 60 years ago. Ancient days.
February 14th, 2026 at 4:36 am
I have quite a few Martin/Bennett stories in late run pulps and a handful of older paperbacks. I recall liking Bennett but nothing other than the setting really set him apart.
I agree he regarding the realism, relative anyway, but unfairly or not they seemed pretty middle of the road compared to the competition, and not worth making more than a minor effort to find once curiosity was satisfied.
Late Forties early Fifties there was a lot of prime competition for Martin and Jim Bennett, most of which I found far more rewarding