Wed 7 Jan 2026
Archived PI Mystery Review: ROBERT Dundee – Pandora’s Box.
Posted by Steve under Reviews[2] Comments
ROBERT DUNDEE – Pandora’s Box. PI Johnny Lamb. Signet S1980, paperback original. 1st printing, January 1962.
PI Johnny Lamb’s client, a former call girl, has a box containing something valuable, and something also very dangerous, both to her and to anyone in her vicinity. (This is Lamb’s only recorded case.)
This is one roller coaster of a ride. The action never stops, and if you don’t ask questions, most of it even makes sense. There is even a semi-surprise or two at the end, one of which I am convinced I saw coming.
— Reprinted from Mystery.File.3, February 1988.
January 9th, 2026 at 12:23 pm
Robert Dundee was a pseudonym used by Robert R. Kirsch (1922-1980). He was a journalist, lecturer and author and worked as a reporter, feature writer and literary critic for various Southern California newspapers, including serving as literary critic for the Los Angeles Times (1951-80). He also served as an executive story consultant for Universal Studios (1965-67). The preceding from the University of California, recipient of his papers.
Fiction works as Dundee, in addition to Pandora’s Box, include Inferno (also in 1962) and an “adult fiction” small town steamer, The Restless Lovers (1960), which features a nifty Barye Phillips cover. All books were PBOs published by Signet. Kirsch also penned a pair of Bodice Rippers as Robert Bancroft as well as non-fiction under his own name.
January 9th, 2026 at 1:39 pm
Whew! Thanks a lot, Bill. That’s a heap of info on Mr. Dundee I sure didn’t know about him before. I’d sure like to read this book again. I was thinking of recommending it to Greg Shepherd at Stark House books, but it’s hard to if all I have is rather vague memories about it. I do feel on more solid ground now, though!