The Big Gamble

The Big Gamble, first published in 1958, is part of master noir-writer George Harmon Coxes’ “Kent Murdock” suspense series. Murdock, a photographer for a Boston newspaper, inadvertently becomes involved in a case of murder after photographing a traffic accident. From the original publisher’s preface: A day of golf was all Kent Murdock had in mind when he left the office, but a pile-up on the highway made him stop to take a few pictures just as any good news-photographer would have done. Whether or not the three thugs who wanted his films were bluffing Kent never found out because of the blonde who wanted a lift back to town. After that everything seemed to be spinning crazily. A car stolen, then abandoned—a blaring radio in a motel cabin—a twisted figure on the floor—questions that needed answers—and answers that were closer to home than Kent would ever have expected. And which, with the death of another, were to move closer still. The big gambler often goes for double or nothing. So does the murderer. Sometimes the winning streak is hard to break. This new Kent Murdock story is as fast-moving and suspense-filled as any your favorite news-photographer has ever been involved in. It’s top-level detection—and entertainment—all the way.