First PB: Editions for the Armed Services 1280 (1947)

First commercial: Bantam 996 (1952)
-pictured at left

Synopsis:

Thorley said, "What the hell are you up to?"
I said, "You did this. You killed her..."

All of a sudden his left hand swung back, and he banged it against his razor strap hanging on the wall beside the wash basin.

And I said, "Go on. Hit me with that strap just as you did Margot. But I won't take it meekly, like Margot. You'd better understand that."