The Kubla Khan Caper (Shell Scott)

Author: Richard S Prather

First Published: 1966

Pages: 123

Disclaimer - I read this in physical format. I have had this in paperback in the Four Square edition to the left for a while sitting on my bookshelf, so I had a quick scan online and what do you know it is out on eBook. In fact it appears every single Shell Scott book is available in eBook including some possibly that debuted in the Shell Scott Mystery Magazine. That's around forty books.

This is another book first published in 1966. Have I said 1966 was a great year? I think I have. Well I'll say it again in case you didn't hear the first time. 1966 was a great year. It is a great year to set a book!

The Kubla Khan Caper was the 31st book in the series, written by Richard S Prather between 1950 and 1987 (although most prolifically during the fifties and sixties). Shell Scott breathed life in the 1950 novel Case of the Vanishing Beauty, aged thirty, and never aged a day till the final novel, Shell Shock, published during Prather's lifetime in 1987. A final book called The Death Gods was published posthumously. It's also interesting to note that one of Prather's non-Shell Scott books was refitted to become the book Shell Scott and the Scrambled Yeggs. I'm sure he was not the only writer to experience this process and I wonder if that particular story reads any differently to the other instalments?

Richard S Prather

Richard S Prather was born in California in 1921. He served during the Second World War, and became a writer soon afterwards. He was twice a member of the Board of Directors, Mystery Writers of America and received a Lifetime Achievement Award of the Private Eye Writers of America in 1986.

So, who or what is the Kubla Khan, in the Kubla Khan Caper? Well, its a what not a who. The Kubla Khan Hotel is at the centre of the story, and is were the majority of the action takes place. The Kubla Khan is a brand new and exclusive place for those rich enough or famous enough or both enough to afford such exclusivity. It is located in Palm Desert, California, and Scott has been summoned to meet with the owner, Ormand Monaco (got to give kudos to Prather for great names in this book!) to discuss a case.

The book opens with Scott reclining by the hotel swimming pool, surrounded by nautch swinging bikini clad girls (Yeah, I had to look up 'nautch' too), dressed in a garish outfit topped off by a lavish turban, reminiscing about the events that have led him to that point. We then flash back 24 hours to accompany him in real time to catch up with the circumstances leading up to his poolside breather.

In order to drum up interest in the public and attract as much press coverage as possible Ormand Monaco has partnered up with a Hollywood television producer to run a promotional beauty contest. The winner will be crowned during the opening day celebrations of the hotel and also win a lucrative part in an upcoming television project. However, one of the contestants, Jeanne Jax (another great name) has gone missing and Scott is asked to track her down.

On his way to meet Monaco at his home near the Kubla Khan, Scott witnesses a strange event, and is then alerted by the sounds of gunshot. Racing in his car to the main road he finds what is revealed to be Jeanne Jax shot in the back of the head. Someone then decides to take a pot-shot at Scott and he spies a man racing away in the distance. The local cops turn up - as mysteriously does Monaco a little while later. It appears there has been another murder close by and Monaco is taken away for questioning. But before he is whisked away he tasks Scott with finding the murderer - by noon the following day in order to get paid $10,000! Luckily he is given the perfect cover - a judge in the beauty contest.

Back at the hotel Scott begins his investigation in earnest. We are treated to a typical private detective procedural 'question each suspect' plot, with our central character encountering some particularly colourful characters. There is film star Misty Lombard, gorgeous contestant Lyssa Weldon and her friend giant Bull Harper -who Scott has some fantastic tangles with during the story.

The fabulous Kubla Khan hotel plays a central role as well. Prather does well to extract as much life and flavour from the setting as he can. Shell Scott is out of his normal location of Hollywood, CA in this novel, but Prather's skill in pulling you into the story worked very well on me. I loved Scott, his personality shines throughout and a sense of humour pervades from start to finish.

Shell Scott loves his women. He can't help himself. In amongst so many beauties he is bound to get himself into situations he should avoid. The book is sexy without being embarrassing, there is flirtation and there is some sexual encounters, but there are no actual sex scenes.

Sting as Scott?

I have to add that there is not lots of 'action' per se. There is a murder or two, but both take place away from the central story. There are some fights involving Scott flexing his brand of justice and there is a particularly good one in the finale.

I had a great time with The Kubla Khan Caper. The sense of fun in the prose and the wise-cracking dialogue between some of the characters, as well as Scott's inner monologue was a delight to read. I do not know if this is atypical of Shell Scott books - that would be a real shame - but I have taken the plunge and bought a few more books to enjoy. Although this was the 31st novel, I did not find myself at a disadvantage. The story stood independent of other novels.

I would recommend this Shell Scott adventure.

Now I have to say something about the eBook versions of the Shell Scott series.  They are at the expensive range of eBooks! £5.75 for some of them - that's pretty high for eBooks in my opinion. Oh well, means I won't hesitate to buy physical versions if I ever come across any again - which is not very likely in the UK I think.