Pulp Cover: ‘The Big Lie’

Hank Janson was born Stephen Daniel Frances in London in 1917. Although he had never been in Chicago or even America, he was one of the earliest exponents of the British pseudo-American gangster books that were all the rage in Britain in the 40s and 50s. He was a prolific writer, producing a book a week and also wrote under the pseudonyms of Ace Capelli, Johnny Grecco, Steve Markham, Tex Ryland, Duke Linton, Link Shelton, Max Clinton, Astron Del Martia and probably more. He soon ran into the censors and was tried several times on obscenity charges, had many books seized and destroyed and eventually moved to Spain. He wrote nearly 300 books some of which were eventually reprinted in America by Gold Star Books (1960s). The British Jansons are quite scarce and highly collectible with some great covers, particularly those done by Reginald Heade.

For more information on Janson see Steve Holland’s book The Trials of Hank Janson published in 1991 by BAE in Richmond Kentucky. It includes many nice color reproductions and an extensive checklist.

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