Anthologies#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Locked Room Reader: Stories of Impossible Crimes and Escapes |
1968 |
Buy |
| Murder Plus |
1992 |
Buy |
| Murder On The Railways |
2003 |
Buy |
Bingo Riggs and Handsome Kusak Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Sunday Pigeon Murders |
1942 |
Buy |
| The Thursday Turkey Murders |
1943 |
Buy |
| The April Robin Murders |
1958 |
Buy |
Black Gat Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Two Names for Death |
1945 |
Buy |
| Stranger at Home |
1946 |
Buy |
| The Persian Cat |
1950 |
Buy |
| My Old Man’s Badge |
1950 |
Buy |
| You’ll Get Yours |
1952 |
Buy |
| Tears are for Angels |
1952 |
Buy |
| Little Sister |
1952 |
Buy |
| Stool Pigeon |
1953 |
Buy |
| Madball |
1953 |
Buy |
| She Got What She Wanted |
1954 |
Buy |
| The Woman on the Roof |
1954 |
Buy |
| The Men From the Boys |
1956 |
Buy |
| Never Say No to a Killer |
1956 |
Buy |
| The Hoods Take Over |
1957 |
Buy |
| The Living End |
1957 |
Buy |
| Dead Wrong |
1957 |
Buy |
| The Last Notch |
1958 |
Buy |
| End of the Line |
1958 |
Buy |
| Angel’s Flight |
1960 |
Buy |
| Frantic |
1961 |
Buy |
| A Haven for the Damned |
1962 |
Buy |
| Frenzy of Evil |
1963 |
Buy |
| Eddie’s World |
2001 |
Buy |
Gypsy Rose Lee Plays#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Gypsy: A Musical Suggested by the Memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee |
1994 |
Buy |
John J. Malone Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| 8 Faces at 3 |
1939 |
N/A |
| Eight Faces at Three / Death at Three |
1939 |
Buy |
| The Corpse Steps Out |
1940 |
Buy |
| The Wrong Murder |
1940 |
Buy |
| The Right Murder |
1941 |
Buy |
| Trial by Fury |
1941 |
Buy |
| The Big Midget Murders |
1942 |
Buy |
| Having a Wonderful Crime |
1943 |
Buy |
| The Lucky Stiff |
1945 |
Buy |
| The Fourth Postman |
1948 |
Buy |
| The Double Frame / Knocked for a Loop |
1957 |
Buy |
| My Kingdom for a Hearse |
1957 |
Buy |
| The Name is Malone |
1958 |
Buy |
| Murder, Mystery and Malone |
1963 |
Buy |
| But the Doctor Died |
1967 |
Buy |
| People vs. Withers & Malone |
1963 |
Buy |
Short Story Collections#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| I’m a Stranger Here Myself and Other Stories |
2010 |
Buy |
Standalone Novels#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Yesterday’s Murder / Telefair |
1942 |
Buy |
| The Man Who Slept All Day |
1942 |
Buy |
| To Catch a Thief |
1943 |
Buy |
| Home Sweet Homicide |
1944 |
Buy |
| Crime on My Hands |
1944 |
Buy |
| Stranger at Home |
1946 |
Buy |
| Innocent Bystander |
1949 |
Buy |
| Once Upon a Train |
1950 |
Buy |
| Don’t Go Near |
1953 |
Buy |
Craig Rice (1908-1957) was the pen name of Georgiana Ann Randolph Craig, an American mystery novelist who became one of the most popular crime writers of the 1940s. She was known for witty, fast-paced mysteries that mixed humor with murder plots, a style that set her apart from contemporaries. Her work influenced later comic mystery writers and earned her a devoted following.
Her most famous creation is John J. Malone, a hard-drinking Chicago defense lawyer who stumbles through murder cases with more luck than skill. The Malone series ran from 1939’s 8 Faces at 3 through several posthumously published titles. Rice also wrote the Bingo Riggs and Handsome Kusak series, a trio of novels about two press agents who keep running into dead bodies. She ghostwrote mysteries credited to actress Gypsy Rose Lee and actor George Sanders.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many books has Craig Rice written?
Craig Rice has written 56 books across seven series.
What was Craig Rice's first book?
Craig Rice’s first book is 8 Faces at 3, published in 1939.
Why is Craig Rice considered an important figure in mystery fiction?
Craig Rice was one of the first mystery writers to appear on the cover of Time magazine. She pioneered the comic mystery novel, blending humor with crime fiction at a time when the genre was dominated by hard-boiled and cozy styles.