John Ryan
Created by Roger Torrey (1901-46)

Yet another of pulpster Torey's seemingly endless supply of hard-boiled private eyes, JOHN RYAN, occasionally accompanied by his bull terrier companion/bodyguard Toby appeared in at least six stories in 1943-44.

In one of his first appearances, "Leave For Murder" (June 1943, Speed Detective), Ryan isn't even a private eye, but a member of the Military Police who claims he was previously a private detective. In subsequent stories, though, he is definitely a private eye.

Interestingly enough, Torrey also used John Ryan as a pen name, often in the same magazines the Ryan stories appeared. In fact, in the September 1944 issue of Hollywood Detective, the John Ryan story, "Roll, Corpse, Roll," is listed as by Roger Torrey on the contents page, but John Ryan is the author on the story's title page. Which leads me to suspect that perhaps some of the stories published under the John Ryan pen name may in fact also feature the John Ryan character.

SHORT STORIES

• "He Whispered of Murder" (January 1942, Private Detective; by John Ryan)
• "Murder Money" (February 1943, Private Detective; by John Ryan)
• "Leave -- For Murder" (June 1943, Speed Detective; by John Ryan)
• "Two Down, One To Go" (September 1943, Private Detective; by John Ryan)
• "Marriage Means Murder" (October 1943, Private Detective)
• "Murder By Accident" (November 1943, Private Detective; by John Ryan)
• "Somebody Stole My Gal" (April 1944, Private Detective)
• "Ticket To Death" (August 1944, Private Detective; by John Ryan)
• "Roll, Corpse, Roll" (September 1944, Hollywood Detective)
• "The Thieves Fell Out" (October 1944, Speed Detective; by John Ryan)
• "Bury The Dead" (November 1944, Private Detective; by John Ryan)
• "Pick-Up Kill" (December 1944, Private Detective; by John Ryan)
• "Dog Eat Dog" (February 1946, Speed Detective; by John Ryan)

Respectfully submitted by Kevin Burton Smith.