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Running to around 40 novels and a number of novellas and short stories written over four decades, Richard S. Prather's work on the Shell Scott series feature great pulp crime writing and more than a measure of saucy humour. They deserves greater recognition, and I'll try and cover more as and when I get the opportunity.   The Scrambled Yeggs, 1952 Opening line: "I was as uncomfortable as the defendant in a rape case" . Joe Brooks died in a traffic accident. A lot of people have died in traffic accidents recently and it's looking suspicious. Someone wants PI Sheldon Scott to look into Joe's death, and his leads takes him to Fleming Dragoon, who runs an illegal betting parlour that employed Joe. Along the way Shell drinks a lot of bourbon (even more than usual) and eats a lot of steak. It's important to keep his energy levels up on this case because there are a lot of deadly attractive women demanding his attention (more or less as many as usual).  On a diet...