The Surprise Party

A lone-wolf gangster senses a trap—and one stormy night becomes a deadly contest of bluff, betrayal, and survival.

In The Surprise Party, Erle Stanley Gardner introduces the High Collar Kid, a seasoned underworld operator whose sharp instincts have kept him alive through years of danger. When he notices a suspicious man slipping into a telephone booth as he leaves his rooming house, the Kid immediately realizes that someone may be arranging a gangland surprise especially for him.

Driving through heavy rain, he encounters an attractive young woman walking alone along the road. What appears to be a chance meeting quickly becomes another part of the trap when she produces a gun and forces him to continue driving while another automobile closes in behind them.

With armed enemies preparing to take him for a final ride, the High Collar Kid must rely on observation, nerve, and deception rather than brute force. A stolen glance, a carefully noticed letter, and a daring bluff give him a chance to turn suspicion against his captors—but one mistake could still cost him his life.

As threats give way to gunfire, the Kid finds himself caught between ruthless gangsters and a woman whose own role in the scheme may not be as simple as it first appeared. Every moment becomes a test of who can think fastest when violence is only seconds away.

Originally published in the December 25, 1929 issue of Clues magazine, The Surprise Party is a fast-paced piece of vintage crime fiction filled with gangsters, hidden motives, sharp dialogue, danger, and the relentless suspense that would become associated with Erle Stanley Gardner's storytelling.

Perfect for readers who enjoy classic pulp fiction, gangster stories, hard-boiled crime, vintage thrillers, underworld suspense, and rediscovered short fiction from the Golden Age of crime writing.