Portfolio Categories: Book Design

Forensic Death Investigation: A Practical Guide to the Medicolegal Investigation of Death, 2nd. Edition is both a guidebook and textbook written by a veteran death investigator and university professor specifically for field investigators, students of forensic science, or anyone associated with the investigation of human deaths.
The textbook takes the reader through historical and legal foundations and presents a general overview of death investigations itself. The textbook’s focus and approach is not distracted by graphic images, or an overabundance of case studies, scientific, or medical jargon, but instead addresses the most common death scenes faced by death investigators today.
Specific topics include historical and legal foundations, methods to identify human remains, techniques for time-of-death estimation, and the foundations of wound analysis. Specific areas address deaths related to fire, asphyxiation, drownings, electrical, and motor vehicle accidents. Each chapter presents suggested discussion questions and activities that inspires critical thinking and understanding of the chapter’s content. The textbook is a convenient companion for field investigators and a solid textbook to support training sessions or academic courses as well.

Beginning with the issue of January 1941, Radio and Television Mirror magazine published a series of short stories involving the Man of Steel. This was a tad unusual considering the fact that the magazine was geared specifically to housewives who listened to radio soap operas.

Presumably written by George Lowther (the same individual responsible for the radio scripts), these stories were inserted into the issues for the young children who might borrow their mother’s monthly magazine. The adventures appeared in serial format for a total of 16 consecutive issues, concluding with the issue of April 1942.

Few fans of The Adventures of Superman know about these published short stories, making this compilation a treat to enjoy. All 16 stories have been collected (including the comic book illustrations) plus bonus extras related to the radio rendition of Superman.

PETE KELLY’S BLUES was a short-lived radio program that aired for 13 weeks in the summer of 1951. The main protagonist was Pete Kelly, a cornet player of a jazz combo, in a speakeasy in Kansas City, Missouri, in the early 1920s. In this era was a hotbed of organized crime and corruption. Kelly would, on a weekly basis, be dragged into a crime caper involving gangsters, gun molls and racketeers. Backed by the music of Pete Kelly’s Big Seven, and with downbeat endings, the radio program was a fresh concept on network broadcasting.

PETE KELLY’S BLUES was the brainchild of Jack Webb (the same man responsible for DRAGNET) who also played the title role. Not only was Webb’s performance tour-de-force on a weekly basis, but it was also the music that dominated the series. Despite the all-too-brief run over NBC Radio, the program spawned a short-lived TV series, two LP records and a major motion-picture. So it comes as no surprise that the series developed a cult following over the decades.

Regrettably, only 7 of the 13 radio broadcasts exist in recorded form.

This book not only provides a brief history of the program, but also reprints all 13 radio scripts including the six that do not exist in recorded form, for those longing to “listen” to those missing capers.

The title character, originally Captain Jim “Red” Albright, was a World War I U.S. Army pilot. His Captain Midnight code name was given by a general who sent him on a high-risk mission from which he returned at the stroke of twelve. When the radio program began in 1938, Albright was a private aviator who helped people, but his situation changed in 1940 when the program was taken over by a new sponsor, Ovaltine, and the origin story explained how Albright was recruited to head the Secret Squadron, an aviation-oriented paramilitary organization fighting sabotage and espionage during the period prior to the United States’ entry into World War II. The Secret Squadron acted both within and outside the United States, combatting spies, saboteurs, mad scientists and repeated combats with the stock villain, Ivan Shark.

Radio premiums offered by the series (usually marked with Midnight’s personal symbol of a winged clock with the hands pointing to midnight) included decoders. These Code-O-Graphs were used by listeners to decipher encrypted messages previewing the next day’s episode, usually broadcast five-days-a-week. Other premiums included rings, telescopes, and World War II items.

The program aired for a decade until 1949. But that did not restrict the franchise potential just to the radio speakers. The popularity of the Captain Midnight character expanded in 1942 with a cliffhanger serial film, a syndicated newspaper strip, and a series of comic books. In 1954, a short-lived television program starring Richard Webb was produced by Screen Gems. For that rendition, Captain Midnight (now a veteran of the Korean War) heads the Secret Squadron as a private organization.

The show was known for the imaginative use of exciting technological advancements to create narrative thrills, inspiring young audiences to dream of future advances. Very little has been documented about the radio and television program beyond entries in encyclopedias. This two-volume set documents (in extreme detail) the majority of the radio broadcasts, with plot summaries and secret codes, along with the collectibles and giveaway premiums.

This is one of two volumes. Volume One primarily focuses on the origin of the character and the radio program including a detailed episode guide with plot summaries. Volume Two picks up where the first volume left off, primarily focusing on the collectibles and premiums, comic books, newspaper comic strip, 1942 cliffhanger serial and the television program.

The title character, originally Captain Jim “Red” Albright, was a World War I U.S. Army pilot. His Captain Midnight code name was given by a general who sent him on a high-risk mission from which he returned at the stroke of twelve. When the radio program began in 1938, Albright was a private aviator who helped people, but his situation changed in 1940 when the program was taken over by a new sponsor, Ovaltine, and the origin story explained how Albright was recruited to head the Secret Squadron, an aviation-oriented paramilitary organization fighting sabotage and espionage during the period prior to the United States’ entry into World War II. The Secret Squadron acted both within and outside the United States, combatting spies, saboteurs, mad scientists and repeated combats with the stock villain, Ivan Shark.

Radio premiums offered by the series (usually marked with Midnight’s personal symbol of a winged clock with the hands pointing to midnight) included decoders. These Code-O-Graphs were used by listeners to decipher encrypted messages previewing the next day’s episode, usually broadcast five-days-a-week. Other premiums included rings, telescopes, and World War II items.

The program aired for a decade until 1949. But that did not restrict the franchise potential just to the radio speakers. The popularity of the Captain Midnight character expanded in 1942 with a cliffhanger serial film, a syndicated newspaper strip, and a series of comic books. In 1954, a short-lived television program starring Richard Webb was produced by Screen Gems. For that rendition, Captain Midnight (now a veteran of the Korean War) heads the Secret Squadron as a private organization.

The show was known for the imaginative use of exciting technological advancements to create narrative thrills, inspiring young audiences to dream of future advances. Very little has been documented about the radio and television program beyond entries in encyclopedias. This two-volume set documents (in extreme detail) the majority of the radio broadcasts, with plot summaries and secret codes, along with the collectibles and giveaway premiums.

This is one of two volumes. Volume One primarily focuses on the origin of the character and the radio program including a detailed episode guide with plot summaries. Volume Two picks up where the first volume left off, primarily focusing on the collectibles and premiums, comic books, newspaper comic strip, 1942 cliffhanger serial and the television program.

In the weeks leading up to the theatrical release of KING KONG, executives at RKO purchased an unusual time slot for an eight-week radio serial, adapted from the screenplay. The studio made a daring move by giving away the entire plot of the movie before it was released. Eliminating the advertising agency, the studio hired stage actors in New York City to report to the radio studios at NBC, twice a week, to dramatize the epic that took place on an unchartered island and a monster rampage through the streets of New York City.

Recordings from that 1933 radio serial do not exist and until recently, the radio scripts were considered “lost” – a Holy Grail among radio researchers and fans of the horror classic. Recently discovered in the hands of a private collector, this book reprints scans of all 15 radio scripts from 1933, the complete run, along with bonus extras such as radio scripts for the April 1933 New York City and Hollywood movie premieres. Also included (and most important) is a history of the short-lived radio program. For fans of King Kong, this is a treasure.

One tenet of sociable poker players was “Never trust a man who sandbags (checks and then raises) in a friendly game of cards.” The basic premise of Maverick, a professional gambler who wandered the west avoiding trouble and finding himself caught up in life-threatening adventures, was televised for five seasons over ABC-TV, and spawned a number of comic books, collectibles and sequels. ABC was poised to fire its Sunday ammunition against the competing Ed Sullivan and Steve Allen, with heavy bets to the tune of a million dollars placed by the Kaiser Industries Corp. and Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corp., its sponsors.

The chief asset of the show was its sense of humor. If an adult Western was to be truly adult, it could not take itself too seriously. Rather than kiss the woman and ride off into the sunset, Maverick could be expected to win a bet by kissing his horse and fleeing out of the county by riverboat. Along the way he cleaned up corruption and disruption of law and order in the unsettled old West.

The goal was not to compete with other fast-drawing hotshot television Westerns, but rather to differentiate from them. That was the Roy Huggins formula. He created and produced the series, ensuring a refreshing take in an era when television Westerns were a variation-on-a-theme. Huggins wanted to avoid the clichés that populated other television Westerns.

This book has been a decade in the making, having consulted very possible avenue including production files. (Yes, that means the episode guide includes the dates of production, filming locations, budgets, and more.) Fans of Maverick will find themselves wanting to re-watch the episodes once again with all the new behind-the-scenes trivia brought to light.

The year was 1933. The country was in the height of a Depression and weeks after the Bank Holiday concluded, RKO Radio Pictures promoted a new motion picture as “the picture destined to startle the world.”

In the weeks leading up to the theatrical release of KING KONG, executives at RKO purchased an unusual time slot for an eight-week radio serial, adapted from the screenplay. The studio made a daring move by giving away the entire plot of the movie before it was released. Eliminating the advertising agency, the studio hired stage actors in New York City to report to the radio studios at NBC, twice a week, to dramatize the epic that took place on an unchartered island and a monster rampage through the streets of New York City.

Recordings from that 1933 radio serial do not exist and until recently, the radio scripts were considered “lost” – a Holy Grail among radio researchers and fans of the horror classic. Recently discovered in the hands of a private collector, this book reprints scans of all 15 radio scripts from 1933, the complete run, along with bonus extras such as radio scripts for the April 1933 New York City and Hollywood movie premieres. Also included (and most important) is a history of the short-lived radio program. For fans of King Kong, this is a treasure.

Very few television shows withstand the test of time, and Rod Serling’s THE TWILIGHT ZONE is one of the notable exceptions. Proven to be an important part of American culture since its debut on CBS in October 1959, many Hollywood producers, screenwriters and directors have been inspired and influenced by this series. Comic books, magazine articles, numerous television revivals, a major motion picture and even modern audio productions have been produced, showcasing the continuing popularity of this television classic. This definitive history presents a portrait of the beloved Rod Serling and his television program, recounting the major changes the show underwent in format and story selection, including censorship battles, production details, and exclusive memories from cast and crew. The complete episode guide recalls all 156 episodes of the series in detail that has never before been accomplished in any publication. This book will make you want to look back at the episodes once again, whether you are a casual fan or serious enthusiast of the series. Unlock the door to a television classic by reading about the in-jokes, bloopers, and other trivia associated with the behind-the-scenes production of . . . THE TWILIGHT ZONE!

Rod Serling is an author who carefully blended science-fiction with eerie horror to create stories that have stood the test of time. Today, he is remembered as the creator of The Twilight Zone. Behind the scenes, he was a master craftsman. This book reprints hundreds of archival letters and documents, including letters from fans sent to Rod Serling, and newspaper and magazine reviews. Never has there been a closer and more intimate behind-the-scenes view of Rod Serling behind his typewriter than the letters and memos that are contained within.

Among his fans are countless “completists” who have made it a mission to absorb as much of his work as possible. For fans of The Twilight Zone, this is a feast for the eyes.

400 pages and full 8 x 11 size!

With so many books about Rod Serling and The Twilight Zone published, we never thought it was possible for anyone to publish another book without rehashing the same material already covered… until now. Just remember as you read these letters, be prepared. You may find yourself falling down a rabbit hole… or into the abyss of fascination known as The Twilight Zone.

Three days of fun. Come meet movie stars, get their autograph, and have your photo taken with them. Vendors will have vintage collectibles for sale. Vintage movies will be shown on the big screen. Celebrities will do participate with a Q&A on stage.

The Clarion Hotel, 3034 Richmond Rd, Williamsburg, VA 23185

Hotel Phone Number (757) 565-2600