Eye of Vengeance is the third volume with Jonathan W. Sweet‘s New Pulp hero, The Red Jackal. I had previously read and reviewed the first two volumes: Enter the Jackal and Ghosts of the Jackal. Sweet has done several pulp reprint anthologies and a pair of nice Beginner’s Guide to Pulp Fiction books through his Brick Pickle Media that I have reviewed here, as well.
The author is from the Twin Cities area (Minneapolis and St. Paul), and has set this hero in the same location, as well as woven in real history of the 1930s. There is an afterword in this one that goes over this. I think that really adds to the stories, and it’s an element I like to see with many New Pulp authors who set their characters in other parts of the country, especially the areas where they live. Not every pulp hero needs to be in New York.
Our hero, The Red Jackal, is in the mode of other pulp heroes (as well as some comicbook heroes). He is really Blake Randolph, who runs his family enterprises that include a newspaper and radio station in the area. There are only a small number of associates who know his identity, including a police lieutenant. Most people do not even know The Red Jackal exists.
Unlike the prior volumes, this time we get a two-part novel set in 1934. There is a new player in town working behind the scenes with criminals and others, taking direct aim at The Red Jackal. Clearly, he is after revenge for some reason. As The Red Jackal has kept a low profile, this mastermind works to not just expose him to the general population, but frame him as a criminal. This is helped by him using a newspaper for this purpose. Also worked in are real events from the period, such as John Dillinger being in the area and a local worker’s strike.
Can The Red Jackal do his job, track down who is behind it all, and stop it before it goes too far? Will his real identity be exposed? Or, will he feel it’s not worth it to even operate as The Red Jackal? There is a major turning point in this novel for our hero!
It’s another great adventure with this hero. I want to see where this goes in the future. This is one to pick up yourself, especially as it’s not set in the too-typical New York City.
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