Richard S. Prather’s name isn’t as well known today as Mickey Spillane’s, and he never became the cultural icon that Mick did. But he was a fabulous writer in the hardboiled vein, whose sales and popularity were right up there with the best of them for many years.

Whereas Spillane had Mike Hammer, Prather had Sheldon “Shell” Scott to make his way through the hardboiled and often violent streets of mystery/detective fiction. Unlike Mickey, however, Prather, whose first Shell Scott book, Case of the Vanishing Beauty, appeared in 1950, was very prolific. He left a literal slew of Shell Scott stories for us to enjoy.

Also unlike Mickey, Prather filled his Shell Scott novels with almost as much offbeat humor as violence, and the combination proved irresistible, especially during the glory days of Shell Scott in the 1950s and '60s. By the time he passed away at 85 in 2007, three years after losing his wife of nearly 60 years, Tina, his books had sold over 40 million copies.

The Sleeper Caper first appeared in Manhunt, and it's one of his shorter Shell Scott stories. The Sleeper Caper is a terrific and enjoyable story, and a perfect way to acquaint yourself with Prather’s creation to see if you like him. In Prather’s case, this is important because a great number of his Shell Scott novels were released on Kindle, and now have been packaged into boxed sets which are are a real bargain.

Shell is in Mexico to lend bookie Cookie Martini a hand. Cookie’s been losing a bundle because something very funny is going on around the horse track in Mexico. Too many long-shots have been paying off, and it’s obvious the fix is in. Scott’s at the track in Mexico as the story opens, and naturally there are a couple of hot tomatoes on his arms in Vera and Elena. When a tough little jockey refuses to throw a race, it doesn’t end well, and Scott wants revenge.

Shell knows Hammond and his right-hand man, Rath, are behind it, but before he can wrap this one up, things get pretty ugly. Right away Shell is on the wrong end of a brutal beating, but it isn’t enough to send him back home, not by a long-shot. When a dancer shows Scott the knife scars on her belly, he realizes someone is even more sadistic — and to his shock, masochistic — than he thought, which places a doll in danger. Said doll is in need of saving as only a guy like Shell Scott can.

The Sleeper Caper has a great, if violent ending, but there is a smoothness here in the writing, and within the flow of the story. In addition, Prather’s trademark humor lightens the mood at just the right moments, making this a truly enjoyable short story. A fine introduction to Prather’s wonderful Shell Scott stories, which will make you want to grab the novels up while they’re still being offered on Kindle. A fun read! ( )