The Frosted Death

"The Frosted Death" is the 5th pulp magazine story to feature The Avenger. Written by Paul Ernst, it was published in the January 1, 1940 issue of "The Avenger" magazine.

Publishing history

This novel was re-published under its original title by Paperback Library on October 1, 1972.

ummary

The Sangaman-Veshnir drug company has discovered a fast-growing mold that grows on meat, covering the victim with a powdered sugar-like coating: "The Frosted Death". Growing into the skin pores and lungs, it causes death by suffocation, and cannot be killed by conventional means; a speck on the skin causes death in a short time. Kindly-seeming, thoroughly evil Veshnir murders to keep the mold secret: he has a deal with Germany to mass produce it as a weapon of war. A submarine of Nazis has infiltrated to support this effort. At his secret estate in Maine, Veshnir has set up a production facility, using dying men enslaved by blowing some mold into their brains. Benson quickly contains outbreaks of the mold, and uses detective work to identify the source. Mac works feverishly, develops an antidote. Mac and Josh are captured. Josh secretly infects Veshnir with the mold. Benson poses as one of the Nazi agents and uses the antidote to save Josh and Mac. Veshnir's production facility is destroyed. The Nazis will return to Germany and likely death.

Notes

* This story is particularly chilling and suspenseful.
* Benson is "a superb physician" and knows "a dozen languages."
* Tarzan-like, Benson can swing through the trees.
* Doc Savage-like, Benson makes use of a silk cord and grapnel, black-out bombs, etc.
* Every police officer on the New York City force knows Benson.
* The "unnamed European power" is Nazi Germany.

External links

* [http://members.aol.com/macmurdie/covers/4001_cv.html Magazine cover for "The Frosted Death"]