"As far as I'm concerned, Richard S. Prather was the King of the paperback P.I writers of the 60s. Shell Scott should be in the Top Ten of any readers list of favorite private eyes."—Robert J. RandisiFor four decades, Richard S. Prather published over 40 works of detective fiction, most featuring his clever, cad-about-town hero, Shell Scott. Known for their arched humor, punchy dialogue, and sunny Southern California locale, the Shell Scott books represent one of the greatest private eye collections ever produced.ALWAYS LEAVE 'EM DYINGA Shell Scott MysteryShell Scott. He's a guy with a pistol in his pocket and sex and violence on his mind. The crime world's public enemy number one, this Casanova is a sucker for a damsel in distress. When a pair of lovely legs saunters into his office, he can't help but take the job, even when the case is a killer. In ALWAYS LEAVE 'EM DYING, Shell thinks he has seen it all – until he sees the cult. It sacrifices the best for the worst, and when he discovers who's leading it, it almost kills him. Uniformed in black right down to the gun aimed at Shell, the leader resembles an embalmed undertaker. But it isn't just those gorgeous young girls he seeks to sacrifice. He wants Shell. Not dead or alive – just dead.