Pulp writer Johnston McCulley (1993-1938) was the author of hundreds (if not thousands) of short stories and novels, published in pulp magazines under his own name and a plethora of pseudonyms. His most famous creation is, without doubt, the masked swordsman Zorro, made popular by radio, movie, and television adaptations. But before Zorro hit it big, McCulley tried out dozens of different heroes and antiheroes: Black Star, the Avenging Twins, the Man in Purple, the Green Ghost, the Mongoose, Richard Hughes—Railroad Detective, the Spider, the Thunderbolt, the Crimson Clown...the list goes on and on. And it includes a good-hearted pickpocket with a lisp named "Thubway Tham," pursued by Detective Craddock of the New York Police Department.

Thubway Tham got his start in the June 4, 1918 issue of Detective Story Magazine, and continued on through more than 100 original stories (published in various magazines, including the aforementioned Detective Story Magazine, Black Book Detective, Clues, Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine, and The Saint Detective Magazine). Tham's last apperance was in January, 1960. That's quite a run.

This volume collects 10 stories (plus a humorous anecdote).