"Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive."
Sir Walter Scott

Thrilling Detective

June 1933, V6 N3
magazine cover

          Thrilling Detective was one of the longest running detective pulps, beginning with the November 1931 issue and running for 213 issues, ending with the Fall 1953 issue, a 22 year run.

           The title was published by Metropolitan Magazines, Inc., a part of the Better & Standard pulp house, more popularly known as the “thrilling” line. No matter what title was on the magazine, they always put the statement, "A Thrilling Publication" somewhere on the cover. Ned Pines was the owner. However, it was very likely his head editor, Leo Margulies, who turned Ned Pines’ pulp house into one of the four leading publishing houses of the day.

           Leo ruled the roost at the Pines’ empire, and guided the pulp titles through the individual editors for each. In the final years of the pulp magazines, Ned Pines let Leo go and hired new editors. It was a move to save his magazines. But it was too late, the magazines were already dying, and the new direction didn’t work.

           Ned Pines turned his publishing house into a paperback company, Popular Library. When he finally retired, he moved to Paris, France, where he eventually died. In the mean time, Leo Margulies started his own magazine empire, Renown, publishing such titles as Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine, Shell Scott Mystery Magazine, the Man & Girl From U.N.C.L.E. magazines, and others. However, Leo will always be remembered as the “little giant of the pulps,” and the guiding hand behind the “thrilling” line of pulps.

Copyright 2004 by Virginia E. Johnson

"Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive."
Sir Walter Scott