KEN HOLT Mysteries - Basic Info, Titles and Photos

A basic guide to the Ken Holt Mystery Stories including title list (US and UK editions), publication formats, and illustrative photos.The Ken Holt books were authored under the pseudonym Bruce Campbell and published by Grosset and Dunlap (GD) between1949 and1963. Unlike a lot of GD series books which had multiple authors, Samuel and Beryl Epstein wrote the entire series. The Epsteins were talented writers and gave these books consistency and high quality writing. The Holt series is one of the best, only being topped (slightly) by the Rick Brant series.The books chronicle the adventures of Ken Holt and Sandy Allen. Ken is the son of the famed news reporter Richard Holt, Global News' star correspondent. Ken shares his father's flair for investigative reporting. Meanwhile, Sandy is a whiz photographer. Sandy's family owns the Brentwood Advance, a local weekly paper, for which both boys work. They often sell stories to Global News as well. Their adventures take place all over the globe, from New Jersey to Europe! While trying to avoid trouble, they always manage to land right in the middle of exciting mysteries and have to use their wits (and some brawn) to get out!The books debuted in the US in 1949 and new stories came out until 1963. All but the last title were issued first in hardcover editions with dust jackets featuring full color art. The last title was first issued as a picture cover book, also with full color art.(Picture 1 showing a US edition hardcover dust jacket and picture cover version for geparison.) There appear to be 2 formats for the dust jacketed editions. The first four volumes were first published in a tan cover (1949-1950), and then the cover switched to a greyish tan tweed material for reprints of 1-4, and first printings of 5-17 (plus reprintings). The books have Ken's logo on the front cover with title on the spine.(Picture 2 showing US (left) and UK (right) hardcover editions.)The eighteenth and last story was first issued as a picture cover volume. It seems that only volumes 1-4, 6 and 15 were also re-issued in picture cover format starting around 1962-1963, using their original artwork. (Why the other titles were not re-formatted, I do not know.) The picture covers have the original artwork on the front, and then an orangish-red cover for the spine and rear cover. The spine features a logo with Ken's picture, while the back cover has the title list, a simple line drawing and series blurb. The orange color is very vulnerable to sun fading sadly.The books have a plain frontis drawing. The eps are either a dark green and white drawing of a cabin in a storm for most volumes, while the last two or three have a black and white line drawing of art from the Hangman's Inn story. This seems to hold true regardless of whether the book is in hardcover or picture cover format.(Picture 3 showing the two end pages designs.)Like most GD series, there are multiple printings of most of the titles. Since GD did not change copyright dates or indicate subsequent printings, you can not determine printing date or first editions by the copyright date. Rather, you have to rely on the story lists, and if the book lists to itself. If it does, then it is probably a first edition. You can gepare the binding types as well to try and establish printing dates.World Distributors in the UK picked up the series and published them for UK distribution, which included areas outside the UK itself. These were under agreement with G