The Butcher: Kill Quick or Die; Come Watch Him Dies; Keepers of Death; Blood Debt; Deadly Deal

New York: Pinnacle Books. Softcover. Very Good. 12mo 7" - 7. Scarce in the trade, there being no additional exemplars of the first five mystery novels in the The Butcher series by "Stuart Jason" (a pseudonym) but housed in an illustrated, paper-covered cardboard slipcase. The series began publication in 1972, when “Kill Quick or Die”, was released. After 35 novels, the series ended publication in the year 1982, when “Gotham Gore” was released. The “The Butcher” series was created by Lyle Kenyon Engel, who created something of a writer's syndicate made up of individual writers that, under contract, took the basic idea and wrote books for it. They all used the "Stuart Jason" house name, was handed a short synopsis of the story that Engel wanted fleshed out, sometimes handing them also a short outline of the plot. The actual James Dockery penned all but two of the initial 26 novels, two being written by Lee Floren, the final nine by Michael Avallone. Largely Very Good to Near Fine interiors but for a few ranges of pages that are creased, a creased front cover, else clean and unmarked. The first five books in the series are comprised of 1: Kill Quick or Die (1973, Fourth Printing, 188 pp., creasing to a range of pages at end, including bottom cover tips); 2) Come Watch Him Dies (1973, Third Printing, 188 pp.); 3) Keepers of Death (1974, Fourth Printing, 188 pp.); 4) Blood Debt (1974, Fourth Printing, 188 pp.); Deadly Deal (1973, Second Printing, 188 pp., creasing to front cover).Member, I.O.B.A., C.B.A., and adherent to the highest ethical standards. Additional postage may be required for oversize or especially heavy volumes, and for sets.