Ralph Morgan

A mad scientist injects his enemies with an acromegaly virus, causing them to become hideously deformed. Dr. Igor Markoff, an overbearing scientist, injects test subjects with an acromegaly serum, a glandular concoction that causes bones in their extremities and parts of the skull to grow out of proportion. Recipients become hideously deformed. After noting that famed concert pianist Anthony Lawrence's daughter Patricia strongly resembles his dead wife, he becomes obsessed with winning her favor. She already has a serious boyfriend, Bob Blake, who is also Lawrence's tour manager. Patricia rejects Markoff's advances. Still unwilling to give up, Markoff manages to injects her father with his acromegaly serum. Anthony's fingers start deforming such that he can no longer play and his face begins to grow distorted. In return for the antidote, Markoff intends to extort a fortune and demand the hand of the musician's pretty daughter. Markoff's long-time female assistant, Maxine, has secretly harbored a love for him for years. She is most distressed when she overhears of his intentions. So are Patricia and her boyfriend. —Garon Smith

Doctor Miller and his party head for Alaska in hopes that a newly discovered mineral from an ore mine will provide the vital element in his new defensive weapon. Their quest is hampered by a villainous interloper who wants the ore. Doctor Miller and his party head for Alaska in hopes that a newly discovered mineral from an ore mine will provide the vital element in his new defensive weapon. Their quest is hampered by a villainous interloper who wants the ore and the doctor's latest invention.

Episodes in the adventurous life of the American novelist (1876-1916). Episodes in the novelist's life: In 1890, young Jack London quits a cannery job to try oyster piracy. Later, he signs on for a sealing voyage, tries Yukon prospecting and a brief university career, loving and leaving women along the way. Instead of riches, he gets story ideas. Suddenly, he finds success and a delectable lady; but the urge to adventure won't let him go. —Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>

Philo Vance, accompanied by his prize-losing Scottish terrier, investigates the locked-room murder of a prominent and much-hated collector whose broken Chinese vase provides an important clue. Archer Coe has been found dead in his locked bedroom. The cops consider it suicide, but Philo believes otherwise. When the Coroner shows up, he finds that Archer had been hit with a blunt object, stabbed and shot - making suicide unlikely. When the evidence points to his brother, Brisbane is found stabbed to death in the closet. Archer had a number of enemies, any one of which would have been glad to knock him off, but which one did and how did the murder occur in a room looked from the inside. Only one man, the keen, fascinating, debonair detective Philo Vance, would be able to figure out who is the killer. —Tony Fontana <tony.fontana@spacebbs.com> Debonair private eye Philo Vance cancels his sea voyage to Europe when he hears that the wealthy Archer Coe was found dead in his home, an apparent suicide. Philo is soon on the scene of the crime and is quite dubious about suicide as the cause, despite the fact that Coe was found in a room that was locked from the inside. He had run into Cole the previous day at the Long Island Kennel Club and Coe was very much looking forward to the next day's competition and the possibility of his dog winning. It takes only a few minutes for Philo to convince Det. Sgt. Heath that it's murder. Finding the murderer isn't as easy however as Archer Coe was ruthless and had many enemies. —garykmcd