An adventurer seeks the satanic ritual murderers of his Hollywood starlet wife, launching a pulp trilogy. The Satan Sleuth targets criminals hiding behind a paranormal front dressed in a monk's robes. Relatively short novel, by current standards, grimmer than its sequels but, like them, not too graphic. Interesting in the style of The Shadow or The Spider of the pulp era. ( )

The seventies were a tumultuous time with the nation still shell shocked by the ritualized Manson murders and horror films like Rosemary's Baby and the Omen. Avallone's Satan Sleuth series was his venture into the world of horror. The book is filled with hippies, devil worshippers, torture, murder, and horror. A former Miss America married to a millionaire adventurer becomes the victim of the most horrific shocking crime imaginable and the foul things done to her are detailed thoroughly. A man sort of like a superhero in a cape and hood is prepared to mete out justice and hunt down Satan's disciples. It's well-written and a pretty good read, although the plot is kind of simple. ( )