James Michael Ullman (1925–1997)

Read this one many years ago. I think I was a reporter in Joliet at the time — the '70s. A quick, fun read and I had to pick up this book from a used book pile: It involves a reporter and Chicago.

The paper is The Express, It regularly printed what they called the newsroom called the Squawk Box. Basically a plea to the public for tips on corruption.

The rookie reporter in our story is sent out to the reception room to talk to a squawker who walked in off the street. That's how some big show more stories come to you.

From the back cover, a taste of style and storyline:

I was laughing when I got back to the city room.

"What's so funny?" Kells asked, always ready to needle a young reporter.

"Out in the reception room — a big, wild-looking dame in an orange turban and a green dress — probably a hooker. She wanted to sell us a story about some scandal for five thousand bucks." I laughed again. "Can you imagine?"

"Uh-huh,." Kells shook his head. "A hooker with a story— and you let her get away. Is that what they teach in journalism school nowadays — not to touch a story unless it's got big social significance?"

"Kells had squelched my joke, all right. And I didn't laugh that night, either — when the cops found my hooker murdered." show less