The Hindenburg Murders (29 page)
I would also like to cite the excellent History Channel documentary
The Hindenburg,
produced and directed by Don Cambou (no writer credit given). I also screened
The Hindenburg
(1975), the lavish Hollywood production based on Mooney’s book, directed by Robert Wise from a screenplay by Nelson Gidding from a screen story by
Columbo
creators Richard Levinson and William Link; rather heavily fictionalized, and something of a soap opera in the manner of the then-popular disaster picture, legendary director Wise’s film impeccably recreates the ship’s interior.
Other books consulted include
Dirigibles That Made History
(1962) by David C. Cooke, and
Airshipwreck
(1978) by Len Deighton and Arnold Schwartzman.
I would like to thank several editors: Natalee Rosenstein and Sara Carder of Berkley Prime Crime; my agent and friend, Dominick Abel; and of course my wife, Barbara Collins, on deadline working on a book herself during the writing of
The Hindenburg Murders
but still willing to lend a hand, to help try to guide this baby to the mooring mast… without any unexpected explosions.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Photo credit: Bamford Studio
M
AX
A
LLAN
C
OLLINS IS THE
New York Times
best-selling author of
Road to Perdition
and multiple award-winning novels, screenplays, comic books, comic strips, trading cards, short stories, movie novelizations, and historical fiction. He has scripted the Dick Tracy comic strip, Batman comic books, and written tie-in novels based on the
CSI, Bones,
and
Dark Angel
TV series; collaborated with legendary mystery author Mickey Spillane; and authored numerous mystery series including Quarry, Nolan, Mallory, Eliot Ness, and the best-selling Nathan Heller historical thrillers. His additional
Disaster
series mystery novels include
The Titanic Murders, The Lusitania Murders, The London Blitz Murders, The War of the Worlds Murder,
and
The Pearl Harbor Murders.
Table of Contents
ONE: HOW THE HINDENBURG VOYAGE BEGAN IN A HOTEL, AND LESLIE CHARTERIS MADE NEW FRIENDS
TWO: HOW THE HINDENBURG DISEMBARKED, AND LESLIE CHARTERIS MET TWO WOMEN
THREE: HOW THE HINDENBURG FLOATED INTO THE NIGHT, AND LESLIE CHARTERIS SHARED A CABIN
FOUR: HOW THE HINDENBURG DELIVERED THE MAIL, AND LESLIE CHARTERIS SLEPT ALONE
FIVE: HOW THE HINDENBURG MISPLACED A PASSENGER, AND LESLIE CHARTERIS WALKED THE PLANK
SIX: HOW THE HINDENBURG’S DOCTOR PRESCRIBED SLIPPERS, AND LESLIE CHARTERIS WAS SUMMONED
SEVEN: HOW THE HINDENBURG LOST CONTACT WITH HOME, AND LESLIE CHARTERIS WAS RECRUITED
EIGHT: HOW THE HINDENBURG CONSERVED WATER, AND LESLIE CHARTERIS FOUND A CABIN MATE
DAY THREE: WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 1937
NINE: HOW THE HINDENBURG PROVIDED A PUZZLE, AND LESLIE CHARTERIS POSTED CARDS
TEN: HOW THE HINDENBURG SHADOWED THE TITANIC, AND LESLIE CHARTERIS MET A FAN
ELEVEN: HOW THE HINDENBURG’S ERSTWHILE CAPTAIN ENTERTAINED, AND LESLIE CHARTERIS HAD A CALLER
DAY FOUR: THURSDAY, MAY 6, 1937
TWELVE: HOW THE HINDENBURG BUZZED BOSTON, AND LESLIE CHARTERIS TUGGED A PANT LEG
THIRTEEN: HOW THE HINDENBURG TOURED NEW YORK CITY, AND LESLIE CHARTERIS SPENT HIS MARKS
FOURTEEN: HOW THE HINDENBURG MADE A DETOUR, AND LESLIE CHARTERIS PLAYED A HUNCH
FIFTEEN: HOW THE HINDENBURG ALIGHTED AT LAKEHURST, AND LESLIE CHARTERIS DEBARKED
SIXTEEN: HOW THE HINDENBURG SMOLDERED, AND LESLIE CHARTERIS BURNED