Pulp violence

I haven't put on this blog a cover of Detective Tales for ages, so decided to do one today.This is the cover for the February 1941 issue. Very similar to the one I uploaded in February 2014, which was the February 1940 cover. It has a slightly sinister streak: a secret door made of bookshelves shows starving prisoners. It was accidentally opened by the hero (a private eye?) who is trying to free the damsel in distress, who is a fiesty brunette. Behind them, the villain is holding a revolver menacingly. With his balding head and his goatee, he is a classical looking villain, a bit like an evil librarian. I just love this picture.