DEAD MAN’S SHOES,
by Day KeeneINTRODUCTION
“Day Keene” was the pseudonym of Gunard Hjertstedt (1904-1969), an American novelist and short story author, as well as a radio and television scriptwriter. Keene published 50 novels, as well as hundreds of short stories and scripts for radio series. He is primarily known for his work in the mystery genre, but his fiction strayed into westerns, suspense, and even the “weird tale” on occasion. “Dead Man’s Shoes”—though it has no overt supernatual element—appeared in Weird Tales. And it belonged there.
Gunard Hjertstedt.
Half Swedish and half Irish, Hjertstedt was born in Chicago and worked as an actor in in the 1920s. He wanted to write, though, and reportedly flipped a coin to see which career he would pursue. (Guess which won!) His initial at
