INTRODUCTIONChicago-born Edwin Balmer (1883-1959) is best remembered these days as the co-author (with Philip Wylie) of the classic science fiction novels When Worlds Collide—made into George Pal’s 1951 movie of the same title—and its sequel, After Worlds Collide. But he was a prolific author and editor, primarily in the mystery genre, with numerous novels to his credit. He also edited Redbook (before it became a women’s-interest magazine) from 1927 to 1949.
His 1923 solo novel, Keeban, is a mystery-adventure-romance, billed as “a novel of the Underworld and the Upper”—meaning, of course, that it has High Society clashing with the criminal classes. It’s a good read and has been unjustly neglected. Science fiction readers (who only know him for his two classic novels) are not likely to tra
