20+ titles of detective magazines pdf and other pulp magazines pdf, mostly mid-20th century. Also romance, adventure, youth, and sports mags.
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Looking for some free reading material? Check out the archives of pulp fiction magazines, available in PDF format online. These old magazines offer a glimpse into the world of vintage illustrated fiction, featuring stories of romance, crime, mystery, adventure, and classic tales. Best of all, these archives are completely free to access!
Free Pulp Magazines PDF
Adventure – Pulp Magazines PDF
1911-1963
U.S. – Various publishers
Adventure magazine was first published in 1910 by the Ridgway company. It became one of the most popular and profitable of the pdf pulp magazines, continuing until 1971. This collection also contains some other magazines with similar titles, such as World Wide Adventure and Spicy Adventure Stories.
See the Menu at the top of every page for Directories of Free Online Fiction and NonFiction Books, Magazines, and more, on 400 pages like this at Century Past
Argosy – Crime and Detective Magazines PDF
1973-1978 (B&W)
ca 1912-1942
U.S. – Frank Munsey
Argosy Magazine is said to be the first American pulp magazine pdf, appearing in 1882 and continuing until 1978. In the inter-war years it was one of the most important pulp magazines, and contained stories by the better-known writers of the era.
Aviation Fiction Variety
1923-1974
U.S.: Various publishers
Various magazines, mostly short story fiction, about flyers and flying. Some titles: Fighting Aces of War Skies, Air Trails, Dare-Devil Aces, American Sky Devils, Bill Barnes Air Trails, American Eagle, Air War, Air Stories, Flying Cadet, Air Adventures. Vintage aviation fiction magazines.
Blue Book
1907-1951
U.S.: Consolidated Magazines & other publishers
Blue Book was one of the four top fiction magazines in the U.S. in the early 20th century. The target audience was both men and women, and the work of many well-known writers and illustrators appeared there. Authors included Edgar Rice Burroughs, Agatha Christie, Zane Grey and Rider Haggard. The Blue Book was published under varying titles from 1906 to 1975. – from Wikipedia.
Classics Illustrated
1941-1969
U.S.: Classics Illustrated
“Classics Illustrated is an American comic book/magazine series featuring adaptations of literary classics such as Les Miserables, Moby Dick, Hamlet, and The Iliad. Created by Albert Kanter, the series began publication in 1941 and finished its first run in 1971, producing 169 issues. ” – Internet Archive.
Crime Stories Magazine Collection – Detective Magazines PDF
Magazine Collection 1870-1971
Various publishers
A wide variety of mystery & crime fiction magazines, published from the late 19th century through the 1960s. Some titles: Edgar Wallace Mystery Magazine, London Mystery Selection, Crime Illustrated, Scientific Detective Monthly, Sexton Blake Library, All in Pictures. Detective magazines pdf.
Detective & Mystery Magazine Collection – Detective Magazines PDF
1905-1958
U.S. – Various publishers
This popular collection contains over 500 issues. The majority are from the 1930s through the early 1950s, but there are also issues from the 19th century up through 2013. Some titles: Famous Detective Stories, The Phantom Detective, Spicy Detective Stories, The Armchair Detective, Popular Detective, Dime Detective Magazine, Black Mask Detective, Thrilling Detective, 5 Detective Novels, True Detective Mysteries Magazine, New Detective, Dime Detective Magazine PDF, Hollywood Detective, Strange Detective Mysteries, Ten Detective Aces, Private Detective Stories, Startling Detective Adventures, 10-Story Detective, Front Page Detective, Dorcas Dene Detective, Bulldog Drummond, Crack Detective and Mystery, Clues, New Nick Carter Weekly, and more titles.
The Dial
1840-1922
Chicago, New York
‘The Dial Magazine’ was established in 1840 as a Transcendentalist magazine, edited by Ralph Waldo Emerson and Margaret Fuller. It ceased publication in 1844. In Chicago in 1880 the editor and publisher Francis F. Browne gave his new journal of literary criticism and politics the same name, claiming it was in the same tradition. It achieved national prominence and was the most respected magazine of its type in the Midwest, before declining after 1910. In 1918 it was moved to New York and again became very influential, publishing important artwork, poetry and fiction. 19th century American magazines online free.
Ellery Queen – Detective Magazines PDF
Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine Website
1942-1987
NY: Davis
Launched in 1941 by Mercury Press, the magazine is named after a fictitious author and detective. The founder’s goal was to make a “quality publication devoted exclusively to the printing of the best detective-crime short-story literature,”. In addition to steady popularity among readers, the magazine has won numerous awards over the years, and continues in publication today. Thanks to Wikipedia.
Everybody’s Magazine – Pulp Magazines PDF
Vol 1 – 49 (1899-1923)
1899-1929 at Internet Archive (Black & White)
NY: North American Company
According to the Magazine’s entry in Wikipedia, Everybody’s Magazine was founded by Philadelphia merchant John Wanamaker in 1899, who had little role in its operations. It published a mix of non-fiction and fiction. In 1903, with a circulation of 150,000, it was sold to a group headed by Erman Jesse Ridgeway. A series of muckraking articles called “Frenzied Finance” in 1904 boosted circulation to over 500,000, and it stayed above that mark for many years, while changing its content to mainly fiction. Magazines from 1900s 1920s.
The Lakeside Monthly Magazine
Vols 1-4, 7-9 (1869-1873)
Vols 6-11 (1871-1874)
Chicago
‘The Lakeside Monthly’, which ran from 1869 to 1874, was edited by Francis Fisher Browne. It was the predecessor to Browne’s more successful Chicago literary periodical ‘The Dial’, which began in 1880 (also found on this webpage). Issues contain non-fiction, fiction, poetry and book reviews. Included were nonfiction articles about Chicago, including a section called “The Rebuilding of the City’ on page 281 of Volume 8 (Oct 1872), which describes the restoration of Chicago in the wake of the great fire of October 1871. American Magazine 19th century. Free back issues of magazines.
Men’s Adventure Magazines Variety – Detective Magazines PDF
1881-1975
Various Publishers
A variety of titles billed as ‘Men’s Adventure’ magazines. Titles include: Air Wonder Stories, Short Stories, Far East Adventure Stories, Dare-Devil Aces, Amazing Adventures, Wings, Cavalier for Men, Erb-Dom, Pluck and Luck, Flying Cadet, Jungle Stories, The Wide World, Bill Barnes Air Trails, Sea Stories, Black Mask, Magic Carpet, Mystic, Oriental Stories. Detective short stories English. Love short story English.
Overland Monthly
1868-1923
1868-1935 at Internet Archive (Black & White)
San Francisco
Monthly. Edited by Bret Harte, the Overland Monthly; devoted to the Development of the Country began publication in 1868 in San Francisco and continued through 1875. It contained non-fiction, short stories and poetry. In 1880 the publishers founded the Californian, which then became the Californian and Overland Monthly and in 1883 was re-titled the Overland Monthly. In 1923 it merged with the magazine Out West, and continued until 1935. Some writers associated with the magazine were Alice Cary, Jack London, Mark Twain and Henry George.
— Information from Wikipedia entry for “Overland Monthly”. Old magazine from 1800s to 1930s.
Popular Magazine
1910-1930
NY: Street & Smith
“An early American literary magazine that ran for 612 issues from November 1903 to October 1931. It featured short fiction, novellas, serialized larger works, and even entire short novels. In October 1931, The Popular Magazine was merged with another Street & Smith pulp, Complete Stories.” – Wikipedia.
Romance Magazine Variety
1920-1952
Various Publishers
A variety of Romance magazines, by different publishers. Titles include: Street & Smith’s Love Story, Popular Love, North-West Romances, 10-Story Book, True Romances.
Secret Service – Detective Magazine PDF
ca 1899-1910
NY: Frank Tousey
“A 32-page weekly magazine of detective stories featuring Old and Young King Brady, a world-renowned team of United States Secret Service agents. The pair run the Brady Detective Bureau in New York City and, with the help of Alice, their able office assistant, they track down criminals across the globe. Wall Street swindles and opium rings based in Chinatown are principal plot devices. The series was published from 1899 through 1925.” – Stanford Libraries.
The Shadow – Detective Magazine PDF
1931-1949 (Black & White)
U.S. – Street & Smith
The character called “The Shadow” debuted in July 1930 on the radio program “Detective Story Hour”, which was produced by the same company already publishing “Detective Story Magazine”. “The Shadow” magazine first appeared April 1931, and ended with the Summer 1949 issue. – Wikipedia.
Sports Magazines Variety
1905-1958
Various Publishers
A number of different sports magazines. Titles include: Popular Sports, Ten-Story Sports, Complete Sports, thrilling Sports, Super Sports, Fight Stories, Exciting Football, All-American Football, Motor Boating, Body Builder, Basketball Stories, Baseball Digest, Physical Culture, Official Wrestling.
The Strand Magazine: An Illustrated Monthly – Detective Magazine PDF
1891-1927
London, UK: Newnes
“A monthly British magazine founded by George Newnes, composed of short fiction and general interest articles. It was published in the United Kingdom from January 1891 to March 1950. It was edited by Herbert Greenhough Smith from 1891 to 1930. The popularity of Sherlock Holmes became widespread after first appearing in the magazine in 1891.” – Website.
Thrilling Detective – Detective Magazine PDF
1932-1953
NY: Thrilling Publications
Published from 1931 to 1953, Thrilling Detective was one of many fiction magazines from publisher Ned Pines. Detective magazines pdf.
Western Magazine Variety – Pulp Magazines PDF
ca 1934-1960
U.S. – Various publishers
Here are over 200 issues of many Western fiction magazines, mostly published from the 1930s to about 1960, but with some issues from the 19th century. Magazine titles include .44 Western, Speed Western Stories, Thrilling Western, Western Story, World Wide Adventure, Zane Grey’s Western, 10 Story Western, Frontier Stories, Two-Gun Western Novels, Cowboy Short Stories, Fifteen Western Tales, Action Stories, All Western Magazine, Action-Packed Western, Buck Jones, Diamond Dick Jr., Deadwood Dick Library (1880s), Exciting Western, Favorite Westerns of Filmland, Gunsmoke Annual, The Lone Ranger, Indian Stories, Pluck and Luck, North-West Romances, Real Western Stories, and more.
Youth Magazine Variety – Pulp Magazines PDF
1877-1970
Various Publishers
A variety of magazines for boys and a few for girls. Titles include: Eagle, Diamond Dick Jr., Tip Top Weekly, Chums, American Boy, Work and Win, The Modern Boy, Frank Reade Library, Beadle’s Frontier Series, Happy Days, Boy’s Cinema, Child Life, Calling All Girls, Boys’ Own Paper, The Girl’s Own Paper and Woman’s Magazine, American Girl.
Websites of More Fiction Magazines
Free online versions of these fiction magazines are not available, but their websites feature articles of interest.