The Tomb’s Secret

Introduction

The Tomb’s Secret. Under the name: Patrick Ervin. Featuring Brock Rollins. See also the original story “Teeth of Doom” featuring Steve Harrison.

The February 1934 issue of STRANGE DETECTIVE STORIES carried two stories by REH: “The Tomb’s Secret” and “Fangs of Gold”. It appears that the story titles were inadvertently switched. Howard’s agent, Otis Adelbert Kline, kept a list of titles and the magazines that purchased them. The story was sold for $85 and after Kline had his share, Howard earned $72.25 on the sale.

Above “The Teeth of Doom” on Kline’s list, someone added “The Tomb’s Secret” and above “The People of the Serpent” on Kline’s list, someone added “Fangs of Gold.”

Originally a Steve Harrison story, the main character was changed to Brock Rollins when the story ran in the same issue of STRANGE DETECTIVE STORIES as the Steve Harrison story “Fangs of Gold.”

From the letters

In a letter (#259) to H.P. Lovecraft, ca. September or October 1933 Howard tells him about his story:

Lately I’ve been trying to write detective yarns, something entirely new for me, and haven’t had much success — in fact none, so far, except for a short yarn, “Talons in the Dark”, written in San Antonio last spring, and which Kline, as my agent, sold to a magazine called Strange Detective Stories. Kline has been a big help in teaching me the technique of detective story writing; whether I am able to profit by his teaching remains to be seen. (Kline marketed another yarn for me since I wrote the above.)

The other story mentioned is probably “The Teeth of Doom,” published as with the title “The Tomb’s Secret”.

Summary

“The Tomb’s Secret” is a suspense-filled detective story where the central plot revolves around a dangerous and hidden chemical formula capable of world domination. The story follows Brock Rollins, a determined detective, as he navigates through a complex web of murder, betrayal, and international conspiracy to protect his client and uncover the truth.

The narrative begins with James Willoughby, a millionaire philanthropist, narrowly escaping an assassination attempt. He survives due to his quick thinking, but the incident sets off a series of events that involve Rollins delving deeper into the underbelly of the criminal world. Rollins meets with Joey Glick, an informant who reveals that Yarghouz Barolass, a leader of the Sons of Erlik, is orchestrating these attacks. Unfortunately, Glick dies mysteriously during their meeting, which propels Rollins to investigate further.

As Rollins investigates, he discovers that Willoughby, along with his deceased colleagues Richard Lynch and Job Hopkins, developed a potent chemical weapon in China. To safeguard the formula from misuse, they encrypted it and divided the key among themselves by embedding symbols in their dental work. Following their deaths, their bodies are targeted by criminals wanting to unlock and sell the formula.

The plot thickens with Rollins’ relentless pursuit leading him to a confrontation with Yarghouz Barolass, who he initially believes is the mastermind behind the attempts to gather the symbols. The climax reveals a twist where a mandarin, a servant of the lord of Peking, intervenes. It turns out the mandarin orchestrated events to prevent the warlord Yah Lai, who had been manipulating Barolass, from obtaining the formula and threatening global security.

The mandarin successfully eliminates Barolass and retrieves the symbols, ensuring the safety of the formula. He then disappears, leaving Rollins with more questions than answers, but with Willoughby safe and the immediate threat neutralized.

“The Tomb’s Secret” combines elements of noir detective stories with international espionage, presenting a tale of moral ambiguity, where the lines between right and wrong are blurred amidst the shadows of greater threats.

Characters

  1. James Willoughby – The primary victim and a millionaire philanthropist, targeted for his part in a secret concerning a deadly chemical formula.
  2. Brock Rollins – The detective protagonist, working to uncover the mystery behind the attacks on Willoughby and the connection to a wider conspiracy.
  3. Joey Glick – An underworld informant who provides crucial information to Rollins about the plot against Willoughby but is killed during their meeting.
  4. Yarghouz Barolass – The antagonist, identified as the head of the American branch of the Sons of Erlik and involved in criminal activities centered around blackmail and mystical threats.
  5. Chief Hoolihan – The police chief, involved in ensuring Willoughby’s safety and assisting Rollins in his investigation.
  6. Spike – Appears briefly as a minor character who is called upon to handle the body of Joey Glick after his sudden death.
  7. Richard Lynch – Mentioned posthumously; previously involved with Willoughby and another in creating a dangerous chemical formula, now targeted for the symbol hidden in his dental work.
  8. Job Hopkins – Another posthumous mention, part of the trio with Willoughby and Lynch, also targeted for the symbol in his dental work.
  9. Yah Lai – A warlord seeking to overthrow the Chinese government, indirectly involved through the quest for the formula symbols.
  10. Fang Yin – A servant of the lord of Peking, acts to counteract the threats posed by Yah Lai and protect the balance of power.
  11. The Mandarin – A mysterious figure who appears at the end, kills Yarghouz, and explains part of the plot to Rollins before disappearing.

Alternate title:

TEETH OF DOOM.

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