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Exact textual stateDraft

The Names in the Black Book

Part of Names in the Black Book

StateDraft 2Surviving witnesses1TSS catalogue units42
Textual identity is not textual authority. “Catalogue primary/default” selects the default catalogue representation; it does not mean that this wording is automatically Howard’s most authoritative text.

Characters in this exact text

Ali ibn SuleymanAli ibn Suleyman — Druse fighter and outcast used against Steve Harrison in Lord of the DeadMentionedfirst: Joan and Harrison recall Erlik Khan's apparent death.HoolihanChief Hoolihan — chief of police assisting Steve HarrisonOn Pagefirst: Harrison telephones the chief of police.Erlik KhanErlik Khan — criminal mastermind called the Lord of the Dead in Lord of the DeadOn Pagefirst: Opening conversation; later physically revealed alive.Ibrahim ibn AchmetIbrahim ibn Achmet — Syrian curio dealer and second of the three recent Erlik Khan-associated murder victimsMentionedfirst: Harrison lists the three recent murders.Jacob KossovaJacob Kossova — Levantine exporter and third of the three recent Erlik Khan-associated murder victimsMentionedfirst: Harrison lists the three recent murders.Joan La TourJoan La Tour — Eurasian woman seeking revenge for her brother in Lord of the DeadOn Pagefirst: Opening apartment scene.Johnny KleckJohnny Kleck — underworld informant murdered after learning that Erlik Khan has returnedOn Pagefirst: Telephone call with Harrison.Khoda KhanKhoda Khan — Afghan fugitive recruited to guard Joan La Tour and fight Erlik KhanOn Pagefirst: Joan proposes him as her protector; he soon arrives.Li-chinLi-chin — Chinese merchant and first of the three recent Erlik Khan-associated murder victimsMentionedfirst: Harrison lists the three recent murders.Woon YangShan Yang — owner of the River Street opium dive used as a trap for Steve HarrisonMentionedfirst: Johnny Kleck arranges the meeting at his hop house.Steve HarrisonSteve Harrison — private detective and central protagonist of Lord of the DeadOn Pagefirst: Opening sentence.

Surviving manuscript evidence

The records below describe surviving physical typescripts, carbons, manuscript material and documentary catalogue evidence for this exact textual state. TSS numbers identify physical catalogue units; they are not story or draft IDs.

Draft 2 — surviving complete Howard typescriptHoward typescript
Extent42 pagesCompletenessComplete

Physical extent: Complete 42-page untitled typescript

TSS: 62138–62179

Complete untitled Howard typescript.

Additional documentary notes

  • Untitled Witness: Draft 2 bears no title. (witness level)

Source: Hardboiled Manuscripts, Volume 1 v0.75, Editorial Notes p. 439; Draft 2 pp. 481–520