The premise is more sf than usual in The Shadow, a deadly invention (a distintegration ray, no less!) by a scientist, and one would think it was more suited for Doc Savage. Actually, one of the best Shadow novels ever, with the real Lamont Cranston appearing and the Shadow letting the criminals think the real Lamont Cranston is the Shadow (and vice versa) which leads to the real Cranston being kidnapped. (Cranston sure is a lot more patient with the Shadow usurping his ID than I would be.) The Shadow is badly injured--twice. Cliff Marsland, the Shadow's underworld agent, is held captive, Harry Vincent poses as the Shadow at one point and agents Vincent and Mann play a chess game to determine who will risk their life for the Shadow. All this and a REAL surprise twist at the end---not badly telegraphed as so many were--Walter Gibson/Maxwell Grant at his finest, one of the best Shadow novels I've ever read!
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