Evan Hunter

Evan Hunter was the legal and literary name adopted by Salvatore Lombino, who also became widely known for crime fiction written as Ed McBain. Find the Feathered Serpent belongs to an earlier part of that career: John C. Winston published it in 1952 as a science-fiction novel for younger readers. The 207-page first edition joined the Winston Science Fiction titles. Neil Falsen is the young protagonist, and a time machine supplies the central device for a journey to the Yucatán to investigate the origins of the feathered-serpent tradition. The novel therefore combines archaeological adventure with the speculative technology common to postwar juvenile science fiction. Long before the 87th Precinct books established his McBain identity, Hunter was already working with suspense, investigation, and fast-moving plots. Find the Feathered Serpent shows Evan Hunter applying those instincts to time travel and historical mystery for a younger audience.