John Alfred Webb (January 13, 1916 – February 12, 2008) was an American mystery novelist best known for his series featuring the detective team of Sammy Golden and Father Joseph Shanley. His varied career included working for the San Diego Zoo, military service in World War II, and later roles in advertising and technical writing. He died in Coronado, California.
After graduating from Occidental College in Los Angeles with a degree in English literature, Webb worked in the Department of Birds at the San Diego Zoo before joining the U.S. ArmyâÂÂs Office of Strategic Services during World War II. Following the war, Webb held jobs in advertising and technical writing, experiences that later shaped the detail and background of his fiction.
Webb is primarily remembered for his nine-volume series featuring Catholic priest Father Joseph Shanley and Jewish detective Sergeant Sammy Golden. This team was praised by Anthony Boucher as a âÂÂfirst-rate serious ideaâ and, over time, became âÂÂesteemed old friendsâ to readers. Webb's other works include successful standalone thrillers and animal-themed mysteries written under the pseudonym John Farr, such as Don't Feed the Animals and She-Shark, featuring reptile expert Cy Clements at the San Diego Zoo.
Sammy Golden & Joseph Shanley series
Standalones
Reprints and Omnibus Editions
WebbâÂÂs narratives were known for their literate style and action-driven plots. Mystery novelist Bill Crider described One for My Dame as âÂÂliterateâ and observed, âÂÂwhile the resolution seems a bit drawn out, the rest of the book more than compensates.âÂÂ
Contemporary interest in WebbâÂÂs work was renewed with the 2025 Stark House Press omnibus reprinting One for My Dame and The Deadly Combo. In his introduction to that volume, book critic Nicholas Litchfield called One for My Dame âÂÂconcise, engaging, and likable,â adding that Webb âÂÂartfully blends hit-and-miss humor with hardboiled action while simultaneously offering profound reflections on war and heroism,â though he also noted some âÂÂimplausible plotsâ and âÂÂunlikely coincidences.â Prolific author and reviewer James Reasoner commented that The Deadly Combo âÂÂis both a fast-paced, violent, hardboiled mystery and a love letter to jazz music... WebbâÂÂs writing is the prose equivalent of jazz, swooping and swirling almost into improvisation at times.âÂÂ