The Camera Clue by George Harmon Coxe, 1937

 

This is Kent Murdock #3.

About the author: George Harmon Coxe (1902-1984) began writing in the nickel and dime pulps for pennies a word. He was a particularly prolific author, writing a total of 63 novels, his last published in 1975. The Mystery Writers of America named him a Grand Master in 1964. (condensed from fantastic fiction)

Major characters:

• Kent Murdock, news photographer
• Joyce Murdock, his wife
• Nora Pendleton, Joyce's friend
• Dana Pendleton, Nora's father
• Jerry Carter, gossip columnist and blackmailer
• Johnny Gowen, Kent's associate photographer
• Lew Novak, cheating private detective
• Gordon Thorndike, cheating socialite
• Wilfred Witherbee, an embezzler
• Robert Ostrum, a.k.a. George Brown

Locale: Boston

Synopsis: Newspaper photographer Kent Murdock comes home to find his wife's friend, Nora Pendleton. She is upset and reveals she has just shot a man, columnist Jerry Carter, who has been blackmailing her. Kent's wife, Joyce, urges Kent to help her out. Kent goes for a look-see. In front of Carter's office building, Kent first sees a man on stilts wearing an advertising sandwich board followed by a troop of kids. Sensing a human interest photo, Kent takes a photo of the scene, with several other passers-by in the background.

Kent enters the building and  finds the body as advertised, but Nora's gun is nowhere to be found. He takes photos of the body and scene. Nora finds the gun - in her father (Dana Pendleton)'s drawer, in his attempt to cover the murder up.

Kent returns to his office to have the photos developed. Soon a number of people show up wanting to get the photo of the sandwich-board man. It seems they were in the background of the photo and don't want it published. Things get pushy and someone slugs Kent's associate, Johnny Gowan, who dies.

Kent now has two goals: exonerate Nora, and avenge the death of Johnny Gowan.

Review: This one takes a great deal of suspension-of-disbelief. There is Kent's rush into a murder scene without notifying the police, there is the buddy-buddy relationship between them, and there is the crowd of cheaters, crooks, gamblers and embezzlers who just happen to wind up in the background of an innocuous photo. 

That said, this is a nonstop not-quite-hardboiled action book with lots of action, a cast straight out of Guys and Dolls, and provocative descriptions of the dames involved. Repeated recitations of the list of possible suspects should give the reader a clue that the murderer is "none of the above".

I enjoyed the specific descriptions of the streets of Boston (being familiar with them first-hand), and was surprised how little has changed from 1937 to today.

Please also see this review by Bev Hankins on My Reader's Block. 

Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie, 1940

 

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This is Hercule Poirot #19.

Major characters:

• Elinor Carlisle, sophisticate of London
• Mary Gerrard, daughter of the Hunterbury lodgekeeper
• Ted Bigland, Mary's sort-of boyfriend
• Old Gerrard - Mary's father, the lodgekeeper
• Roderick "Roddy" Welman, Elinor's short-term fiancé
• Laura Welman, aunt to Elinor and Roderick
• Dr. Peter Lord, young and eligible
• Mrs. Emma Bishop, housekeeper
• Nurse Jessie Hopkins
• Nurse Eileen O'Brien

Locale: Hunterbury estate, England

Synopsis: We open with Elinor Carlisle on trial for murder of life-long friend Mary Gerrard in a brief unfinished courtroom scene, then we flashback to the story to see how we got here. Laura Welman is matriarch of Hunterbury, and is near her end. She has two favorites: Niece Elinor Carlisle of London (engaged to Roderick Welman, a sort-of cousin by marriage), and Mary Gerrard (no relation, but daughter of long time lodgekeeper "Old" Gerrard).

Under the direction of young, eligible Dr. Peter Lord, Nurses Jessie Hopkins and Eileen O'Brien care for Laura. While visiting, Elinor realizes that her fiancé "Roddy" has fallen in love with Mary, and so she breaks the engagement and urges him to go abroad and get it out of his system.

Soon Aunt Laura passes away - intestate - leaving her only blood relation Elinor to figure out the estate. Both she and Mary had been hoping for a windfall, but Elinor winds up with it all. Elinor passes out legacies as she thinks Laura would have wished, including a generous £2000 to Mary. This activity makes both realize the value of a will, so Elinor and Mary each make one out. Reluctantly, Elinor puts Hunterbury on the market and sells it. While cleaning the place out, Elinor serves sandwiches, and Mary dies from poison within it. Elinor is suspect #1.

Dr. Peter Lord, now realizing his love for Elinor (now that Roddy is out of the way) engages Hercule Poirot to find evidence to clear Elinor. His first stop is to interview Mary's sort-of boyfriend, local Ted Bigland. Between Ted and the nurses, Poirot finds the killings have long-ago ties.

Review: My, is Roddy a fair weather friend, stringing Elinor along until something better comes along. Here is a diagram of who-loves-who:

Dr. Peter Lord > Elinor > Roddy > (Mary) < Ted

I enjoyed the episodes of the two nurses conversing and exchanging letters, and filling in the reader on the back story of the characters. This was well done and effective, and planted plenty of clues along the way. 

It became obvious quickly that something in Mary's past led to all this. The various clues are all there. I had a theory but it wasn't quite right. The solution is a bit convoluted by believable and satisfying. 

Please also see this review by Bev Hankins on My Reader's Block.

The Man Who Could Not Shudder by John Dickson Carr, 1940

 

About the author: John Dickson Carr (1906 – 1977) was an American author, who also published using the pseudonyms Carter Dickson, Carr Dickson, and Roger Fairbairn. He lived in England for a number of years, and is often grouped among "British-style" mystery writers. Most (though not all) of his novels had English settings, especially country villages and estates, and English characters. His two best-known fictional detectives (Dr. Gideon Fell and Sir Henry Merrivale) were both English. (excerpt from this Wikipedia article.)

Major characters:

• Martin Clarke, new owner of Longwood, and host
• * Bob Morrison, our narrator, a writer
• * Tess Fraser, his fiancée
• * Andrew Hunter, architect
• * Archibald Bentley Logan, grocery wholesaler, "the man who couldn't shudder"
• * Mrs. Gwyneth Logan, a "packet of super-femininity"
• * Julian Enderby, a solicitor
• "Eric the Hand" name given to the ghostly hand
• Detective-Inspector Elliot, Scotland Yard
• Dr. Gideon Fell, Scotland Yard

Locale: England

Synopsis: Martin Clarke is somewhat of an adventurer, and has purchased Longwood, a mansion house with a shady past and a reputation for being haunted. It is said an elderly butler (William Polson) once lost his life by jumping up and swinging on the dining room chandelier, which then fell on him. A chair in the study moves about on its own. Clarke tells his friend, our narrator Bob Morrison, he intends to invite some friends (the six marked * above) to stay for a few days in hopes of seeing for themselves. 

As they arrive at Longwood, sexy Gwyneth Logan feels an invisible hand snatch at her ankles, but nothing can be seen. The guests settle in for a four day stay,  along with maids Mrs. Winch and her niece Sonia. Clarke proudly displays his collection of antique firearms mounted on the wall of the study, one of two rooms reputed to be haunted (the other is the dining room). Bob Morrison hears a thud in the night, goes downstairs to find Gwyneth in a revealing black nightgown, holding a small key.  Jealous husband Bentley Logan finds them, and accuses Morrison - at gunpoint - of being her lover. 

Longwood is described in detail, but the book lacks a sketch map. Here is my interpretation:

click to enlarge

The next day, Bentley Logan is trying to keep up with his correspondence by typing in the study. As he adjusts the typewriter position, Gwyneth is shocked to see a pistol jump from the wall display and discharge, killing Bentley instantly. How could this happen? It is found it was Bentlet's own pistol, which had been substituted for one of the antiques. 

click to enlarge

Detective Inspector Elliot and Dr. Gideon Fell are on the scene. No one doubts Gwyneth's account, as there were several others who support her story: The gardener MacCarly was looking in a window, Julian Enderby looking in the opposite window, and the maid Sonia in the doorway. The guests speculate on a ghostly hand doing the deed, whom they name "Eric".

While the investigation progresses, a crash is heard, and the chandelier has claimed another victim. 

Review: There are bits of Gaston Leroux's Phantom of the Opera recycled here - both have a killer chandelier, and both have a phantom named Erik (here spelled Eric). Not quite a locked room mystery - but an impossible murder. Carr sets the scene nicely in a simple setup (albeit lacking the obligatory map) with a concise description and plenty of witnesses. The upstairs is not described, but is irrelevant to the story.

I find some of Carr's books to be hard to follow, but not this one. There are no distracting side stories - just a steady progression of the plot.

[Spoiler clue ahead] The reader may get wind of the explanation when it is revealed the moving chair in the study was not one of the study's wooden ones, but a metal patio chair which had been brought inside. 

The House Without a Key by Earl Derr Biggers, 1925

 

This is the first of six novels featuring Detective Charlie Chan.

About the author: Earl Derr Biggers (1884 – 1933) was an American novelist and playwright.^[1] His novels featuring the fictional Chinese American detective Charlie Chan were adapted into popular films made in the United States and China. (Wikipedia) 

Major characters:

• John Quincy Winterslip, a young Boston bond trader
• Minerva Winterslip, his aunt
• Dan Winterslip, John's uncle
• Barbara Winterslip, Dan's daughter, John's cousin
• Amos Winterslip, Dan's brother
• Roger Winterslip, John's cousin
• Harry Jennison, Dan's attorney
• Thomas Brade, a former blackbirder from Calcutta
• Agatha Parker, John's Boston fiancée
• Carlota "Cary" Maria Egan, John's new flame
• Detective Charlie Chan

Locale: Hawaii

Synopsis: The Winterslips are old-time Boston aristocrats - referred to as "puritans" in the text. The epitome of the family is young (29) bond trader John Quincy Winterslip, engaged to Agatha Parker, a Boston deb.

They have not all remained in Boston. Brothers Dan and Amos Winterslip have settled in Hawaii, and Roger Winterslip in San Francisco. Minerva Winterslip (John Quincy's aunt) has gone to visit Dan and Amos, and enthralled by Hawaii, doesn't seem to want to return to Boston. John Quincy is sent to bring her back. He travels by train to San Francisco, visits with cousin(?) Roger, and is enthralled with that city, then by ship to Hawaii. No sooner does he arrive than his uncle Dan is found stabbed to death in his open-air home, rthe "house without a key".

John Quincy falls in love with Hawaiian culture, Dan's daughter Barbara Winterslip (a cousin), and Carlota "Cary" Egan, daughter of an innkeeper; in that order. His life plan changes to include a move to San Francisco, and breaking off with Agatha Parker in order to take up with Carlota. 

Detective Charlie Chan enters the case, and John Quincy reluctantly agrees to assist in the investigation; learning to defend himself and do a little rough-housing and fisticuffs in the process.

Review: This is my first Charlie Chan read, and it was definitely not what I expected. I thought it would be set in the mysterious orient, but here we are in modern Hawaii. Chan is quite amusing, and his not-quite perfect English and results in many enjoyable odd and not-quite-right expressions.

Don't pay too much attention to the family relationships, the author has played fast and loose with those. Dan/John Quincy are sometimes uncle/nephew, sometimes cousins; Barbara/John Quincy are sometimes first, sometimes second cousins. Various relations are all described as being cousins to each other, not always correctly. This sketch shows what I found from the text:

The book started to drag about 3/4 through - especially with the waxy sentimental travel-brochure descriptions of Hawaii - but Charlie Chan kept my interest whenever he was the subject. I look forward to the other five Chan novels.

Death of a Ghost by Margery Allingham, 1934

 

About the author: Margery Louise Allingham (1904 – 1966) was an English novelist from the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", best remembered for her hero, the gentleman sleuth Albert Campion. Initially believed to be a parody of Dorothy L. Sayers's detective Lord Peter Wimsey, Campion formed the basis for 18 novels and many short stories. (from Wikipedia)

Major characters:

• John Lafcadio, famous painter, deceased
• Belle Lafcadio, his widow
• Linda Lafacdio, their granddaughter, age 25
• Thomas Dacre, Linda's fiancé, age 37
• Rosa-Rosa, Dacre's elegant new Italian model
• Harriet Pickering, alias Donna Beatrice, John Lafadio's other woman, now age 60
• Lisa Capella, John's former model, now the Lafcadio cook
• Max Fustian, manager of the painting sales
• Fred Rennie, John's color mixer, now a house guest
• Mr. William Potter, artist
• Mrs. Claire Potter, maid
• Albert Campion, amateur detective
• Inspector Stanislaus Oates

Locale: England

Synopsis: John Lafcadio was a famous painter living in his artist colony of Little Venice (England), and died seven years prior to the story, leaving his widow Belle Lafacdio. In preparation for his passing, he painted twelve paintings and wrapped them up, with instructions to sell one a year following his death; both for his continued fame and for financial support for Belle. These annual sales, managed by Max Fustian, attract much news and attention.

John had a live-in model/consort, Donna Beatrice (real name Harriet Pickering) and the three of them lived together in harmony. John is now long gone, but Donna still remains in the household.

John's granddaughter, Linda Lafcadio, is engaged to (yet another) painter, Thomas Dacre. Dacre returns from a trip to Italy with an elegant model, Rosa-Rosa. In order for her to emigrate to England legally, they were married. Dacre hoped for the same 3-way arrangement that John had, but Linda will have none of it.

The sale of painting #8 is at hand. During the viewing, the lights go off as the meter expires.* When they are restored, Dacre is found stabbed to death, and Linda is immediately suspect.

Albert Campion is no sooner investigating the death, when a second occurs.

*In the 1920's-1930's, the early days of home electricity (my parents remembered having this) it was common for electricity to be supplied through a coin-operated meter, similar to a parking meter. 

Review: First, I liked the way the author introduced the characters to the reader. This takes place at the sale of the painting, and as each character enters the narrative, they are named and described.

Amateur Campion does an efficient job of investigation while keeping on the good side of the law, as represented by Inspector Oates. The story picks up speed after the second death, and soon Campion finds himself the target. It was amusing how the "attack" on Campion is made and is described from his point of view. 

The twist at the end, regarding the twelve paintings, is a surprise and makes the whole story fit together.

Rainbow's End by Martha Grimes, 1995

 

About the author: This is #13 of 25 books featuring Richard Jury. See this Wikipedia article for biography and list of the 25 Richard Jury books. Click this Martha Grimes label to see all my reviews of this series.

Major characters:

• Angela Hope, American, who died at Old Sarum
• Mary Dark Hope, her 13-year old sister
• Helen Hawes, who died in Exeter Cathedral
• Frances "Fanny" Hamilton, who died at the Tate Gallery in the previous book (The Horse You Came In On)
• Delores "Dolly" Schell, Angela's cousin, a pharmacist
• Malcolm Corey, aspiring actor
• Nils Anders, a PhD
• Superintendent Richard Jury, of Scotland Yard
• Melrose Plant, his friend

Locale: London and New Mexico

Synopsis: The body of American tourist Angela Hope is found in the bottom of a pit at Old Sarum - an ancient Roman ruins site near Stonehenge. Then Helen Hawes dies, apparently of natural causes, while in Exeter Cathedral. While not known to each other, Commander Brian Macalvie notes both women had recently visited Santa Fe, New Mexico at the same time. He urges Superintendent Richard Jury to see if there is a connection - and there is. Jury is reminded of the death of Frances "Fanny" Hamilton at the Tate Gallery - and she had been to New Mexico as well. 

Jury travels to Santa Fe to follow up. One primary contacts is 13-year old Mary Dark Hope (Angela's younger sister) who leads an introverted life in the desert with her pet coyote.  The other is Malcolm Corey, painter and aspiring actor. He also finds Angela's cousin, pharmacist Delores "Dolly" Schell; and Nils Anders, a PhD at the mysterious Santa Fe Instutute.

There are several sub-plots: Jury's struggle to quit smoking, his attempts to locate his old flame Jenny Kennington; and Melrose's fascination with new arrival Miss Fludd.

Review: This book is much a sequel to The Horse You Came In On (Richard Jury #12), which should be read first; some of the characters and situations continue in this book.

This is a slow-paced book, the first half being in England, the second half in New Mexico. Although the action creeps along, I enjoyed following Melrose's methodical "investigations" on the England end as he extracts clues and tracks down Jenny Kennington.

The ending comes quite suddenly and with little lead-up, but with a satisfying conclusion.

A couple of loose ends: The meaning of the mysterious number found in a notebook is not quite explained or resolved. Melrose finds a vending machine which produces calling/business cards and spends time producing an assortment, but they are never mentioned again. I expected him to create a false identity or something along that line. His search for the elusive "Miss Fludd" is dropped also.

 

Murder in Triplicate by Hugh Austin, 1935

 

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About the author: Hugh Austin is a pseudonym of Hugh Austin Evans (1903-1964). His series characters are Peter Quint and William Sultan.

Major characters:

• Mr. Valentine Merritt, business partner
• Mrs. Eunice Merritt, his wife, victim #1
• Mr. Andrew Arnold, business partner, victim #2
• Mrs. Carrie Arnold, his wife
• Drewes Patton, business partner, victim #3
• Miss Jean Patton, his daughter
• Mr. Norman D. Lang, business partner
• Cleve Huskins, gardener
• Lt. Peter Quint, detective
• Sgt. John Hendricks, detective

Locale: Hudson, New York

Synopsis: Valentine Merritt, Andrew Arnold, Drewes Patton, and Norman Lang are business partners in a New York brokerage firm. They gather for a weekend get-together at Arnold's estate, enjoying tennis and swimming in the pool (actually a small man-made pond).

Things go well until Merritt's wife, Eunice Merritt, is found dead in the summerhouse gazebo. She has been stabbed, and the tip of her nose cut off as well; and a faucet left running at the scene. Lt. Peter Quint, Sgt. John Hendricks, and other authorities descend on the scene. Quint has just found out that Eunice is a bit of a playgirl with the other partners, when Arnold himself is found dead in his bath, stabbed and nose cut in the same manner, with the bath water still running. It becomes a puzzle of sorting out motives and opportunities, when Drewes Patton is found dead after taking a shower in the same manner. A possible motive for Arnold's and Patton's murder is the insurance policies taken on partners, with the remaining partners as beneficiaries.

Review: This is a fast paced novel, with all events happening within a four-hour time frame; even the chapters are divided/titled by minutes. It is a puzzle of sorting out the movements of the cast to the minute; and this got a bit tiring for the reader. I took the author's word for it and didn't try to follow the movements, to do so would require a map and moving the figures around on it.

My advice for the reader is not to focus on the movements, but rather use a process of elimination by charting out who had alibis for which murder. The solution follows a similar format as And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (1945).

There are gritty details - unusual for books of this era. This is the first golden-age novel I can recall that mentioned flies on a dead body - certainly factual but generally beyond mentioning at the time. 

Cleve Huskins is enjoyable as the gardener who takes everyone's words literally. He would be literally aghast at the liberal - and incorrect - use of the word today.