The Swimming Pool by Mary Roberts Rinehart, 1952

 

 

About the author: Mary Roberts Rinehart (1876 – 1958) was an American writer, often called the American Agatha Christie, although her first mystery novel was published 14 years before Christie's first novel in 1920. Rinehart is considered the source of the phrase "The butler did it" from her novel The Door (1930), although the novel does not use the exact phrase. Rinehart is also considered to have invented the "Had-I-But-Known" school of mystery writing, with the publication of The Circular Staircase (1908). (from a Wikipedia article).

Major characters:

• Lois Maynard, mystery writer, and our narrator
• Anne Harrison, her sister
• Martin Harrison, Anne's husband, an architect
• Bill Harrison, their adult son
• Phil Maynard, Lois' brother, a lawyer
• Judith Chandler, Lois' glamorous sister
• Ridgely Chandler, Judith's ex 
• Helga, the Maynard cook
• Jennie, the Maynard maid
• Terrence O' Brien, former policeman
• Dr. Bernard Townsend, psychiatrist
• Kate Henry, a.k.a. Selina Benjamin, drowning victim

Locale: Westchester County, New York

Synopsis: Lois Maynard narrates this story about the period after the depression, when her family lost most of their assets except their summer home, The Birches, in Westchester County, New York. The home - more a mansion - is clearly too big now. She lives there with her brother, lawyer Phil Maynard, and two servants. One sister, Anne Harrison, lives nearby with her husband and two adult children. Lois' other sister, Judith Chandler, is a glamorous jet-setter living in New York City.

Judith in the process of divorcing her straight-and-narrow husband Ridgely Chandler. She arrives in a paranoia at The Birches. Lois accompanies her to Reno for her divorce. On the trip home, Judith faints on the train after seeing someone(?). Lois helps her, along with passenger Terrence O'Brien. 

O'Brien is a former policeman, now recovering from a wound in the military. Lois rents the gatehouse cottage on the estate to him. A woman bearing a superficial resemblance to Judith is found murdered in the swimming pool. 

Review: I did find it a bit confusing as to the time element. The story is told in three different time frames - when Lois was six (1928), when the pool murder occurred (late 1930's), and present day (when Lois is narrating in flashback). 

By the way ... I have had my copy for about thirty years. I was always puzzled by the strange graphic on the cover, but I think I have figured it out. It is a cat looking out a window, which is a significant plot element in the story.  

You may also enjoy this review by Bev Hankins on My Reader’s Block.

Jan 24 2026: Reading now, please check back again for more. RM

Nomination for 2025’s Dream Reprint

Kate Jackson, at Crossexaminingcrime, is calling for nominations for the next classic crime novel to be reprinted in 2026. The criteria are:

1. The blogger (in this case, me) read the title in 2025
2. Classic crime fiction, published before 1970
3. Currently out of print, has not been reprinted after 2015.

Therefore, The Mystillery in all humility, nominates:

The Man Who Didn't Exist by Geoffrey Homes (1937)

About the author: Geoffrey Homes was a pseudonym of Daniel Mainwaring (1902-1977), an American novelist and screenwriter. He was born in California, and attended Fresno University. He held various jobs, including migrant fruit picker, private investigator and reporter, before turning to writing in the thirties.  

Synopsis: Newspaper reporter Robin Bishop is taking in an evening's entertainment at a seashore casino with his wife, Mary. He steps out onto the beach and finds a jacket folded neatly, with a note pinned to it. The note is a suicide note, signed by Zenophen Zwick. If this is true, it will be a nationwide sensation. Zenophen Zwick is the country's foremost mystery writer. It is known to be a pseudonym, but no one knows his actual name. Bishop and City Editor George Clark begin putting together the story, although a bit suspicious that it could just be a publicity stunt. 

Although no one knows who Zwick is, there are five writers who are distinct possiibilities. Robin sets out to verify if any of the five writers are missing, while Mary searches for clues in books by the five to determine if one of them is really Zwick.  

Why I enjoyed it:  I always enjoy stories where the investigator is a newspaper reporter, and the story includes scenes inside the newspaper offices - back in the day when it was a frenzy as competing papers fought it out on the streets in alternate editions, and the chaotic buildup to deadline; when the presses begin rumbing in the basement. It is also fascinating as Mary searches other author's works to find similarities in writing styles.

Please check out this post on Cross Examining Crime if you have your own nomination, or leave it in the comments on that page by 14th February 2026.

The Key Man by Valentine Williams, 1926

 

Secret Service series #3

 Adventurer Rex Garrett served for several years in the French Foreign Legion, enchanted by the mystique of Morocco. Now he is home in Paris and ready to settle down with his fiancée Sally. However, on his wedding night he receives a call for help from his old Legionnaires, and he is whisked off without a chance to say goodbye. Sally believes he has abandoned her. Rex finds himself in the Basque Country where a smuggling operation is centered around mysterious Pigeon House, overseen by the beautiful and dangerous Dona Inocencia Santin, who has her eyes on him as well.  

The Dead Shall Be Raised by George Bellairs, 1942

 

Series: This is Inspector Thomas Littlejohn #4, also published as Murder Will Speak

About the author: George Bellairs is the pseudonym of Harold Blundell (1902-1982), a British crime writer and bank manager. He wrote more than 50 books, most featuring the detective Inspector Thomas Littlejohn. He also wrote four novels under the pseudonym Hilary Landon. (wikipedia)

Major characters:

• Jeremy/Jerry Trickett, millworker (deceased 20 years ago)
• Enoch Sykes, millworker (deceased 20 years ago)
• Sir Caleb Haythornthwaite, last employer of Trickett and Sykes
• Bill o' Three Fingers, local tramp
• Mary (Tatham) Riles, former love of both Trickett and Sykes
• Mrs. Sykes, mother of Enoch
• Mrs. Myles, former employer of Trickett and Sykes
• Inspector Thomas Littlejohn
• Superintendent Tim Haworth
• (A complete list of characters is found at the beginning of Chapter VII.)

Locale: Waterfold village

Synopsis: It is Christmas, 1940, and Inspector Thomas Littlejohn of Scotland Yard is asked to assist in a case by local Superintendent Tim Haworth, having recently sung a leading role in Handel's Messiah. The performance is interrupted by the local Home Guard who have discovered a skeleton while digging a ditch - and it is believed to be Enoch Sykes who disappeared while wanted on suspicion of murder 20 years prior. The victim was Jeremy Trickett, a co-worker, and it was believed the result of a fight over a girl - Mary Tatham.

Now that Sykes' body is found, the search for him is over. But it is found he was also murdered - and at the same time as Trickett. The 20-year old theory of the case was no good. Now suspicion is directed at a third (unknown) person who killed them both. 

Littlejohn and Haworth are tasked with investigating a 20-year old crime, and few of the principals are still living. They do find one witness  - Bill o' Three Fingers, a tramp (missing one finger, thus the name), but before they can interview him, he is murdered also.

You may also enjoy this review by Bev Hankins on My Reader’s Block.

The Goblin Market by Helen McCloy, 1943

 

dustjackets.com

Series: This is Dr. Basil Willing #6

About the author: Helen McCloy (1904-1994) was an American mystery writer, whose series character Dr. Basil Willing debuted in Dance of Death (1938). Willing believes, that "every criminal leaves psychic fingerprints, and he can't wear gloves to hide them." He appeared in 13 of McCloy's novels and in several of her short stories. McCloy often used the theme of doppelganger, but in the end of the story she showed a psychological or realistic explanation for the seemingly supernatural events. (wikipedia)

Major characters:

• Pete Halloran, correspondent for Occidental News Service
• Philip Stark, correspondent for Occidental News Service
• Vincente Almazam, office boy for Occidental News Service
• Patricia Mitchell ("Mitch"), correspondent for Coordinated Press
• Miguel Urizar, captain of municipal police
• Charley Eustis, US Consul
• Peranda de Castellar ("Martin"), director of CAE
• Consuelo Aquila, Peranda's mistress
• Clarence Emmett, Pan Am Processing Co.
• Dr. Basil Willing, New York psychologist

Locale: Santa Teresa, a Caribbean island during WWII

Synopsis: Out-of-work news correspondent Philip Stark is in Santa Teresa and at the end of his resources. He is about to approach Pete Halloran of Occidental News Service for work, but Halloran is found dead of a broken neck on the stairs outside his office. Stark contacts Occidental and is hired on as Halloran's replacement.; working with office boy Vincente Almazam.  

Stark meets glamourous Patricia "Mitch" Mitchell, correspondent for competing Coordinated Press. She tells him Halloran had been working on a big story, and discovering one of his telegrams is missing, suspects his death was murder. Police captain Miguel Urizar insists it was an accident, and does not want anyone to pursue it. 

One of the suspicious people on Stark's list is Peranda de Castellar, director of CAE, an oil exporter. His mistress, Consuelo Aquila, has some clues for Stark, but before they can rendezvous, she is found dead also; with Stark set up as the fall guy.

Review: I was confused for a bit. Dr. Basil Willing is supposedly a series detective. He gets a brief mention early on, when Halloran left behind a doodle of a slice of pie inside a square. Willing is described as being able to interpret dreams and doodles. But he is in New York. So they write and offer him $50 for his interpretation. Then nothing is more is heard of him and I figured he had his cameo mention and was forgotten - until the very end, when he enters the story in a big, surprising way.

I always enjoy stories with newspaper reporters as the prime investigators, as this one does not disappoint. Stark is a reporter in the mold of Peter Piper (by Nancy Barr Mavity), and silk stockings and stilettos competitor Patricia Mitchell reminds me of Brenda Starr (of comic book fame). 

The Estate of the Beckoning Lady by Margery Allingham, 1955

 

This is Albert Campion #15

Cover image only - no review

Police at the Funeral by Margery Allingham, 1931

 

Series: Albert Campion #4

Cover image only - no review