The Case of the Crimson Kiss by Erle Stanley Gardner (1948)

 

This book contains:

• The Case of the Crimson Kiss (novella), and these short stories:
• Fingers of Fong
• The Valley of Little Fears
• Crooked Lightning
• At Arm's Length

This review is only of The Case of the Crimson Kiss.

About the author: Erle Stanley Gardner (1889 – 1970) was an American lawyer and author. He is best known for the Perry Mason series of detective stories. The best-selling American author of the 20th century at the time of his death, Gardner also published under numerous pseudonyms, including A.A. Fair, Kyle Corning, Charles M. Green, Carleton Kendrake, Charles J. Kenny, Les Tillray and Robert Parr. (wikipedia)

Major characters:

• Fay Allison
• Dane Grover, Fay's fiancé
• Louise Marlow, Fay's aunt
• Anita Bonsal, Fay's roommate
• Carver Clements, Room 702, wealthy cheating playboy
• Shirley Tanner, Room 701, annoyed neighbor
• Perry Mason, attorney
• Lt. Tragg, homicide

Locale: Los Angeles

Synopsis: Fay Allison and Anita Bonsal share a 6th floor apartment. Previously, they had each dated Dane Grover, now Fay is engaged to him; much to Anita's dismay. Anita is now having an affair with playboy Carver Clements, who keeps a 7th floor apartment (room 702) for his own pleasure in the same building - unknown to his wife at home. 

Anita goes to Carver's apartment for a date and they have an argument - Carver keeps stringing her along that he will get a divorce, but of course it's all talk. Anita goes to his car to wait for him, but he doesn't come down. She returns to his apartment to find him dead - poisoned - and with a big lipstick kiss on his head.

Anita sees an opportunity to stick Fay with the murder (and thus reclaim Dane). She puts some of Fay's clothes and belongings in Carver's room, removing her own. Then, to set up an alibi, she dopes Fay - and herself - with sleeping tablets, thinking Fay will not survive her dose. Fay's aunt, Louise Marlow, arrives to find the two girls in a stupor and calls Perry Mason. Mason goes to court as Fay is accused of murder. The crux of the case is: whose lips made the goodbye kiss on Carver's head?

Review: This one (a novella) feels like a regular-length Mason which has been boiled down to its essentials, which makes for a fast, concise read without all  the red herrings. There is still room for the old switcheroo (the clothes exchange) which seems a hallmark of Perry Masons - although this time he had nothing to do with it. 

The courtroom scene is good and Mason pulls a stunt which would - in real life - likely get him hit with an assault charge.

The presentation of events was a bit jumpy and flashbacky, but he pulled it off nicely; and I had to scratch my head a bit to present the synopsis above in a sequential manner. This story is a good one for one - maybe two - sittings before turning out the light. You may get to learn something about lipstick prints, too.

Alias Uncle Hugo by Manning Coles (1952)

 

About the author: Manning Coles is the pseudonym of two British writers, Adelaide Frances Oke Manning (1891–1959) and Cyril Henry Coles (1899–1965), who wrote many spy thrillers from the early 40s through the early 60s. The fictional protagonist in 26 of their books was Thomas Elphinstone Hambledon, who works for the Foreign Office. (wikipedia)

Major characters:

• Kaspar Groenwald, a 13-year old prince
• Edward Granger, his tutor
• Tommy Hambledon, British Secret Service
• Charles Denton, British Secret Service

Locale: Germany and Russia

Synopsis: Tommy Hambledon of the British Secret Service has an assignment: Go to Russia, find and rescue a 13-year old boy who is to be the future king of a mid-European country. Tommy and associate Charles Denton enter Russia with Tommy impersonating Comrade Commisar Peskoff, with Denton as his driver. They go to the boy's town of Bereghark under the guise of inspecting a farm implement factory, but find the boy, Kaspar Groenwald gone. His tutor, Edward Granger, reports he has been taken with a group of others to a special leadership school in Poltava - with the Russians unaware of his royal status.

Tommy (as Peskoff) and Denton head to Berlin to provide a ride to Comrade Orzinov. On the way Orzinov determines Peskoff is an imposter, and Denton shoots him. They are stopped en route, and are able to dispose of the body. They arrive in Berlin, and upon entering, find themselves in the middle of a labor uprising. Tommy, lacking identity papers, takes some from a body and assumes his identity of Hugo Britz, unaware Britz was a wanted murderer. 

Tommy, as Britz, manages to get appointed to a job in another farm implement factory in Poltava, close to Kaspar's school. Despite knowing nothing about agriculture, he manages to implement various efficiencies in the factory. As far as Kaspar goes, Tommy poses as his Uncle Hugo, and plans to spirit him out of Russia, but how? He is 1000 miles away from the border. Meanwhile, his impersonation as Britz is beginning to unravel.

Review: Tommy Hambledon stories are always a delight. He manages to get himself into scrapes and extract himself with little or no planning. One aspect that was not clear to me was who/why wanted Kaspar in England? It was mentioned late in the book that Kaspar's unnamed European country had a government-in-exile in England, and it was they who wanted to get Kaspar to a safe, friendly country. 

Kaspar was an interesting and enjoyable character. Mature beyond his 13 years, he assumes quite a different persona when with Tommy (who knows he is royalty) than he does with everyone else - and when he is with his school buddies he is just like any 13 year old.

The Crime Conductor by Philip MacDonald (1931)

 

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About the author: Philip MacDonald (1900-1980) was one of the most popular mystery writers of the 1930s, and between 1931 and 1963 wrote many screenplays along with a few radio and television scripts. His detective novels, particularly those featuring his series detective Anthony Gethryn, are primarily "whodunits" with the occasional locked room mystery. (wikipedia) 

Major characters:

• C. F. Willington Sigsbee, theatrical producer
• Donna Sigsbee, his wife
• George Fern, his secretary
• Edward Vickers, his valet
• Lucrezia Fornelli, Vickers' fiancée 
• Lars Kristania, famous heart-throb actor
• Paul Vanesco, Sigsbee's usual leading man
• Mary Wheelwright, Sigsbee's usual leading lady
• Montague Locke, theatrical promoter
• Robert P. Cray, theatrical promoter
• Faith Congreve, actor
• Oliver Prideaux, attorney, one-armed husband of...  
• Anne Prideaux, a.k.a. Anne Massareen; new leading lady opposite Kristania
• Lovell Fox, man with a grudge
• Travers Hoylake, M.D.
• Colonel Anthony Gethryn
• Inspector Meridew, Metropolitan Police

Locale: London

Synopsis: Producer C. F. Willington Sigsbee was known for producing an annual long-running London show, always having Paul Vanesco as the reliable leading man, and Mary Wheelwright as the reliable leading lady. 

Now Sigsbee has announced a new show - a straight play with a small cast - with the leads played by - surprise - famous actor Lars Kristania (for a fabulous salary) and Anne Massareen (stage name of Anne Prideaux). Vanesco and Wheelwright, now both out of work, are shocked and dismayed at being overlooked for the roles.

At a gathering at Sigsbee's, valet Edward Vickers finds Sigsbee's bathroom locked, with no response from within. He breaks through the door to find Sigsbee dead in the bathtub. The nearest doctor, Travers Hoylake, is called and his friend Colonel Anthony Gethryn accompanies him to the scene.

Things are not right at all. Gethryn consistently sees the scene as unreal and staged. He examines the lock to find it has been manipulated to be closed from the outside. Other anomolies: why would Sigsbee take a bath in the middle of a party? And why are his clothes set down in an illogical order? In the middle of all the commotion, Lovell Fox appears at the door (he has a grudge), and is refused admittance. A few more people stagger in, including Paul Vanesco - with a minor gunshot wound. Lovell Fox had entered by a window and shot the first person he saw.

Review: Whoa! Slow down! Wayyyyy too many characters! And they just keep coming in the door! By page 40 I have a huge list, and I only show a short list above. 

The book is divided into three parts. I would suggest the reader first turn to the opening of Book 2, which begins with Anthony Gethryn's letter to his wife; in which he provides a list of the significant characters. Then you will know which characters you need not keep track of.

I was somewhat overwhelmed in the first part by all the characters and events. Things got much more enjoyable in Books 2 and 3, especially because Gethryn's letters to his wife back up and explain everything clearly and in sequence. So my advice is not worry about following Part 1 closely, things back up and get restarted in Book 2.

The locked room episode was incredibly short. As soon as Gethryn sees the lock, he pronounces how it was done. So don't look for a fascinating locked-room contraption.

My edition (a Collier Front Page Mystery, 1931) has this map:

This map is of the ground floor of this architecturally bizarre house - Sigsbee's body was found in the upstairs bathroom. We don't get a map of the other floors - there are at least two above and one below (where I imagine the kitchen must be - traditionally next to the dining room, but here looks like it is below and the meals are sent up the lift and carried thru the service end of the hallway).

You may also enjoy this review by Kate Jackson on her blog crossexaminingcrime.

The Saint Bids Diamonds by Leslie Charteris (1937)

 

DP Paperbacks and Antiquarian Books

This book was also published as Thieve's Picnic.

About the author: Leslie Charteris (1907 – 1993), was a British-Chinese author of adventure fiction, as well as a screenwriter. He was best known for his many books chronicling the adventures of his charming hero Simon Templar, alias "The Saint". Charteris spent 55 years – 1928 to 1983 – as either writer of or custodian of Simon Templar's literary adventures, one of the longest uninterrupted spans of a single author in the history of mystery fiction, equalling that of Agatha Christie (from Wikipedia). 

Major characters:

• Joris Vanlinden, an elderly Dutch gem cutter
• Christine Vanlinden, his daughter
• Reuben Graner, flamboyant master criminal
• Art Palermo, Cecil Aliston, and Lauber; Graner's thugs
• Simon Templar, The Saint
• Hoppy Uniatz, Simon's companion

Locale: The Canary Islands

Synopsis: Simon Templar is in the Canary Islands, and happens across a group of thugs (Art Palermo, Cecil Aliston, and Lauber) engaged in beating up an old man. Simon beats up the thugs and takes the old man, Joris Vanlinden, and his attractive daughter, Christine Vanlinden, off to safety.

The thugs work for Reuben Graner, a flamboyant receiver of stolen gems. Graner had forced Vanlinden to cut gems under duress, and now distrusts him and wants him out of the way; hence the beat-up. An added complication: Vanlinden was the holder of the winning ticket in the Spanish national lottery, and during the dust-up in the road, the ticket was taken. Now Simon has something Graner wants (Vanlinden), and Graner has something Simon wants (the ticket).

Simon infiltrates the Graner estate posing as a gem cutter to replace Joris. He gains the trust of Graner, but faces a problem: he has no idea how to cut gems.

Review: The setup is similar to some other Saint novels: an innocent, fragile, older man with an alluring damsel-in-distress daughter; and thugs who want what they have. 

The most amusing episode is when Simon is brought to the workroom and is expected to begin cutting gems under the eye of Graner - but, of course, Simon has absolutely no idea what he is doing and has to fake his way along. 

The tedious part is the long series of chase arounds in which Simon plays Graner and the three henchmen against each other, in every possible combination. There is also the requisite scene of tying up the damsel, an obligatory part of all Saint stories.

Hoppy Uniatz makes regular appearances, drinks a lot, but does not contribute much more. Simon manages to hustle to Vanlindens off to safety at the end, with an interesting bit of play-acting over a hidden microphone to fool the chasers.

No Patricia Holm this time around.

Please visit me on Goodreads and check out The Mystillery Reading Challenges!

The Corpse in the Wax Works by John Dickson Carr (1932)

 

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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:

• Jeff Marle, narrator
• M. -- Augustin, owner of the wax museum
• Mlle. Marie Augustin, his daughter
• Mlle. Odette Duchêne, deceased
• Mlle. Claudine Martel, her friend
• Mlle. Gina Prêvost, a.k.a. Estelle, a singer
• M. Etienne Galant, wealthy underworld man-about-town
• Captain Robert Chaumont
• Inspector Henri Bencolin

Locale: Paris

Synopsis: Inspector Henri Bencolin, along with narrator Jeff Marle, investigate the death of Mlle. Odette Duchêne. She was found in the Seine, and had last been seen entering the Musée Augustin, a wax museum. The museum is operated by M. Augustin and his daughter Mlle. Marie Augustin. 

Accompanied by Captain Robert Chaumont, who had been Odette's fiancé, they investigate the museum. They find another woman, Claudine Martel, dead in the display area. There is evidence she was killed just outside a rear door of the museum, in a passageway which is shared with the adjacent building.

Odette and Claudine had been good friends with Gina Prêvost, working as a singer under the name Estelle. She had also been seen in the museum. Bencolin finds the adjacent building hosts The Club of the Silver Key (a.k.a. The Club of the Colored Masks), where men and women wear masks to meet for clandestine trysts. The club is entered by a door in the passageway, which may also be accessed through passing through the museum for those who do not wish to be observed. Members have numbered keys to enter, which correspond to individual private rooms within. 

Bencolin wishes to infiltrate the club. He finds Gina has set up a tryst with wealthy underworld figure Etienne Galant, obtains a key to the club, and sends Jeff Marle in to spy.

Review:

This one is a twist on the usual Carr locked-room mystery. In this case, instead of a locked room, all the action focuses on a narrow passageway running between two buildings. The passageway has three doors - the museum's rear door, the club entrance, and a door out to the street. All have locks, of course. The key to tracking down the murderer(s) is to find who used which door in what order.

The wax museum is a creepy setting, and it sounds just like one I remembered visiting once. Waxy smells, dim lighting, staring figures in various poses.

The club was interesting, with the color-coded masks indicating whether an individual was looking for a partner, had a partner already, just looking, or one of the staff. It was quite an establishment with all the numbered rooms, a bar, and even an orchestra.

I have a hard time following the action in some of Carr's books, but not this one. Everything was clear and progressed right along. A good way to spend a creepy evening, it takes you back to the days when wearing a mask was for fun!

Masterstrokes of Crime Detection by Lassiter Wren (1929)

 

About the author: Lassiter Wren is the author of The Baffle Books, as well as (along with Randle McKay) the Baffle Cases which were contained in the some of the 1930's Mystery League titles.

Synopsis:

This is a collection of 13 true and somewhat fictional(?) stories of crime detection, all by Lassiter Wren.

The Strange Eclipse of John Smith's Candle (England): A traveling jewelry merchant is found dead in his host's home, and the only clue to what happened is the odd movement of a candle seen by a passerby.

How They Traced the Triple Murder on the Yukon: Three prospectors in gold-rush Yukon disappear while on the trail.  What happened to them? And who did it?

The Black Trackers of Australia: Master Detectives: Two accounts of native trackers demonstrate their skills of observation.

The Man Who Murdered Papa Désiré (France): M. Gustave Macé of the Paris police tracks down a murderer who dismembered his victim and scattered the pieces all over Paris.

Trapping the Robbers of Muswell Lodge (England): A hermit fortifies his home against robbers, but they get in anyway.

Subtleties of Crime in India: Various citizens manipulate evidence to confound the authorities.

Detective Geye's Brilliant Long Shot (USA): A detective finds a killer by imagining her relationship with a trolley driver.

The Incomparable Vidocq: First Great Detective (France):  A biographical sketch of Eugène-François Vidocq, criminal turned detective.

Twenty-one Splinters of Glass (New York City): A detective tracks a hit-and-run by piecing together glass fragments from the crash scene to locate the car.

Constabulary vs. District Tubbercurry (Ireland): Detectives finally track down a killer who eluded them for years.

The Secret of the Conrad Door (Germany): A complex locked-room puzzle, six dead inside a locked room, but a book is found inside opening to a page describing how to do it (oops!)

The Triumph of Kali Dass (India): The only witness to a murder is a deaf-mute. How do they get him to testify?

The Daring Feat of "James McKenna" (Pennsylvania): A detective infiltrates the Molly Maguires, a secret terror organization of coal miners.

Review:

I picked up this book as the name Lassiter Wren jumped out at me, remembering him as the author of The Baffle Books, and the Baffle Cases contained in some of the 1930's Mystery League titles.

The stories are set in locations around the world, and read much like the short vignettes in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine. Initially I thought this was a collection of true detective stories, but it appears to be a mix of both true and somewhat fictional, perhaps only inspired by real persons or events. For example, there are accounts of General Charles Hervey (India), Eugène-François Vidocq  (France), and James MacParlin (USA); all precise accounts of historical detectives - as my quick fact check confirmed. Some stories (Muswell Lodge and The Conrad Door) read more like 1930's weird thrillers, and I found it difficult to believe they are anything more than just complete fiction. Some illustrate plain old routine, plodding detective work (21 Splinters, District Tubbercurry, Murder on the Yukon) and it is a stretch to place them in the "Master stroke" category.

The foreword (which also appears as the Goodreads description) states it contains "twenty-odd" stories, but actually only 13.

Physically speaking, this is a strange book. It is oversize, being 9.5" x 6", yet when opened - surprise! The printing plates used were for a much smaller book, resulting in huge margins!

And then there are the garish orange endpapers, but still bright after 93 years!

Colour Scheme by Ngaio Marsh (1943)

 

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About the author: Dame Edith Ngaio Marsh (1895 – 1982) was a New Zealand crime writer and theatre director. She was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1966.

Marsh is known as one of the "Queens of Crime", along with Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Margery Allingham. She is known primarily for her character Inspector Roderick Alleyn, a gentleman detective who works for the Metropolitan Police (London).

The Ngaio Marsh Award is awarded annually for the best New Zealand mystery, crime and thriller fiction writing. (wikipedia)

Major characters:

The Wai-ata-tapu spa staff:

• Colonel Edward Claire, owner 
• Agnes Claire, his wife
• Simon Claire, their son
• Barbara Claire, their coming-of-age daughter
• Dr. James Ackrington, Agnes' brother
• Herbert Smith, hard-drinking handyman
• Huia, a Maori maid

The guests:

• Maurice Questing, the mysterious guest
• Geoffrey Gaunt, celebrated actor
• Dikon Bell, Gaunt's secretary
• Alfred Colly, Gaunt's servant/valet
• Septimus Falls

The locals:

• Eru Saul, a half-caste
• Sgt. Stan Webley

Locale: New Zealand

Synopsis: It is 1943 and World War II is entrenched in the South Pacific. Captain Edward and Agnes Claire own and operates a New Zealand spa, Wai-ata-tapu, which consists of various mud and water baths, believed to have curative properties. The spa is worn, tidy, and comfortable; and run more as a hobby than as a serious business operation. 

The guests include Maurice Questing. Questing is disliked by everyone, yet has a hold over the family; as he holds a mortgage on the property which is near foreclosure. Dr. Ackrington is suspicious of him, as he periodically climbs a tall mount nearby - sacred to local Maoris - to search for relics, and where a suspicious signal light to sea is seen. The light coincides with torpedo sinking of Allied ships. Questing, preparing for taking over the spa, pressures famous actor Geoffrey Gaunt (suffering from a leg ailment) to visit the spa, as a publicity tactic. Gaunt is accompanied by secretary Dikon Bell and valet Alfred Colly.

The Claire's son, Simon, is learning Morse Code in order to join the military. He reports the signals from the mount, suspects and watches Questing. The Claire's daughter, Barbara, is just coming of age and is catching the eye of the men; particularly Gaunt, who takes her under his wing in a friendly way.

The local Maoris provide a concert to honor the Claires and encourage them to stay and operate the spa, keeping it from Questing. After the concert, Questing sets off to the spa across the dangerous mud pools - the paths marked by signal flags - white for safe, red for danger (see cover above). A scream is heard and Questing cannot be found. Did he fall into one of the bubbling mud pools?

Review: The reader is well-prepared when beginning the story, as the text is prefaced by a list of characters and their relationships, as well as a list of Maori words used in the text along with their English meanings. The only thing lacking is be a map showing the relationship of the spa, the mud pools, paths and the village. (Was this ever a Mapback? It would be a natural!)

Questing disappears into the mud midway through the book, and the plot becomes is he dead, or was it faked?

There is a lot of backstory before the excitement begins, but it did not lag for me. I learned a lot about New Zealand and the Maoris, and the mysterious mud pools. As soon as the colored flag system was described, I thought a switcheroo of the flags would certainly be the murder method, but that was not correct. Much attention is paid to the "four mysterious circumstances":

1. Conflicting stories about the flowers blooming
2. Conflicting stories about the railway signal 
3. Conflicting stories about Eru's shirt
4. Conflicting stories about the colored flags

The reader may see a common element in these four which will give a hint as to what happened.

Also see these reviews by Bev Hankins on My Reader's Block: Review #1 and Review #2.

The Crouching Beast by Valentine Williams (1928)

 

About the author: Valentine Williams (1883–1946) was an English journalist and writer of popular fiction. Williams was awarded the Military Cross as a soldier and wrote two autobiographical books about his war-time experiences. In the aftermath of war, he travelled widely as a reporter.  It was during this period that he began writing thrillers and around 1926 he gave up his post at the Daily Mail to pursue a full-time career as an author. (Wikipedia)

Major characters:

• Olivia Dunbar, a British subject; our narrator
• Dr. Van Hentsch, a judge; Olivia's employer
• Major Vivian Abbott, escaped British officer
• Nigel Druce, British Secret Service
• Dr. Adolf Grundt, "Clubfoot"
• Floria Pelligrini, of Berlin
• Rudi Von Linz, a German officer

Locale: Germany

Synopsis: It is 1914 Germany, and everyone is on edge as war is certainly imminent. Our narrator, Olivia Dunbar, a British subject, is working as secretary for judge Dr. Von Nentsch; at his home. His home, the Kommandanten-Haus, is adjacent to Schlatz Castle; which is being used as a prison for German military officers convicted of minor infractions - such as drinking or gambling.

Olivia is alone one night when she encounters a man outside her window. He enters, and identifies himself as Major Vivian Abbott, a British officer. He tells a story of being stranded and seeking money for train fare. Then they hears the cannon sound from the Castle, a signal that a prisoner has escaped - and Abbott confesses it is he. He asks a sympathetic Olivia to perform a task to clear his name: to travel to Berlin and obtain an envelope from Floria Pellegrini, and deliver it to Joseph Bale.

As Olivia agrees, Abbott slips out into the garden as searchers approach. Gunshots are heard, and Sylvia goes to the garden to see if Abbott escaped safely. There she encounters a gruff, evil-looking man crouching in the garden who warns her against aiding Abbott - he is Dr. Adolf Grundt, a.k.a. "Clubfoot" due to having one foot encased in a large orthopedic boot. Dr. Von Nentsch returns, and Grundt tells him to fire Olivia, as she is British and likely sympathetic to Abbott. This is somewhat fortuitous, as it now allows her to go to Berlin on her errand.

Olivia arrives in Berlin, retrieves the envelope, and meets up with Nigel Druce, a British Secret Service agent. Clubfoot also arrives in Berlin, in pursuit of Olivia. She and Nigel hole up in an attic garret in the red light district, while making plans to escape Germany via Holland to return to England.

Olivia and Nigel seize their opportunity and break for the border as Clubfoot and his minions give chase. They seek sanctuary in a monastery within sight of the border.

Review: This is an exciting spy thriller which encompasses all of World War I. It is a cat-and-mouse game between the menacing Clubfoot and our protagonists Olivia and Nigel. Of course, Clubfoot survives to live another day and additional books (this being #4 of 7 in the Clubfoot series). 

I particularly enjoyed the final chase as Nigel and Olivia take refuge in the monastery with sympathetic friars, and the delicate balancing act when the friars are questioned by the Germans - for they cannot lie, but they can choose their truths selectively. It reminded me of the similar scene in The Sound of Music as the Von Trapp family escapes from German-occupied Austria.

The political scene is described throughout as the war takes shape - but the reader need not be conversant with the history to enjoy the Clubfoot series.

The Sixth Commandment by Carolyn Wells (1927)

 

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About the author: Carolyn Wells (1862-1942) was married to Hadwin Houghton, the heir of the Houghton-Mifflin publishing empire. Like Mary Roberts Rinehart, being in a publishing family created an easy pipeline for getting her works into print. She wrote a total of more than 170 books. See this Wikipedia article.

Major characters:

• Ralph Mackenzie, wealthy widower, owner of Warlock House
• Guy Mackenzie, his son
• Fairy Lovell, a.k.a. Goldie Glenn, Guy's soon-to-be fiancée
• Sylvia Field, adopted daughter of Ralph's late wife
• Bob Arnold, a private detective
• Christopher "Kit" Cox, a private detective
• Jack Mullins, mystery writer
• Dorothy Reed, wife of one of Guy's college chums
• Ezra & Abbie Gerson, estate workers
• Blackie Blake, a dancer, a.k.a. Terrell, a reporter

Locale: Long Island, New York

Synopsis: Wealthy widower Ralph Mackenzie owns a mansion on New York's Long Island. He lives there with his son, Guy Mackenzie, and his 'niece', Sylvia Field. Sylvia is not actually related - she is the adopted daughter of his late wife. Guy and Sylvia have always been close, and Sylvia had hoped for an eventual marriage.

Guy takes a girlfriend, pouty, self-centered looker Fairy Lovell. He plans to bring her back to Warlock House to introduce her to the family and announce their engagement. Ralph suggests they go all-out, and organizes a large party for the occasion. Guy invites all his old college buddies from their college literary club and their wives. Among them are Bob Arnold, now a private detective; and Jack Mullins, a mystery novelist.

Fairy arrives at the party to great acclaim of her beauty. However, her selfish ways manage to annoy everyone, especially Ralph. To top it off, she surprises the crowd by performing a wild, suggestive dance while wearing only revealing lingerie. Ralph is shocked and changes his mind and forbids Guy from marrying her.

The party goers retire for the night, and in the morning Fairy is found dead in her bed. The police arrive, and an investigation shows she is not the person Guy thought, but rather a (gasp!) cabaret dancer. They track down her mother, and she is not the person they thought either.

Review: Having read of bunch of Wells' Fleming Stone series, this non-series novel was a nice change as Stone - like Philo Vance - gets tiring after a while. This is a tight mystery, once you get past the men-worshipping-Fairy-dancing episodes. 

Similar to the Stone series, one investigator (Bob Arnold) starts off collecting facts but eventually gets bogged down, and a second investigator (Christopher 'Kit' Cox) comes in to solve the murder. Cox is a much more enjoyable character than the pedantic Stone. Both investigators are Guy's former classmates, and the police have only minor periodic appearances. 

The murder method and the murderer were both surprises, and quite believable. There is a sub-plot involving some stolen pearls, and this is threaded throughout the story, and also comes to a unique, interesting solution. Cox is focused and gets to the solution in a straight forward manner. 

The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe (1841)

This short story, considered the first modern detective story, features detective C. Auguste Dupin. The story begins with an introduction in which the narrator, roommate of Dupin, discusses the process of Analysis; drawing comparisons between the differences in playing draughts (checkers) and chess. Then they read a newspaper account of a baffling murder.

In the account, residents of a street in Paris were alarmed to hear a commotion and screams from an apartment building. The residents - and the police - forced their way in. Two women - mother and daughter - were found murdered in their room, which is locked from the inside. The daughter was found strangled and stuffed up the chimney - feet first - and the mother found thrown out the window with her head almost severed from the body. No one else was present. An amount of gold coins remained, eliminating robbery as a motive.

All the witnesses - and there are a few - reported hearing two other voices during the melée. One voice was unanimously described as a Frenchman shouting. No one agreed on the second voice, other than it was of a foreigner and in a language and speech pattern no one could recognize.

Dupin goes to the scene and first uses his techiques of analysis to determine how the two attackers entered and exited the rooms. Once determined, he is able to track down how the murders were done and find those responsible.

This story is a quick read, and was an inspiration for many detective stories to follow.

For more, see this Wikipedia article.