The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie, 1924

 

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Apr 21 2024: reading now, please check back soon. RM

Major characters:

• Madame Nadine, a dancer and a spy
• Count Sergius Pavolvitch, Russian spy
• Anne Beddingfeld, young adventurer, our protagonist
• L.B. Carton, "Mothball Man", electrocuted on the third rail
• Sir Eustace Pedler, M.P., owner of the house to let
• Mrs. deCastina, victim found in Pedler's house
• The Man in the Brown Suit, a.k.a. The Fake Doctor
• Lord Masby, publisher of The Daily Budget
• Colonel Race
• Mrs. Clarence Blair

Synopsis:

Upon the passing of her father, young Anne Beddingfeld is ready to leave London to seek adventure and romance. She is standing on the subway platform when another passenger is startled and falls off the platform, getting himself electrocuted on the third rail. As she watches, he is hauled off the tracks and declared dead by a man claiming to be a doctor. She observes his procedure is quite un-doctor-like. As he departs the scene, he drops a paper with a notation: 17 . 122 Kilmorden Castle.

The Daily Budget reports the victim was identified as L.B. Carton, and was carrying a real estate order-to-view for Mill House,  up for rent by Sir Eustace Pedler, M.P. Not only that, but a murdered woman was found in Mill House, identified as Mrs. deCastina. She also had an order-to-view, and met a man there, apparently her murderer. He was wearing a distinctive brown suit, and Anne realizes that he is the fake doctor from the subway incident.

Anne noticed the dead man had a distinct mothball odor, so she refers to him as "Mothball Man". She approaches Scotland Yard with her information, but the inspector there seems uninterested. She then goes to the pubisher of The Daily Budget, Lord Nasby, who agrees to support her in her amateur investigation in search of a publishable story.

She tries to locate Kilmorden Castle without luck, then finds it is not a place, but the name of a passenger liner. She books passage on it to South Africa. 

Review:

You may also enjoy Review #1 and Review #2 by Bev Hankins on My Reader's Block.

My Late Wives by Carter Dickson, 1946

 

Major characters:

Roger Bewlay - the killer husband

Angela Phipps - late wife #1

Elizabeth Posner - late wife #2

Andrée Cooper - late wife #3

(Unnamed) - late wife #4

Mildred Lyons - witness

Beryl West - theatre director

Dennis Foster - attorney

Bruce Ransom - actor

Daphne Herbert - bait in the trap

John Herbert - her father

Sir Henry Merrivale

Inspector Masters

Synopsis:

Scotland Yard has been after Roger Bewlay ever since a string of murders eleven years ago, in which he killed four wives in succession to gain their money. No bodies were ever found, and all they have to go on is a witness to the fourth, Mildred Lyons.

Now theatre director Beryl West invites her friend, attorney Dennis Foster, to meet famed leading-man actor Bruce Ransom. Someone has sent him the manuscript of a play based on Bewlay's murders. There are details in the play known only to the killer and the police, leading them to suspect Bewlay is the author.

In an attempt to flush Bewlay out, Ransom pretends to be Bewlay and starts a relationship with Daphne Herbert, following the plot of the play. 

The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie, 1920

 

Image only - no review

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

A Graveyard to Let by Carter Dickson, 1949

 

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Major characters:

Frederick Manning, widower

Irene Stanley, his new girlfriend 

Crystal Manning, 24, his daughter

Bob Manning, 22, his son

Jean Manning, 21, his daughter

Huntington Davis Jr., "Dave", Jean's fiancé

Cy Norton, newspaperman

Howard Betterton, attorney

Gilbert Byles, D.A.

Sir Henry Merrivale

Synopsis:

Sir Henry Merrivale is in New York City. He astounds his companions by demonstrating passing through a subway turnstile without paying.

His friend, widower Frederick Manning, operates a prep school rumored to be in financial difficulty. Manning goes to his bank and apparently withdraws a large sum of cash. He meets with his three children: Bob, Crystal, and Jean and explains that he is going to run away with Irene Stanley, that he never liked them but is making sure they are provided for; and that he will disappear and never be seen again.

The Manning family estate includes a swimming pool, baseball diamond, and an old cemetery. The next day the family is at the swimming pool. Jean, her fiancé Huntington "Dave", and attorney Howard Betterton are in the water. Fred Manning dives into the pool but does not come up. The pool is searched but he is not found. 

H.M. knows how it was done, but he only says it was the same principle he used in passing through the subway turnstiles.

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

The Perfect Crime by Ellery Queen, 1942

 

Major characters:

Ellery Queen, detective

Nikki Porter, his secretary

Walter Mathews, young millionaire

John Mathews, his uncle, a stock swindler

Carlotta "Aunty Carlo" Emerson, Walter's maiden aunt with the on/off accent

Togo, her pet chimpanzee

Arthur Rhodes, a lawyer, partner of John

Raymond Garten, rare book collector

Marian, his daughter, fiancée of Walter

Henry Griswold, his librarian

Locale: New York City

Synopsis:

Rich Walter Mathews comes to ask Ellery Queen for his help. His uncle, John Mathews, has swindled many people with oil well stock scams; including Raymond Garten, the father of Walter's fiancée, Marian Garten.

Raymond Garten, now broke, is forced to auction his beloved rare book collection. Altruistic Walter has an idea: He gives Ellery $250k to purchase the collection for him as a third-party, so Raymond will be unaware Walter is the buyer. He plans to give it to Marian as a wedding gift, so that it will stay in the Garten family and Raymond will be unable to refuse it. Ellery buys the lot and moves it to Walter's home; next door to the Mathews home.

No sooner has this been accomplished than John Mathews is found dead in his study. 

Review:

This book is prefaced with "Based on the Columbia Motion Picture Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime", an ominous admission that it was back-written from the movie - generally a bad sign, and one that the Queen authors (Frederic Dannay and Manfred Bennington Lee) had little to do with writing it. Eye-rolling continued when I find that one of the characters is a chimpanzee who has been taught how to shoot a gun (thought this sort of thing went out with Poe's Murders in the Rue Morgue).

However, I was pleasantly surprised to find a respectable, concise plot; in the same vein as Queen's country-titled novels of the same era (Chinese Orange, French Powder, etc). My 1942 Grosset & Dunlap edition has a sketch map of the crime scene in Chapter 6 (p. 75), which is essential if you wish to figure out how the murder occurred, and careful study of the map itself may provide the answer for you.

A rather humorous aside is the conversations in which the investigators speculate 1). does a chimpanzee have fingerprints, and 2). if so, is it possible to take them?

And Four To Go by Rex Stout, 1959

 

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Four novellas:

 Christmas Party:  Archie Goodwin is invited to an office Christmas party. The bartender is dressed as Santa Claus, a guest winds up poisoned, and Santa disappears leaving his outfit behind in the elevator.

 Easter Parade:  An orchid grower's wife is going to display a one-of-a-kind orchid on her outfit at a Fifth Avenue church on Easter Sunday. Nero Wolfe wants to get the orchid, but as his sketchy hireling  "Tabby" reaches for it, the woman falls down dead.

 Fourth of July Picnic:  Nero Wolfe is invited to be one of the speakers at a union picnic. Just as begins his speech, one of the other speakers is found stabbed to death behind the stage.

 Murder in No Joke:  A woman and calls on Nero Wolfe, makes a phone call from his office, and hands the phone to Wolfe just in time for him to hear the woman on the other end of the call killed. Was it real or was it staged? The woman is dead, and another woman who may have a conspirator is found dead also.  

Fer-de-lance by Rex Stout, 1934

 

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No review, cover image only. 

The Case of the Constant Suicides by John Dickson Carr, 1941

 

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No review, cover image only. 

13 at Dinner by Agatha Christie, 1933

 

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Also published as Lord Edgeware Dies

No review, cover image only. 

Murder at Bratton Grange by John Rhode, 1929

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This title was also published as The Davidson Case. It is Dr. Priestley #6.

About the author: John Rhode is one of the pseudonyms used by Cecil John Charles Street. He also wrote as Miles Burton.

Major characters:

• Guy Davidson
• Sir Hector Davidson, his cousin
• Olga Watkins, Sir Hector's secretary
• Frederick Cannon, Sir Hector's butler/chauffeur
• Philip Lowry, Chief Designer
• Tom White, van driver
• Dr. --- Priestley
• Harold Merefield, Priestley's secretary
• Chief Inspector Hanslet, Scotland Yard

Locale: London and Bratton Grange

Synopsis: Sir Hector Davidson is the president of Davidson's, a London manufacturer of laboratory equipment. His cousin, Guy Davidson, was drummed out of the business so Hector could milk all the profits to himself. Hector gives notice to his chief designer, Philip Lowry, because of a patent condition which gave him 30% of the profits while he is employed.

Hector also has a taste for the ladies, making weekend visits to his country house at Bratton Grange with various women. He also makes unwanted advances to his secretary, Olga Watkins, who is the girlfriend of Lowry.

Hector dismisses Lowry early one afternoon, and once he is out of the way, packs up a crate with the valuable patterns of their product. He takes the box on the train to Bratton Grange. He obtains a ride from the station with Tom White, riding in the back of the van, sitting on the box. When the van arrives at Bratton Grange, Hector is found dead inside of a stab wound.

Guy  Davidson enlists the help of Dr. Priestley and his assistant Harold Merefield to investigate. It is a puzzle, Hector was alive at the start of the ride, but dead at the end - inside a closed van. And the box of valuable patterns is missing.

Review: Oh, this book was a lot of fun! I couldn't put this one down. It has a locked-room type puzzle (the van being the locked room), and a small cast of characters. I had a hunch the box was the key to the puzzle, and what I thought happened wasn't quite it. There were several possible explanations considered throughout the book, of course not of these were the solution.

Dr. Priestley is not too enthusiastic about the issue, and mostly stays at home grumbling while his assistant Harold Merefield runs around and does the leg work - in much the same mold as Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin. 

The identity of the killer came as a big surprise with a clever workaround in court at the end. This is an excellent, clever, fast-paced book.

 

Murder in the Mews by Helen Reilly, 1931

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Please note there is another book with this title by Agatha Christie (1937), being a collection of four Hercule Poirot stories.

About the author: Helen Reilly (1891 – 1962), was an American mystery writer known for a series of novels featuring Inspector Christopher McKee, head of the fictitious Manhattan Homicide Squad. She wrote mostly under her own  name but also under the pseudonym Kieran Abbey. Two of her daughters, Ursula Curtiss and Mary McMullen, also became published mystery writers.  (Wikipedia)

Major characters:

• Inspector Christopher McKee, "The Scotchman"
• Pete Hogarth, crime writer
• Joan Fergusson, Pete's girlfriend
• Hamilton Knox, the deceased
• George Benchley, Knox's valet
• Laurence "Larry" Tower, business editor of The Star
• Milly Tower, his wife
• Albert "Bertie" Fanning, Milly's brother
• Mrs. Reginald Tower, Larry's mother
• Miss Laura Tower, Larry's sister
• --- Hollister, Miss Laura's fiancé
• Roger Paget, wealthy salt mine owner
• Estelle, Baroness Rumbeau; Roger's sister

Locale: New York City

Synopsis: Inspector Christopher McKee is called to investigate the finding of a body in a Rolls-Royce, left running on the street. He invites his friend, crime writer Pete Hogarth, to come along. The body is that of Hamilton Knox, owner of the Rolls-Royce, dead from a bullet wound.

Knox had last been at the home of his lover, Milly Tower (wife of Laurence "Larry" Tower). McKee and Hogarth go to the home, a small house converted from a stable in a mews between two rows of houses. They find Knox had been shot there, his body placed in the car, and driven to where it was found.

The motive is found to be a box of precious jewels which is now missing.

Review:  This book starts off well with a murder which is quickly investigated. I enjoyed the seat-of-the-pants forensics McKee used (using Hogarth as a prop) to determine bullet trajectories and the finding of the two bullets. The middle portion of the book dragged quite a bit and I did skim along a bit. Towards the end the action picked up as Milly found herself kept a prisoner and being tortured by an evil doctor for information.

It was a bit annoying that the author keeps introducing new characters right up to the end, and even minor walk-ons are named, so keeping track of names is a chore. Some of them pop in without any introduction, just a name appearing in the action with no clue who the person is.

Paget and Baroness are, we know, brother and sister, and somehow related to the Towers, but this is never defined.

I have one other book by this author, Murder on Angler's Island (1945) which I enjoyed much more. It came 14 years later after this one, and it seems her technique had much improved by that time; although the character count was still excessive.

The Bellamy Trial by Frances Noyes Hart, 1927

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About the author: Frances Newbold Noyes Hart (1890 – 1943) was an American writer whose short stories were published in Scribner's magazine, the Saturday Evening Post, and the Ladies' Home Journal. During World War I, she served as a translator with the Navy and as a canteen worker in France. Hart became famous for Pulitzer Prize-winning The Bellamy Trial, which was serialized in the Saturday Evening Post, published in book form, and later dramatized. (wikipedia)

Major characters:

• Madeleine Bellamy, the victim
• Stephen Bellamy, her husband
• Susan Thorne Ives, Stephen's lover
• Patrick Ives, Susan's husband
• Anthony Carver, judge
• Daniel Farr, prosecutor
• Dudley Lambert, defense attorney

Locale: near New York City

Synopsis: We are at the opening of the murder trial of Susan Ives and Stephen Bellamy, both accused in the murder of Stephen's wife Madeleine Bellamy. We see the action through the eyes of two unnamed reporters: a young, inexperienced woman and an older, veteran crime reporter.

Once the jury is seated, the prosecutor Daniel Farr makes a long opening statement. A parade of witnesses establishes the fact that Stephen's wife Madeleine had gone to the Thorne estate's garden cottage in the night for a tryst with Patrick Ives and wound up stabbed to death. Both of their spouses are the prime suspects.  

Review: I immediately liked two things about this book. First, at the front is a comprehensive schedule of the trial, with all the characters identified. I referred to this page constantly. Second, the story is told from the point of view of a young newspaper writer who is covering her first trial, and is seated next to a veteran reporter who is filling her in on the background of the crime and court procedure. Neither one is named, which helps keep the focus on the trial. The procedural explanations given by the veteran reporter serve to inform the reader of what is happening.

The story is rigidly structured, each chapter comprises one day of the trial. 

Everything proceeds in a somber, quiet manner until witness Luigi Orsini takes the stand, and provides a welcome comic relief in his Chico Marx-like response to questions. This serves as an "intermission" of sorts.

Finally we hear a verdict. But that is not the end, as a few surprises await, which are not listed in the "program".

You will enjoy this book, especially if:

• you read the Perry Mason books of Erle Stanley Gardner, and can't wait until the courtroom scene, this book is for you - it is all courtroom scene.
• you enjoy the hard-to-find books by Nancy Barr Mavity, which feature courtroom trials as seen by newspaper reporters. 

The Saint in Pursuit by Leslie Charteris, 1970

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:

• "Hamilton", The Saint's anonymous government contact
• Colonel Wade, Lisbon embassy
• Major Robert Kinian, who died in 1945
• Vicky Kinian, his daughter
• Curt Jaeger, Nazi posing as a watch salesman
• Freda Oliveiros, stewardess
• Pedro, a killer for hire
• Mischa Ruspine, Russian MVD agent
• Boris Uzanov, Russian MVD agent
• Simon Templar, The Saint

Locale: Lisbon, Portugal and Geneva, Switzerland

Synopsis: The Saint, Simon Templar, gets a call from a US government contact, "Hamilton". He wants Simon to go to Portugal to follow Vicky Kinian, age 25, arriving from Iowa. Her father, Major Robert Kinian, had died in World War II, and to her suprise left a letter to be delivered to her on her 25th birthday.

The letter tells her to retrieve something valuable that he hid away in Lisbon. She meets and old school friend, Freda Oliveiros, on the flight and they room together in Lisbon. Vicky is the object of interest of several people, including pushy salesman Curt Jaeger. Simon arrives and tries to convince her to accept his help and protection. Vicky, being skeptical, rejects all offers of help and seeks the object by herself; taking her to a deserted cemetery in the middle of the night.

Review: This is a different Saint story that the ones from his prime, it is more a spy novel. There are no appearances by Patricia Holm, Hoppy Uniatz, or even the Hirondel.

The story is both written and set in 1970 when there are still plenty of WWII veterans around, and Vicky has just turned 25 (although at one point she is described as 21, a continuity error).  Simon is using airplanes and a rented Volkswagen beetle to get around, a definite step down from his famous Hirondel of the 1930's.

It starts off slowly with Vicky taking her first airplane trip and meeting stewardess friend Freda. As the two travel, it takes on a Nancy Drew-like adventure for a while.

We are not told too much of the origin of the valuable object (which I won't reveal here), but it is puzzling the Russians are after it - since they were allies in World War II, not enemies. 

The location of the hiding place of the valuable object is pretty clever and a good choice if you want to stash something securely for decades. Overall, an enjoyable spy thriller.

The Case of the Blonde Bonanza by Erle Stanley Gardner, 1962

 

Major characters:

• Dianne Alder, the Blonde Bonanza
• George Alder, her father, believed dead 14 years ago
• Harrison T. Boring, Dianne's employer
• George D. Winlock, a millionaire
• Mrs. Winlock
• Marvin Harvey Palmer, Winlock's stepson
• Perry Mason, attorney
• Paul Drake, P.I.
• Sid Nye, P.I.
• Steven "Moose" Dillard, P.I.

Locale: Bolero Beach and Los Angeles, California

Synopsis: Secretary Della Street is vacationing in Bolero Beach with her aunt, Mae Kirby. She becomes acquainted with "Blonde Bonanze" Dianne Alder, an attractive woman on a binge to gain weight quickly. Attorney Perry Mason is curious, and finds Alder has a contract with Harrison T. Boring, in which she is to gain certain weight in order to model some larger fashions. The contract has a curious stipulation that during the term of the contract, Dianne must share her income from all sources 50/50 with Boring. Mason is suspicious of that clause, thinking some is looking for Dianne to come into some money, and that the fashion reason is just a ruse.

Mason suspects Boring has turned to blackmail and has him followed to a cottage in a motor court. Mason's operative, "Moose" Dillard, gets a nearby cottage to keep watch, and observes a string of visitors to the cottage, including Dianne Alder. Later, Boring is found dead there, and Dianne becomes the prime suspect.

Review: [spoilers ahead] The double-identity person (George Winlock/George Alder) was obvious right from the start.  All the legwork of investigation is done by another agency, that of Sid Nye and his operative "Moose" Dillard. The courtroom scenes are enjoyable, but it is  disappointing that the identity of the killer and means of the death are a bit unfair to the reader.  One of the "good guys" is the killer, even though the "murder" turns out to be accidental. This must be why a different P.I. agency is used, so the good name of the Paul Drake agency is not besmirched.

The Curse of the Bronze Lamp by Carter Dickson, 1945

 

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About the author: Carter Dickson is a pseudonym of John Dickson Carr, known for his locked room mysteries. 

Major characters:

• Professor Gilray, scorpion bite victim
• John Loring (Lord Severn)
• Lady Helen Loring, Lord Severn's daughter
• Christopher "Kit" Farrell, a lawyer, Helen's boyfriend
• Sandy Robertson
• Audrey Vane, Sandy's girlfriend
• Alim Bey, Egyptian fortune teller
• Leo Beaumont, American fortune teller
• Benson, the butler
• Elizabeth Pomfret, housekeeper
• Sir Henry Merrivale, "H.M."

Locale: Egypt (briefly), then England

Synopsis: Professor Gilray, John Loring (Lord Severn), his daughter Lady Helen Loring, and Sandy Robertson are on an archeological expedition to Egypt, and retrieve many artifacts from a tomb. The locals believe they are cursed for doing so, and Gilray is bitten by a scorpion and dies. Lady Helen is given a small bronze lamp as a gift by the Egyptian government, which she announces she is taking back to Severn Hall in England. While travelling, she meets up with Sir Henry Merrivale. As they depart, Egyptian fortune teller Alim Bey prophesies that if she takes the lamp there, she will never reach her room at the hall.

Severn Hall has been closed for years, but is put into shape quickly under the direction of butler Benson and housekeeper Elizabeth Pomfret. The travelers arrive and Lady Helen, carrying the lamp, is the first in the door. When the others follow, they find the lamp on the floor, and Lady Helen missing.

The house is searched and she is not found. Benson shows an architect's book which testifies the house has no hidden rooms or secret passages. The house was surrounded by various workers who swear she did not leave the house. Then Lord Severn disappears in the same manner, again leaving the bronze lamp in his place.

Review:  This starts out with some comedy as H.M. has an unruly encounter with a taxi driver, which.   is enjoyable and not so long it detracts from the story. H.M is in the action right from the start. The search of the manor is well done, with workers staged around the outside who testify no one left the building.

I liked how the  secret room/passage possibility is ruled out right away by the architect's book which so testifies. That was a clever way to dismiss that possibility right from the start.

I had my own idea where Helen was, but of course, I was wrong. There are some red herrings dangled for possible hiding places. Her actual location was quite a surprise.

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

Red Aces by Edgar Wallace, 1929

 

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This book consists of three short stories featuring detective J.G. Reeder:

The Red Aces

Kennedy, the Con Man

The Case of Joe Attymar

This review is only of the first, The Red Aces.

Major characters:

• George McKay
• Kenneth McKay, his son
• Margot Lynn, Kenneth's girlfriend, niece/secretary to Walter "Benny" Wentford
• Walter "Benny" Wentford, Margot's uncle
• Rufus Machfield, Kenneth's friend
• Walter Enward, lawyer
• Henry Green, Enward's clerk
• Eric Kingfether, bank manager
• Ena Burslem, a Woman of the World
• J.G. Reeder, private detective
• Constanble James Verity

Locale: England

Synopsis: Kenneth McKay is out in the countryside and spots his girlfriend, Margot Lynn, out with another man. She refuses to  introduce them, and soon McKay gets a 'Dear John' letter breaking off their relationship. McKay tells this to his friend Rufus Machfield, who reveals that he is deep in gambling debt, and his bank is missing some funds.

Lawyer Walter Enward and his clerk Henry Green are called out on a snowy night to the cottage of Walter "Benny" Wentford. On the way, they are stopped by Constable James Verity, standing in the road alongside a dead body. Enward identifies the body as Wentford. Private Detective J.G. Reeder comes on the scene, and goes to Wentford's nearby cottage to find Margot inside, awaiting her uncle's return. He also finds two red ace cards pinned to the door. Contable Verity cannot be located, and is later found dead alongside the road.

Review: This was my first J.G, Reeder story and it was enjoyable. It is jam-packed to fit a full length novel's share of plot and characters into 100 pages, so it is quite condensed. There are a lot of characters and inter-relationships to keep track of. For example, Margot is not only Wentford's secretary, she is also his niece. J.G. just seems to be everywhere at once. I was a bit confused as to his position, he is called a private detective at first, then a member of the Public Prosecutor's Office. 

Once the action stops, there is one final chapter, which is quite different from what came before. J.G. himself writes the last chapter, calmly providing a detailed synopsis of the action and tying up all the loose ends. I found this valuable, since I had lost track of a lot of the details along the way. 

Overall, the story reminded me of the Rex Stout triple-volumes, consisting of three short Nero Wolfe adventures. The length is just right for a one-evening read. 

The Green Ribbon by Edgar Wallace, 1930

 

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About the author: Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace (1875-1932) was a prolific British crime writer, journalist and playwright, who wrote 175 novels, 24 plays, and countless articles in newspapers and journals (Goodreads). In terms of production, by cranking out one novel per month, he was the British equivalent of Erle Stanley Gardner. See this Wikipedia article.

Major characters:

• Donald Gray, deceased
• Edna Gray, Donald's niece and heiress
• Alberto Garcia, Edna's friend
• Inspector Matthew Mark Luke

The staff of The Green Ribbon agency:

• Joe Trigger, operator of Trigger's Transactions
• Dr. Blanter, the brain  
• Elijah Goodie, horse trainer, tenant of Gillywood Cottage
• Arthur Rustem, a disbarred attorney
• Mr. Pilcher, Rustem's clerk

Locale: England

Synopsis: Recently-disbarred attorney Arthur Rustem handles the estate of the late Donald Gray, Venezuelan cattle farmer; consisting of two properties: Gillywood Cottage/Farm and adjacent Longhall. Upon Gray's death, they have passed to his niece, Edna Gray. Edna arrives from Venezuela, intending to live at Longhall, and instructs Rustem to oust the tenant, horse trainer Elijah Goodie. She travels there to find Gillywood Cottage and horse stables well kept, but nearby Longwood neglected. Goodie tries to discourage her from moving in.

Edna has made the acquaintance of Inspector Matthew Mark Luke of Scotland Yard. He is investigating possible crimes associated with horse racing, and in particular the operation of the Green Ribbon Agency, owned by Joe Trigger. Trigger has developed a profitable - and marginally legal - method of making money from the races. He invites subscribers to place funds on deposit with him, and his agents place last-minute bets - so close to the race time that the bets cannot affect the odds.* His associates are trainer Elijah Goodie, Dr. Blanter, and Arthur Rustem.

*at least that's how I understand it.

Review: For a long time I was puzzled as to where this book was going. There is a murder, but it takes until page 261 (of 311) to occur. There are not even any crimes up to that point - it is emphasized again and again that the Green Ribbon operation is quite legal. Inspector Luke is always watching and waiting for them to do something illegal.

I enjoyed the description of how Trigger's Transactions were organized and operated, in order to keep the investors (bettors) anonymous.

Despite this odd construction, the story moves right along and kept my attention all the way. I don't understand how horse racing odds work, but that was not a barrier to enjoying the story. I think Wallace just enjoyed writing about horse racing, since a number of his novels are on that topic. 

There are some of surprises along the way - when Goodie's pets are revealed, what's really going on in the Perrywig Caves, and the last paragraph of the book manages to bring in a love interest!

The Gold Skull Murders by Frank L. Packard, 1931

 

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About the author: Frank L. Packard (1877 - 1942) was born in Montreal, Quebec. As a young man he worked as a civil engineer for the Canadian Pacific Railway. His experiences working on the railroad led to his writing many railroad stories, then to a series of mystery novels, the most famous of which featured a character called Jimmie Dale. Several of his novels were made into films. (Wikipedia)

Major characters:

Dr. Ronald Ward, alias Bob Curle

Michael Ward, Ronald's father

Gourlay, plantation manager

Sarlow, the Ward's agent in Singapore

Li Yuan, Japanese millionaire

Whitey Jahal, Singapore gangster

Joan Robb, Andrew Robb's daughter

Explorers on The Hawk:

Michael Ward, Ronald's father

Henry Maclin-Clyne

Andrew Robb

Tom Gresham

Bob Rankin

Locale: Taletee Island, Malaysia; and Singapore

Synopsis: Ship's surgeon Dr. Ronald Ward is on his father's plantation on Taletee Island in Malaysia. He has come to handle the estate of his father, Michael Ward, who has recently died. The plantation is being run by the manager, Gourlay.

One night a stranger enters the house and leaves a package addressed to Michael Ward, apparently unaware he is dead. Ronald opens the package to find a small gold skull and a mysterious note. Goulay says Michael had some dealings with that person before. Ronald wraps up the estate business and heads home on the steamer Watabi. Two murders occur on board, accompanied by gold skulls and a maniacal laugh. Ronald figures out the murders are connected to those who sailed on the Hawk with his father on an expedition.

The steamer catches fire and sinks, and Ronald escapes on a raft. He is picked up by the Japanese yacht Sen-Chu and finds the owner, Li Yuan, gravely ill with appendicitis. Ronald operates using kitchen utensils, and Li Yuan, in gratitude, tells him how to find the people behind the gold skulls in Singapore. Once in Singapore, Ronald assumes the alias of Bob Curle and immerses himself in the waterfront underworld of gangster Whitey Jahal. Ronald and Joan Robb are kidnapped and taken on a boat to the island of Batai, home of a tribe of headhunters.

Review: This is a good read for a cold winter night as we deal with the hot, steamy tropics and rusty old steamships. Packard brings his usual wealth! of exclamation points! in every sentence! to this story! as Ronald encounters amazing adventures! Murder, shipwrecks, adrift on a raft, waterfront gambling hells and bars, and even headhunters! Suspend disbelief and enjoy the ride!

 

The White Dress by Mignon G. Eberhart, 1945

 

dustjackets.com

About the author: Mignon Good (1899-1996) was born in Lincoln, Nebraska. In 1929 her first crime novel was published featuring 'Sarah Keate', a nurse and 'Lance O'Leary', a police detective. This couple appeared in another four novels. Over the next forty years she wrote a novel nearly every year. In 1971 she won the Grand Master award from the Mystery Writers of America. (from Goodreads)

Major characters:

• Tim Wales, president of Wales Airlines
• Judith Wales, his second wife
• Winnie Wales, his daughter by his first marriage
• Marny Sanderson, his secretary/advisor, our protagonist
• André Durant, friend of Judith
• Cecily Durant, his estranged wife
• Laideau, André's hulking friend
• Charlie Ingram, a British neighbor
• Commander Bill Cameron, USN

Locale: Shadow Island in Biscayne Bay, near Miami

Synopsis: No sooner had Marny Sanderson  arrived from New York to Florida with her employer, Tim Wales, president of Wales Airlines, then she had a premonition of disaster. She had traveled with Tim and André Durant, a job seeker and house guest of Tim's elegant wife, Judith Wales. Judith and Tim's daughter, Winnie Wales, have been living in the Wales' Florida island home. 

Once settled in to the home on Shadow Island, Marny swims in the pool and meets Commander Bill Cameron, who is desperate to meet with Tim om war-related issues. Then André appears, and to Marny's delight, they have a brief romantic encounter in the garden. Marny returns to her room, and finds a young stranger, who identifies herself as Cecily Durant, André's wife. Marny is shocked to learn he is married. Cecily brandishes a gun at Marny and threatens her for taking André from her. Cecily then gets scared off and runs out into the night. Marny follows, to find her shot dead, and Marny is now the prime suspect.

Review: I really enjoy Eberhart's middle-career mysteries, even if they follow a formula:

1. Girl meets Guy #1 who seems right for her but is really a cad
2. Girl meets Guy #2 is seems wrong for her but is really right
3. Someone gets murdered, and Girl is the suspect
4. Girl is saved by Guy #2
5. Happy ending

Even the setting is formula, Girl's upstairs bedroom has both an interior door and an exterior door to a balcony with a spiral staircase to the ground, where much slinking around occurs.

At first I thought millionaire Tim might be Guy #2, but when he is described as being short, fat, and sweaty I knew he was scratched off the list.

I had a bit of trouble getting a picture of Winnie. She must only be about 19 years old yet she has a prime "adult" set of responsibilities, despite having no visible means of support. 

The surprise witness who shows up is a bit of a stretch, given the circumstances in which he observed a murder. He returns near the end in a re-enactment but that falls through. I thought the approaching hurricane would be a good plot element but ho-hum, not much there except a lot of wind. 

Overall, an enjoyable page-turner, and the killer was a surprise; and the one I thought would be the killer turned out to be the Red Herring, so Mignon got one over on me again. The killer got their punishment in an unexpected way at the end which closed up the story cleanly.

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

The Silent Speaker by Rex Stout, 1946

 

Nero Wolfe #11