The Seven Sinister Sombreros by Erle Stanley Gardner, 1939

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With a title like that, who can resist? This story is available as an e-book from this page at fadedpage.com.

Series: Lester Leith

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:

Lester Leith, amateur investigator
Edward "Scuttle" Beaver, Leith's valet and a police spy

Sgt. Ackley

Karl Bonneguard, political party leader

Job/Joe Wolganheimer, treasurer (first name inconsistent)

Io Wahine, hula dancer, Wolganheimer's girlfriend

Hanz Bettler, the drugged guard #1

Emil Bradercrust, guard #2

Locale: unstated, apparently California

Synopsis: This humorous series features the recurring characters of Lester Leith, who investigates crime by reading newspaper articles, his valet Edward "Scuttle" Beaver (who is really a police spy), and Sgt. Ackley, who is always trying to upstage Leith and take credit for his solutions. Leith generally gets some inspiration from the newspaper, and send Scuttle out  on some outrageous errands to gather items or clues for him.

Karl Bonneguard is the leader of a fringe political party, along with his treasurer Job/Joe Wolganheimer. Their stash of $100k is stolen from a safe in a locked room, guarded by Hanz Bettler. Bettler had been drugged, called for help, and party member Emil Bradercrust came to his rescue and wound up drugged as well. Leith sends Scuttle out to recruit hula dancers, cowpunchers, and seven sombreros; to the amazement of Sgt. Ackley.

Review: This is one of Gardner's paid-by-the-word pulp stories, and should be not taken too seriously. (As you can see, the issue was only 10 cents!) This does has a just-one-draft rush-to-crank-it-out flavor (which Gardner does so well), and best to just sit back and enjoy the ride as Leith gathers his odds and ends, and has some fun with the hula dancers. I also enjoyed the simple black and white illustrations reproduced from the magazine. A good quick bedtime read. 

Thanks to Linda B. (Kentucky) for discovering this gem.

Peril at End House by Agatha Christie, 1932

 

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Series: Hercule Poirot #8

Major characters:

• "Nick" Buckley
• Maggie Buckley, her cousin
• Cmdr. George Challenger, her boyfriend
• Charles Vyse, her cousin, a lawyer
• Frederica "Freddie" Rice, her friend
• Jim Lazarus, Frederica's consort
• Bert & Mildred "Milly" Croft, Australian tenants
• Ellen Wilson, housekeeper

Synopsis: Hercule Poirot and Captain Hastings are on vacation when they meet Miss "Nick" Buckley. She reveals to them she has had three escapes from death in the past days. First, a heavy picture falls from over her bed. Second, a boulder rolls down the path to the beach towards her. Third, the brakes on her car were tampered with. No sooner does she describe these, when a bullet from the bushes pierces her hat.

Nick has a happy-go-lucky attitude about the whole thing. She introduces her companions: boyfriend Commander George Challenger, her best friend Frederica "Freddie" Rice, and Frederica's consort, Jim Lazarus. Freddie is married, but separated - her husband is in parts unknown.

Nick shows Poirot the scenes of each attempt, at her somewhat dilapidated house, End House; which is adjacent to Poirot's hotel. She rents the gatehouse cottage to an Australian couple, Bert Croft and his disabled wife Milly Croft. Questioned as to who may benefit from her death, it is only her cousin, lawyer Charles Vyse; to whom she has left End House in her will. 

Poirot urges Nick to never be alone, she recruits her cousin Maggie Buckley to come stay with her. One night, while everyone is watching fireworks across the bay, Maggie is wearing Nick's distinctive red shawl, and she is shot. Was she - or Nick - the intended victim?

Review: The aspects I liked are: 1). the small cast of characters, making it easy to keep track of the players, without a lot of cardboard two-dimensional red herrings coming in and out. 

2). Poirot's theatrical exposé at the end.

The aspect I didn't care for was the emergence of a significant character at the end of the story, so the reader doesn't get a chance to figure that person in along the way. The other "trick" Agatha pulled on the reader was a bit of surprise, surprise! regarding the names of the characters. (I had enough trouble following girls named Nick and Freddie!)

You may also enjoy:

• this review by Gayle (OutsmartYourShelf)
• this review by Bev Hankins on My Reader's Block.

 

Burnt Offering by Richard & Frances Lockridge, 1955

 

photo: AbeBooks

Series: This is Captain Heimrich #9.

About the authors: Richard Orson Lockridge (1898 –1982) was an American writer of detective fiction. Richard Lockridge with his wife Frances (1896-1963) created one of the most famous American mystery series, Mr. and Mrs. North. (wikipedia).

Major characters:

• Susan Faye, widow, fabric designer
• Michael Faye, her son
• Orville Phipps, banker, town supervisor
• Asa Pervis, tow truck operator
• Cornelia Van Brunt, matriarch widow
• Henry Van Brunt III, her son
• Sam Jackson, lawyer
• Capt. Merton Heimrich, NY State Police
• Marian Alden, his niece
• John Alden, her husband
• Sgt. Charlie Forniss

Locale: [fictional] Van Brunt, Putnam County, New York

Synopsis: Marian Alden, niece of NY State Police Captain Merton Heimrich, and her husband John Alden are anxious to fit in to their town of Van Brunt; and attend the local town meeting. All the NIMBYs are there to oppose a zoning change to allow smaller lot sizes the resulting influx of low-brows; and there is tension among the residents. Town Supervisor (and banker and land developer) Orville Phipps is chairing the meeting.

The meeting is interrupted by a fire at the fire station. The building and two engines are destroyed. Early in the morning, Asa Purvis, on towing duty at the garage across the street, finds Phipps' Jeep parked in his station. Thinking Phipps is looking at the fire station mess, he takes a look himself, and finds Phipps' burned body in the rubble. Did he die in the fire?

Captain Heimrich thinks the death suspicious. Widow Susan Faye reports she had been given a ride by Phipps long after the fire was out, and autopsy shows Phipps was dead before his body was placed in the rubble. Heimrich is attracted* to Susan, but discovers a possible motive she will inherit from Phipps, who was her cousin. Then her son Michael Faye is abducted briefly - and returned with a warning to forget whatever Phipps had told her. Someone then takes a shot at Asa Purvis.

*Heimrich and Susan will marry in a later title.

Review:  Well, I got spolier-ed on this one. I knew right off who the killer was, as a later book (I forget which) mentioned this specific case and I.D'd the killer. Serves me right for not reading them in order. But that did not diminish my enjoyment of this one.

I have served on my town's zoning board, so I felt right at home in the opening chapter as we get a play-by-play of the town meeting, complete with annoying NIMBY's. Fortunately the meeting only lasted the first chapter. 

I found it interesting how the well-to-do town had a specific section (The Flats) which has the down-and-outs. In the Hudson Valley, no less! And the town made nice pretty street signs, but none for The Flats. It made for some uncomfortable reading as the well-to-do's look down their noses and try to keep them from infiltrating the rest of the town; and kept calling to mind similar incidents of which I am aware. It was the catalyst for murder, but does it ever really rise to that point?

I enjoyed reading about Susan Faye before she and Heimrich got married. I had not realized what a tough position she had been in financially.

 While you're here, you may also enjoy:  

• this review by Bev Hankins on My Reader's Block
• this review by Kate on Cross Examining Crime

Enter the Saint by Leslie Charteris, 1930

 

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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). 

Series characters:

• Simon Templar, The Saint
• Norman Kent, one of the Saint's "haloes"
• Roger Conway, one of the Saint's "haloes"
• Dicky Tremayne, one of the Saint's "haloes"
• Patricia Holm, Simon's girlfriend
• Chief Inspector Claude Eustace Teal

This title contains three novellas. Some reprints are rumored to only contain two.

The Man Who Was Clever

The Saint infiltrates a gambling den at "Danny's Club", run by owner Edgar Hayn and cocaine smuggler 'Snake' Ganning. He enlists the help of gambling-debt-laden Jerry Stannard and his girlfriend Gwen Chandler. The plan is to get a hold of $10,000 of ill-gotten gains and route them to charity, while getting Stannard back on the right path.

Mini-review: This is the standard Saint pattern: a repulsive crook, an innocent in need of help, a beautiful girl, and a plan to teach the crook a lesson. Lots of action and fisticuffs. 

 The Policeman With Wings

Roger Conway meets a girl, Betty Aldo, who has a strange story. Her uncle Sebastian built a house seven years ago; and suddenly some characters are insisting on buying the property. He had stubbornly refused, and one day he was seen getting into a car with a policeman; and neither were heard from again. Even stranger, no policeman is missing.

Mini-review: A clever setup with the bad guys suddenly interested in real estate. The Saint turns the tables on the fake policeman scam and has Roger Conway masquerade as one as well, but everybody gets tied up in a house full of dynamite with a slow-burning fuse. High adventure!

The Lawless Lady

Countess Anusia Marova has chartered a yacht to entertain some rich guests. However, her real name is Audrey Perowne, and she is the head of a group of crooks set on robbing the guests. The Saint is set on infiltrating her operation, as one of her crooks had murdered an innocent girl. Simon is too well known, and deputizes Dicky Tremayne to get aboard as one of the gang.

 

Mini-review: Dicky Tremaine handles most of the action, with The Saint popping in for a cameo at the end. Infiltration of the gang and the resulting love interest stretches believablity, but it's all in good fun and revenge is properly taken.

The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories by Agatha Christie, 1932-1939

This is a collection of short stories featuring Christie's series characters (except #8).

1. The Regatta Mystery: At a luncheon following a yachting party, C. Parker Pyne investigates the case of a valuable diamond. It went missing in a "sealed" room after a teenage girl giggles that she could make it disappear.

2. The Mystery of the Baghdad Chest: Marguerita Clayton's husband is dead, and stuffed in a trunk. Before the body is cold, she wants Hercule Poirot on the case; not to find the killer, but to exonerate her lover.

3. How Does Your Garden Grow? Amelia Barrowby writes to Hercule Poirot for advice. Before he can respond, she is dead by poison. He visits the family to find not only were they  awaiting her inheritance, but placed a curious arrangement in her flower garden.

4. Problem at Pollensa Bay: On vacation in Spain, C. Parker Pyne meets Adela Chester, who certainly does not approve of her son Basil's fiancée, Betty. Pyne manages to adjust Adela's attitude with the help of a mysterious Miss Ramona.

5. Yellow Iris: Hercule Poirot is lured to a dinner party at the Jardin des Cygnes (Garden of the Swans), where there are five present at a table for six, marked by a vase of yellow irises. The host, Barton Russell, explains the dinner is in honor of his dead wife, Iris, who died of poison at a similar party in New York four years earlier; and he knows the murderer is one of them. As Poirot watches, one of the party falls face down on the table.

6. Miss Marple Tells a Story: Mr. Rhodes is suspected of killing his wife in a connecting hotel room. Her room was found locked on the inside, with access only through his own room. Miss Marple figures out who - and how - it was done. The layout is critical, here is my sketch map which will allow you to follow along:

7. The Dream: Benedict Farley asks for Hercule Poirot's advice. He has a recurring dream of looking at his office clock (3:28 PM) and then shooting himself. A week after Poirot interviewed him,  he is found shot dead at 3:28 in his locked room. Despite appearances of suicide, Poirot smells murder.

8. In a Glass Darkly: Our unnamed narrator sees a vision in his mirror, of a woman he admires being strangled by her fiancé. He finally gets the nerve to warn her about it, but then it happens for real. Can this marriage be saved?

9. Problem at Sea: Henpecked Colonel Clapperton and his annoying wife are on a voyage. She retires to her cabin to rest, locking her door. Later she is found murdered in her bed. Hercule Poirot stages a theatrical trick to expose the murderer.

Mini-reviews: 

The Regatta Mystery: We find how the diamond disappears, but the whole episode of the broken wine glass escapes relevance to me. 

Miss Marple Tells a Story: Best of the batch. I spent an enjoyable time  sketching out the layout (above) and using it to follow the paths of two characters - the chambermaid and the killer. It is a clever setup and quite satisfying when you understand how it was done.

Problem at Pollensa Bay: No murder here, just a social engineering episode. Good reading if you don't like who your son/daughter chooses for a mate and you want to "fix" it.

Yellow Iris: Both this story and Miss Marple Tells a Story use the theme of "invisible" people. The two stories are similar, but with a different cast and locale.

The Dream: How to commit a murder which only requires a tremendous amount of advance planning. Interesting way to lure your victim to the window. But why shoot him? Just let him fall out...

In a Glass Darkly: No murder here, but a long-term infatuation turns out OK in the end, all happily ever after. Satisfying, although unfortunate husband #1 got killed in the war. Did you catch the biblical reference? (title from 1 Corinthians 13:12)

Recommendations:

• Locked-room fans will enjoy 1,6,7,9.
• Murder mystery fans will enjoy 2,3,5,6,7
• Cozy fans will enjoy 4.

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

Double for Death by Rex Stout, 1939

 

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Series: Tecumseh Fox #1

About the author: Rex Stout (1886 – 1975) was an American writer noted for his detective fiction. His best-known characters are the detective Nero Wolfe and his assistant Archie Goodwin, who were featured in 33 novels and 39 novellas between 1934 and 1975. (wikipedia). (bibliography)

Major characters:

• Nancy Grant, Fox's client
• Andrew Grant, Nancy's uncle - accused of murder
• Ridley Thorpe, president of Thorp Control
• Jeffrey Thorpe, Ridley's son
• Miranda (Thorpe) Pemberton, Ridley's daughter (divorced)
• Vaughn Kester, Ridley's confidential secretary
• Luke Wheer, Ridley's chauffeur/valet
• Dorothy Duke, Ridley's mistress
• Henry Jordan, Dorothy's father
• Corey Arnold, Ridley's stand-in
• Tecumseh Fox, private investigator
• Dan Pavey, Tecumseh's Vice President
• Ben Cook, White Plains Chief of Police
• P.L. Derwin, District Attorney of Westchester County

Locale: Westchester County, New York (just north of New York City)

Synopsis: Nancy Grant hires Private Investigator Tecumseh Fox to assist her uncle, Andrew Grant, who is facing a murder charge. Grant just happened to be on the scene when Ridley Thorpe was shot in his remote bungalow getaway, which he maintained for his affairs with various women. Fox discovers that Thorpe is still alive, and the dead man is Corey Arnold - a somewhat look-alike he hires as a stand-in for security purposes. Thorpe is concerned he is the suspect, and hires Fox to build up an alibi for him. Then another murder occurs.

Review: This one was extremely fast-paced, and quite hard to follow as Tecumseh races from one inquiry to the next. There are two victims, one a stand-in for the other, two clients, two guns, and lots of misdirection. Halfway through I considered DNF'ing it, but I stuck with it, didn't pay too much attention to the details, and just enjoyed the ride. Fox's household is an amusing scene,  with his landlady and various hangers-on inhabiting it. Bottom line: Tecumseh Fox is to Nero Wolfe as Donald Lam is to Perry Mason!

Death Answers the Bell by Valentine Williams, 1931

 

Series: Trevor Dene #1

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:

• Miss Aline Innesmore, from New York
• Sir Charles "Chass" and Lady Julia Rossway
• Sholto Rossway, their son, 26
• Geraldine "Gerry" Rossway, Sholto's wife, 23
• Rodney Rossway, their son, 25
• Barrasford "Barry" Swete, tenant and family friend
• Mr. Murch, Sir Charles' secretary

Locale: London

Synopsis: Lady Julia Rossway, of Frant House, is presenting her friend Miss Aline Innesmore at Court. It is big occasion to be presented to the King and Queen, and Aline is wearing her new presentation gown. After, she stops by Frant House to the lodgings of the Rossway's tenant Barry Swete, a friend of the family; to show him her new gown. Swete's apartment, with The Yellow Door, is connected to Frant House via an old covered tennis court. It is early in the morning, and as Aline knocks on his door the lights inside suddenly go out. She returns to the car and notices blood on the hem of her gown (illustrated above). Chauffeur Giles and Lady Julia's son Rodney Rossway force entrance to find Barry dead on the floor. Later they realize the killer must have been in the room with them.

Review: I always enjoy Valentine Williams. I especially liked the tight cast of characters - the list above is IT (other than the police and a couple incidentals). The investigation would have been much easier all around except that the Rossways, having found the murder weapon, just pass it around as a curiosity for everyone to fondle instead of mentioning it to the police. Much of the middle part is trying to follow the travels of the gun, all immaterial as the murder had long since occurred. There is a secret passage, too, which figures in the story as well. It is discovered in the proper Gothic manner, in the middle of the night by the heroine (Aline) in her diaphanous nightgown holding a candle, with a cold wind blowing.

This is the first Trevor Dene and he has a very small part to play in the investigation, but he does get romantically involved with Aline. 

 

Road to Folly by Leslie Ford, 1940

 

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About the author: Leslie Ford is a pseudonym of Zenith Jones Brown, 1898-1984. She also wrote as David Frome and Brenda Conrad. Also see this Book Scribbles blog: Leslie Ford's Fall From Grace. 

Major characters:

Diane Baker, interior decorator, our narrator

John Michener, attorney

Of Darien plantation:

• Phyllis Lattimer, wealthy, ambitious, owns Darien plantation
• Rusty Lattimer, her husband
• Anne Lattimer, Rusty's sister
• Brad Porter, Phyllis' ex
• Felice Marin, French maid

Of Strawberry Hill plantation:

• Miss Caroline Reid, 80-year old matriarch
• Atwell Reid, her nephew, deceased before story
• Mrs. Elsie Reid, Atwell's widow, Caroline's niece (by marriage)
• Jennifer Reid, Elsie's 22-year old daughter
• Colleton Reid, Elsie's son

Locale: Charleston, South Carolina

Synopsis: Decorator Diane Baker travels from Philadelphia to visit old school chum la-di-dah Southern belle Phyllis Lattimer. Phyllis and her husband Rusty Lattimer own genteel Darien Plantation, which is adjacent to run-down Strawberry Hill Plantation; owned by the destitute Reid family. 

Grasping Phyllis is determined to get her hands on the Reid's antique furniture, and tries to use Diane to achieve this. She wants Diane to appeal to matriarch Caroline Reid. Caroline, 80, in poor health, is confined to her rooms. The family maintains a charade for her benefit, keeping her rooms and the gardens outside her window in pristine condition; while the rest of the estate is slowly being gutted and sold off. The Reid family consists of Caroline's niece, Mrs. Elsie Reid, widowed upon the hunting accident death of her husband Atwell Reid. Their two children are Jennifer Reid and Colleton Reid. No one talks about Atwell's death, but it appears Colleton had been holding the gun when it happened. Now another death occurs.

Complicating the dynamics are two cross-family love affairs: Rusty Lattimer with Jennifer Reid, and Colleton Reid with Rusty's sister, Anne Lattimer.

Review: This setting of genteel plantation estates reminds me of Rebecca (Daphne du Maurier). As in that story, there are long-kept family secrets which no one talks about; which are gradually revealed. As soon as arrogant Phyllis was introduced, I knew she was to be a victim. I liked the comparisons of the two side-by-side estates, one lavish, one becoming decrepit. The maintenance of the charade of unchanging wealth for Caroline's benefit is poignant. The story is presented through the eyes of third-party Diane Baker, and this is an effective way to move the story along. 

There are two murders, and the victims are left with a mass of Spanish moss over their faces. I was not sure if that is the murder method or not, it was not explained. I haven't seen Spanish moss but it seems an odd way to do away with someone. The cover (above) suggests the right hand is holding a clump of it (the light green stuff?), about to squish it onto the victim.

There is a jarring contrast with the Black servants - they are always spoken to politely and respectfully in person, but when they are not present they are referred to by using the n-word. Hypocrisy at its best.

About the title: Folly is a beach area just south of Charleston, although that does not play a part in the story.

Again the Three Just Men by Edgar Wallace, 1928

 

Series: This is the Four Just Men series #6.

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.

This is a series of ten short stories featuring the three just men: Leon Gonsalez (a.k.a. Señor Mandrelino), George Manfred (a.k.a. Señor Fuentes), and --- Poiccart; and Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner Reginald Fare. The three are described thus: "The 'Three Just Men' was an organisation which set itself to right acts of injustice which the Law left unpunished. It is believed that the members were exceedingly rich men who devoted their lives and fortunes to this quixotic but wholly unlawful purpose." The stories are best read in order, as some refer back to previous ones.

The Man Who Lived at Clapham: Noah Stedland had an office and fancied himself a financier, but his real occupation was blackmail.

The Man With the Canine Teeth: Professor Tableman is found dead in his laboratory, apparently strangled. The Three Just Men have a different theory.

The Man Who Hated Earthworms: Dr. Viglow is engaged to be married to Miss Moleneux, but she is concerned about his erratic behavior, and his hatred of earthworms. 

The Man Who Died Twice: Gregory Ballam operates an opium den and gambling operation in three adjoining houses, until the Three Just Men send him to "prison". 

The Man Who Hated Amelia Jones: Amelia Jones approaches the Three Just Men. She is worried her imprisoned husband is going to 'do her in' when he is released. The Three Just Men provide an alternate victim.

The Man Who Was Happy: Leon Gonsalez has a problem: A criminal has discovered he is one of the Three Just Men. And Lord Pertham has a marriage problem: too many wives. The Three Just Men set out to fix both problems.

The Man Who Loved Music: Mr. Lynne cannot get to sleep unless he plays his record of Tschaikovsky's "1812" - very loud, annoying the neighbors. The Three Just Men use the ruckus to their own advantage.

The Man Who Was Plucked: Jack Eden, neighbor to Manfred and Gonsalez, is despondent over gambling debts. He attempts - and fails - suicide, and the Three Just Men go after the the man who caused the whole thing.

The Man Who Would Not Speak: Clever "Spaghetti" Jones pulls off a kidnapping, and won't reveal where the child is hidden, until the Three Just Men find a way to make him talk.

The Man Who Was Acquitted: Dr. Twenden poisoned his wife, and got away with it. Until the Three Just Men figure out how it was done.

Ten short stories - each one a good length for a bedtime read before turning out the light, and going to sleep knowing justice has prevailed.

Murder on Cape Cod by Maddie Day, 2019

 

Series: This is Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery #1.

About the author: Maddie Day is a pseudonym of Edith Maxwell. She is a talented amateur chef and holds a Ph.D. in Linguistics from Indiana University. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America and also writes award-winning short crime fiction which has appeared in a number of juried anthologies. She lives with her beau and three cats in Massachusetts. (Fantastic Fiction)

Major characters:

• Mackenzie "Mac" Almeida, bike shop owner
• Derrick Searle, Mac's half brother
• Florence "Flo" Wolanski, librarian
• Gin Malloy, candy shop owner
• Zane King, distiller
• Stephen ----, Zane's husband
• Tulia Peters, lobstah shack owner
• Norland Gifford, retired chief of police
• Jake Lacey, handyman
• Tim Brunelle, Mac's boyfriend
• Orlean Brown, Mac's bike mechanic
• Suzanne Wolanski, Flo's daughter, bookstore owner
• Mysterious person #1: Wesley Farnham, wealthy visitor
• Mysterious person #2: Katherine Deloit, "blazer woman"
• Mysterious person #3:  Wendy Rawson, "the happy/sad woman"
• Chief of Police Victoria Laitinen
• Detective Lincoln Haskins

members of the Cozy Capers Book Group

Locale: Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Synopsis: Mackenzie "Mac" Almeida owns a bike shop on Cape Cod. She is returning from a meeting of the Cozy Capers Book Group on a foggy night, and trips over a body - that of handyman Jake Lacey. She sees a knife in his neck, with a distinctive haft, belonging to her half-brother Derrick Searle. Derrick is nowhere to be found.

Mac had been observed in a confrontation with Lacey earlier over his work on her roof, which raises the suspicion of police chief Victoria Laitinen. Mac and the book group decide to do some investigating on their own, and share their findings with Detective Lincoln Haskins. They come up with three persons of immediate interest: Wesley Farnham, wealthy mainland apartment house owner; Katherine Deloit (a.k.a. blazer woman), and an unidentified "sad woman". No sooner than they begin making progress, when Mac gets warned off, and an attempt made on her lift.

Review: Cozy mysteries are new to me, and I certainly enjoyed this one. I realize why. I tend to read mostly golden-age mysteries, which have a lot in common with cozies: simple plots, generally one victim, no blood, no gory wound descriptions, no bad language, no sex scenes. 

Having been to Cape Cod a number of times, I found the writing authentic as to place and characters. Mac reminds me a lot of Kinsey Millhone of the Sue Grafton alphabet series, being a minimalist single introvert living in a tiny house - in fact, she (Kinsey) is even mentioned in a meeting of the book group.

My only quibble is the rather unbelieveable coincidence that mystery woman Katherine Deloit would stop her car just within earshot of Mac, get out, and have a loud cell phone conversation which reveals a lot of information.

I see there are seven titles in this series, and I will be looking out for others on Paperback Swap. 

You may also enjoy these reviews by other members of The Mystillery:

• this review by Susan Jensen on Goodreads
• this review by Tari Hann on Goodreads
• this review by Karen Baroness on Baroness' Book Trove
• this review by Traci on Title Surfing with Traci

Cargo of Eagles by Margery Allingham, 1968

 

Series: Albert Campion #19 (last in series)

About the author: Margery Louise Allingham (1904 – 1966) was an English novelist from the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction". Allingham is 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 matured into a strongly individual character, part-detective, part-adventurer, who formed the basis for 18 novels and many short stories. (wikipedia) 

Major characters:

• Morty Kelsey, professor and historical writer
• James Teague, a released prisoner
• Target Burrows, ship's engineer, with a glass eye
• H.O. Wishart, poet
• Dixie Wishart, his wife, barkeep at "The Demon" [bar]
• Mossy Ling, the only one who has seen The [real] Demon
• Dr. Dido Jones
• Sir Albert Campion

Locale: England

Synopsis: Historical professor Mortimer "Morty" Kelsey brings Albert Campion to the seaside village of Saltey, a rather desolate and forbidding place. Kelsey regales Campion with stories of past pirate adventures, a legendary demon, and a hidden treasure. The action centers around the house of Miss Kitty Kytie, who has left it to attractive Dr. Dido Jones, who knew her when she was in hospital. Kelsey believes a treasure is hidden in the vicinity, sought after by released prisoner James Teague. When Dido arrives to take possession, she finds the body of her attorney, Hector Askew, inside. 

Review: This story takes us back to The Beatles era, with "mods" terrorizing the community on motorbikes with their tight black outfits, blasting music on their "transistors". The pirate/smuggling backstory is right out of Jamaica Inn (Daphne du Maurier). The hidden treasure is indeed found, and in a clever hiding place. The disposition of the treasure is an interesting exercise, and this is the significance of the title. Mossy Ling is an enjoyable character, hanging around the bar and telling his story (he was the only one who saw The Demon) in exchange for drinks. The true story behind the legend comes out, and it is quite funny.

 

Murder in Retrospect by Agatha Christie, 1942

 

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 This is Hercule Poirot #25. It was also published under the title Five Little Pigs.

Major characters:

• Carla Lemarchant, Poirot's client
• Amyas Crale, a painter, her father (deceased prior to story)
• Caroline Crale, her mother (deceased prior to story)
• Angela Warren, Caroline's half-sister
• Cecilia Williams, Angela's childhood governess
• Philip Blake, stockbroker, was Amyas' best friend and neighbor
• Meredith Blake, herb and potion hobbyist, Philips's brother
• Elsa Greer, Amyas' 'other woman'. Now Lady Dittisham
• Hercule Poirot

Synopsis: Carla Lemarchant visits Hercule Poirot to ask him to investigate a sixteen-year old murder. Her father, painter Amyas Crale, had been poisoned. Her mother, Caroline Crale, was convicted on circumstantial evidence. The alleged motive was jealousy: Amyas was going to divorce her to marry young Elsa Greer (after several marriages, now Lady Dittisham). Caroline died in prison.

Carla is convinced her mother was innocent. She wishes her name cleared posthumously so that she (Carla) can marry without her fiancé forever thinking her mother was guilty.

Poirot reviews the cold case by interviewing the principals. He finds the poison, a hemlock concoction, had been lifted from the hobby lab of Meredith Blake, brother of stockbroker Philip Blake, who had been Amyas' best friend; and introducted into his beer glass.

Review: One thing I especially liked about this one is that the circle of suspects remains small - always just five. It made it easy to keep track of the cast of characters. Another thing which is unique is that Poirot got each of the five to write a narrative of the 16-year old murder, from their perspectives. These narratives are provided to the reader. 

Finally, Poirot gets a significant clue from one of the five which untangles the entire murder. As he explains it in the denouément, the sequence of events and motives is crystal clear. I kept page-turning to the very end. 

A final note: The (over)use of pronouns instead of proper names in the beginning led me to a misunderstanding: I thought Angela was Carla's half-sister. She is not. She is Caroline's half-sister, about ten years older than Carla. At the time of the murder, Angela was about fifteen, Carla about five. It was puzzling to me why a 15-year-old rated a governess, while the five year old did not! I suppose the governess was in place of a parent for Angela, who did not have any parents in the picture.

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

 

The Wisdom of Father Brown by G.K. Chesterton, 1914

 

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This is Father Brown #2.  

About the author: Gilbert Keith Chesterton  (1874 –  1936) was an English author,  philosopher, Christian apologist, and literary and art critic. He wrote around 80 books, several hundred poems, some 200 short stories, 4,000 essays (mostly newspaper columns), and several plays.  His best-known character is the priest-detective Father Brown, who appeared only in short stories, while The Man Who Was Thursday is arguably his best-known novel. (Wikipedia)

This title is in the public domain and is available free from this page at Project Gutenberg. It consists of twelve short stories.

1. The Absence of Mr. Glass: Father Brown and criminologist Dr. Orion Hood investigate the mystery of James Todhunter, engaged to Maggie MacNab. Todhunter has some strange activities with a mysterious figure known as Mr. Glass.

• Mini-review: This has a wonderful description of Dr. Hood’s seaside library, and a clever locked room puzzle.

2. The Paradise of Thieves: Poet Muscari has his eye on lovely Ethel Harrogate. Along with her father, wealthy Samuel Harrogate; Father Brown, and guide Ezza Montano they set off sightseeing in the mountains of Spain, where brigands are known to operate.

• Mini-review: This story reminds me of the swashbucking adventures of The Saint, with romance, adventure, and fisticuffs.

3.The Duel of Dr. Hirsch: French Doctor Paul Hirsch has developed a noiseless explosive for the government. Colonel Jules Dubosc attempts to interefere, aided by two bystanders from the café across the street: M. Maurice Brun and M. Armand Armagnac.

• Mini-review: I couldn't figure out the point of this one, and why they were staging the entire drama.

4. The Man in the Passage: Actress Aurora Rome's dressing room is reached by a door off a long dark passage, which opens to the street on either end. Two admirers - Sir Wilson Seymour and Captain Cutler  - enter her room simultaneously, to find her dead. They each observe a man in the passage, but their descriptions are wildly different.

• Mini-review: An impossible crime, but I saw how it was done right away. Better lighting in the passage would have prevented all this.

5. The Mistake of the Machine: A prison break and a case of mistaken identity are a test for the "Psychometric Machine", which Greywood Usher, warden of a Chicago prison, claims can detect lies. 

• Mini-review: One thing leads to another, and a prison break sets the stage for this precursor of the lie detector.

6. The Head of Caesar: Christobel Carstairs notes a similarity between her boyfriend's face and that on a valuable coin depicting Caesar. As she gives it to him as a gift, another man with a crooked nose lurks nearby with his eye on the coin.

7. The Purple Wig: The Duke of Exmoor has taken to wearing a rather outrageous purple wig. Allegedlly it is to conceal a malformed ear, but it is really concealing something quite different.

8. The Perishing of the Pendragons: Father Brown takes a canoe trip and investigates a strange island tower, which has a more sinister purpose than watching for fires.

• Mini-review: This one requires a close read to catch the significance of the tower, which is mentioned too briefly at the end. You'll like this if you enjoyed Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier. Now you know.

9. The God of the Gongs: (Not read due to racist content and use of N-words).

10. The Salad of Colonel Cray: Father Brown visits the home of Major Putnam and Colonel Cray, just as a burglary is discovered. The thief took the silver and a cruet-stand, but Father Brown sees it as a diversion to something more sinister.

• Mini-review: Father Brown's techique of revealing the solution is a new one, although a full explanation of the mysterious echoes is not provided.

11. The Strange Crime of John Boulnois: Calhoun Kidd, reporter for the Western Sun, seeks to interview intellectual John Boulnois. Boulnois lives in Grey Cottage, outside the gates to Pendragon Park; whose master is having an affair with Boulnois' wife. Until he is murdered.

• Mini-review: Moral of the story - if you are having an affair with your neighbor, refrain from acting out "Romeo and Juliet" in the yard. 

12. The Fairy Tale of Father Brown: Otto, Prince of Heiligwaldenstein, has a phobia of being outdoors and exposed. But he is found shot in the forest, and Father Brown solves the crime by telling a fairy tale.

• Mini-review: This story-within-a-story is a bit too complex, and could have used some editing. It was confusing as to which layer in the story we were.

 

Turn on the Heat by A.A. Fair, 1940

 

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About the author: A.A. Fair was a pseudonym of Erle Stanley Gardner.

Series: Donald Lam & Bertha Cool #2

Major characters:

• "Mr. Smith", the client
• Dr. James C. Lintig, a.k.a. Charles Loring Alftmont, a specialist
• Amelia Lintig, his estranged wife
• Vivian Carter, his nurse, corespondent in his divorce action
• Marian Dunton, office staff of The Blade
• Evaline Dell Harris
• Flo Danzer, night club hostess
• Donald Lam, P.I., our narrator
• Bertha Cool, P.I.

Locale: California

Synopsis: A mysterious client, "Mr. Smith", hires Bertha Cool and Donald Lam to do just one thing: locate Amelia Lintig, supposedly divorced from Dr. James C. Lintig. She dropped out of sight over twenty years ago and hasn't been seen since. Lam travels to Oakview to try to pick up her trail, with the assistance of Marian Dunton, office manager for the local newspaper, The Blade. He soon finds out that two others are looking for Amelia as well: Miller Cross and Evaline Dell Harris. 

Lam consults records to find Dr. Lintig had changed his name to Charles Loring Alftmont, and continued his practice. Lam tracks down Dr. Alftmont and finds he is the client, "Mr. Smith". Marian Dunton, looking for a news story, goes to Evaline's hotel room to find her strangled, and a man just leaving looks much like Dr. Alftmont - who is Bertha's client. 

Review: This is only the second book about Lam and Cool, and the dust is still settling as the characters shape up. Gardner seemed in a hurry to cram all the action in he could, action that would never fly in a Perry Mason - such as when Donald Lam steps aside to let Bertha Cool rough up another woman. The book is handicapped in a way as many characters go by more than one name and pose as other characters. As it nears the end, the name switcheroos and identity switcheroos are just too confusing to follow. I was not even able to determine if Amelia was alive, or ever found; as another character had been posing as her throughout the story.

 

Over My Dead Body by Rex Stout, 1939

 

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About the author: Rex Stout (1886 – 1975) was an American writer noted for his detective fiction. His best-known characters are the detective Nero Wolfe and his assistant Archie Goodwin, who were featured in 33 novels and 39 novellas between 1934 and 1975. (wikipedia). (bibliography)

Series: Nero Wolfe #7

Major characters:

• Carla Lovchen, fencing coach
• Neya Tormic, fencing coach, Wolfe's daughter
• Nikola and Jeanne Miltan, owners of studio
• Nat Driscoll, who had the diamonds
• Percy Ludlow, agent of British government
• Madame Zorka, dressmaker
• Ted Gill, dancing student
• Rudolph Faber (The Chinless Wonder) agent of German government
• Arthur, the porter
• Nero Wolfe
• Archie Goodwin

Locale: New York City

Synopsis: Nero Wolfe is approached by Carla Lovchen, who seeks help for her fellow fencing coach Neya Tormic. To Wolfe's suprise, she produces a certificate - bearing Wolfe's signature - that Neya is Wolfe's adopted daughter. Neya is accused of stealing diamonds from the suit pocket of a client, Nat Driscoll, which was hanging in a locker.

Archie Goodwin visits the fencing studio, run by Nikola and Jeanne Miltan. Another client, Percy Ludlow, sheepishly explains Neya actually had her hand in his suit pocket instead, in the adjacent locker. Driscoll remembers he had actually given the diamonds to his secretary, so it was all just an honest mistake. The case seems closed, but then Ludlow is found dead, run through with an épée with a pointed adapter, a cul de mort, on the end. Archie returns to the office and finds the cul de mort has been slipped into his pocket.

Review: It's a small but cosmopolitan cast as we meet Wolfe's daughter, unseen since he left her behind in Montenegro; and she is one of the main characters. There are a number of amusing incidents, particularly when Archie escapes the scene, pretending to be searching for a cat; and when Wolfe has various parties in his house and tries to keep them from seeing each other. Archie is still the tough guy and has several occasions to use his fists. I usually find dialect rendered phonetically annoying but here I found the dialect of Madame Zorka ("Zen I sink, murder ees so horrible...") a pleasure and added to her character. A quick, fast-moving read from the prime years of Rex Stout.