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!