The Key Man by Valentine Williams, 1926

 

Secret Service series #3

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

The Mystery of the Gold Box by Valentine Williams, 1932

 

Also published as The Gold Comfit Box

 

Series: Dr. Adolph Grundt #5

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:

• Philip Clavering, alias James Dunlop, British Secret Service, and our narrator
• Garnet Wolseley, operative for British Secret Service
• Charles Forrest, British Secret Service (dead at opening of story)
• Dr. Adolph Grundt, German spy
• Madeleine Stafford, German agent
• Amschel Lipschutz, German agent H. 79, (dead at opening of story)

Locale: Belgium, Germany, and England

Synopsis: British agent Philip Clavering, operating in Brussels, is sent to the scene of a train wreck. The train has been sabotaged, resulting in the deaths of British agent Charles Forrest and German saboteur Amschel Lipschutz. Clavering's mission is to recover a small box carried by Forrest, which contains a list of British agents operating in Germany. Clavering finds the box apparently taken by German agent Madeleine Stafford, slightly injured in the wreck. Dr. Adolph Grundt calls for her at her hotel, and they cross the border into Germany.

 

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. 

 

Masks Off at Midnight by Valentine Williams, 1934

 

dustjackets.com

Series: Sergeant Trevor Dene #3

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:

• Henry and Margaret Tallifer, local patriarch/matriarch
• Jenny Tallifer, their daughter
• Anthony Tallifer, Jenny's cousin
• Brent Hordern, millionaire developer
• Major Ivan Ivanoff, Hordern's chauffeur
• Constance Barrington, flashy widow
• Randolph and Barbara Waverly, the party hosts
• Ezekiah Harding, newspaper publisher
• Paul Kentish, newspaper editor
• Trevor Dene, of Scotland Yard
• Nancy Dene, his wife

Locale: Long Island, New York

Synopsis: Trevor Dene and his wife Nancy are in Laurel, a small town in Long Island, New York, to attend a gala pageant party given by Randolph and Barbara Waverly. All the locals are invited - but one is definitely excluded, developer Brent Hordern.

The locals despise brash Hordern, who has been buying up property in town. The locals are also suspicious of flashy widow Constance Barrington, with her expensive clothes and sports car. Constance wants to get her hooks into Hordern, but he wants young Jenny Tallifer, daughter of Henry and Margaret Tallifer, highly respected old-money in town.

The night of the gala arrives. There is to be a masked procession into the ballroom, and at midnight the guests will unmask. When the procession enters the room, Holdern is found dead in the sedan chair; and all circumstances point to newspaper editor Paul Kentish, who is the boyfriend of Jenny. He had plenty of motive: Haldern wanted Jenny for himself, and bought out Kentish's newspaper as well.

Review: An enjoyable visit to Long Island society and a huge gala, which is a bit overdone with 500 guests (!) and elaborate costumes. I always enjoy stories with the underdog newspaper people up against evil. In this title, Trevor Dene takes a back seat to the investigation with Paul Kentish doing the honors.

The requisite love triangle consists of Paul Kentish, Jenny Tallifer, and of course, Brent Hordern who corners Jenny in the golf course pavilion and pressures her to marry him.

A hated millionaire New York City developer who bullies everyone, spends most of his time golfing and chasing young girls, and just does whatever he damn pleases? In my mind's eye there is only one person who fits this description - You Know Who That Is. I couldn't get his face out of my mind while reading this character.

Collier's Uniform Binding Mysteries

 P. F. Collier & Son Corporation certainly had a soft spot for mystery reprints, churning out a pile of them between 1928 and 1947 in attractive uniform binding sets. Generally sold in lots of six, they certainly made these titles more accessible to the public at an economical price. They are still widely available on the secondary market - check eBay and Biblio.com especially. This page provides some notes on the various series. It is likely I have not identified all the titles in each series - if you are aware of additional titles, please let me know at rickmills9@gmail.com. Thank you!

S. S. Van Dine (6 titles)

Certainly the most recognizable cover in a striking spiderweb pattern. Only six titles were released in this series:

1. The "Canary" Murder Case
2. The Greene Murder Case
3. The Bishop Murder Case
4. The Garden Murder Case
5. The Kidnap Murder Case
6. The Gracie Allen Murder Case

It is a puzzle why Collier stopped there, as there are only 12 S. S. Van Dine novels in all! Why didn't they issue the other six and complete the job? Another odd note - these titles were not sequential, but rather random from among the twelve.

John Dickson Carr (7? titles)

This is the creepist series, featuring a red-eyed skull on the spine, and the skull surrounded by eight question marks on the cover.

Issued: 

1. Death Turns the Tables
2. The Man Who Could Not Shudder
3. The Emperor's Snuff Box
4. 'Till Deth Do Us Part
5. The Case of the Constant Suicides
6. The Sleeping Sphinx
7. The Problem of the Wire Cage

There may be more.

Valentine Williams (16? titles)

This British Secret Service series is set in the period between the two World Wars. The front cover has a simple diagonal band with "Secret Service Series" embossed.

Issued:

Titles:

1. The Clock Ticks On 
2. Clubfoot the Avenger 
3. The Clue of the Rising Moon 
4. The Crouching Beast 
5. Dead Man Manor 
6. Death Answers the Bell 
7. The Eye in Attendance 
8. The Fox Prowls 
9. The Key Man (a.p.a. Pigeon House)
10. The Man With the Clubfoot 
11. Masks Off at Midnight 
12. Mysterious Miss Morrisot (a.p.a. Mannequin)
13. The Mystery of the Gold Box (a.p.a. The Gold Comfit Box)
14. The Portcullis Room 
15. The Spider's Touch 
16. The Three of Clubs 

Agatha Christie (? titles)

Front Page Mysteries (red cover)(33 titles)

detail

This series has a small man caught in a spiderweb embossed on the front cover.

Issued: 1920's - 1931
Titles:

1. Berkeley, Anthony The Silk Stocking Murders , 1929
2. Brock, Lynn Murder on the Bridge 1930
3. Buck, Neville Marked Men 1929
4. Campbell, Alice Juggernaut 1929
5. Carr, John Dickson It Walks by Night 1930
6. Carr, John Dickson The Lost Gallows 1931
7. Christie, Agatha The Seven Dials Mystery, 1929
8. Clevely, Hugh Call the Yard! 1931
9. Dalton, Moray The Body in the Road 1930
10. Dutton, Charles Streaked with Crimson 1929
11. Ferguson, John The Man in the Dark, 1928
12. Fletcher, J. S. The Diamond Murders, 1929
13. Footner, Hulbert The Under Dogs 1929
14. Footner, Hulbert The Mystery of the Folded Paper 1930
15. Freeman, R. Austin The Eye of Osiris 1911 copyright, printing date likely 1929
16. Gluck, Sinclair The Shadow in the House, 1929
17. Hart, Frances Noyes The Bellamy Trial 1929
18. Holden, Raymond The Penthouse Murders 1931
19. Hughes, Rupert The Ladies' Man 1930
20. King, Rufus Murder in the Willett Family 1931
21. Loban, Ethyl The Calloused Eye 1931
22. MacDonald, Philip The Crime Conductor 1931
23. Martin, Stuart The Trial of Scotland Yard 1930
24. Morris, W. F. "G.B." 1929
25. Packard, Frank The Adventures of Jimmy Dale 1929
26. Packard, Frank The Big Shot 1929
27. Plum, Mary The Killing of Judge MacFarlane 1930
28. Propper, Milton The Boudoir Murder 1931
29. Propper, Milton The Ticker-Tape Murders 1930
30. Rhode, John The Murder at Bratton Grange 1929
31. Rinehart, Mary Roberts The Man in Lower Ten 1929
32. Wallace, Edgar The Girl from Scotland Yard 1929
33. Wells, Carolyn Deep Lake Mystery 1928

Front Page Mysteries (black and red 'weapons' cover)(19 titles)

Issued: 1942-1947
Titles:

1. Blau, Ernest Queen's Falcon 1947 
2. Eberhart, Mignon Wings of Fear 1946
3. Ford, Leslie Murder in the OPM 1942
4. Ford, Leslie Siren in the Night 1943
5. Gardner, Erle Stanley Case of the Drowning Duck 1942
6. Hughes, Dorothy The Delicate Ape 1944
7. Hughes, Dorothy Ride the Pink Horse 1946
8. Irish, William Phantom Lady 1942
9. Lockridge, Frances & Richard Death on the Aisle 1942
10. Lockridge, Frances & Richard Killing the Goose 1944
11. Lockridge, Frances & Richard Murder Within Murder 1946
12. McCloy, Helen The Goblin Market 1943
13. Reilly, Helen Murder on Angler's Island 1945
14. Saunders, Clare Design for Treachery 1947
15. Starrett, Vincent Murder in Peking 1946
16. Stout, Rex Black Orchids 1942
17. Treat, Lawrence H as in Hunted 1946
18. Walling, R.A.J. The Corpse with the Eerie Eye 1942
19. Walling, R.A.J. A Corpse by Any Other Name 1943

Crime Club (blue and black cover)(16 titles)

Issued: 1941-1946
Titles:

1. Coles, Manning: The Fifth Man, 1946
2. Davis, Frederick C.: Deep Lay the Dead, 1942
3. Dean, Amber: Wrap It Up, 1946
4. Disney, Doris Miles: Who Rides a Tiger, 1946
5. Kelsey, Vera: Whisper Murder, 1946
6. Knight, Kathleen Moore: Terror by Twilight, 1942
7. Knight, Kathleen Moore: Trademark of a Traitor, 1943
8. Millar, Margaret: The Devil Loves Me, 1942
9. Roberts, Katharine: Center of the Web, 1942
10. Seeley, Mabel: The Chuckling Fingers, 1941
11. Seeley, Mabel: Eleven Came Back, 1943
12. Stagge, Jonathan: Death's Old Sweet Song, 1946
13. Strange, John Stephen: Look Your Last, 1943
14. Strange, John Stephen: Murder Gives a Lovely Light, 1941
15. Weston, Garnet: The Hidden Portal, 1946
16. Woolrich, Cornell: Black Angel, 1943

The Man with the Clubfoot by Valentine Williams (1918)

 

photo: AbeBooks

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:

Desmond Okewood, British Intelligence

Francis Okewood, his brother

Dicky Allerton

Dr. Henry Semlin

Anna Schratt, innkeeper

Monica Rachwitz, Desmond's friend

Dr. Adolph Grundt, a.k.a. "der Stelze" and "Clubfoot"

Locale: Rotterdam, The Netherlands; and Berlin and Düsseldorf, Germany

Synopsis: Desmond Okewood, our narrator, is with British Intelligence (this is during WW I). He is anxious to learn the whereabouts of his brother, Francis Okewood, also with British Intelligence; but who has not been heard from for some time. He learns from an officer that Dicky is still alive, and as Francis is fluent in German, likely there as a spy. His friend Dicky Allerton provides a coded communication which may contain clues to his whereabouts, as well as half of some document, apparently valuable.

Desmond decides to enter Germany through Holland. He goes to Rotterdam and takes a room in a German inn run by Anna Schratt. The man in the adjacent room, Dr. Henry Semlin, suddenly has a heart attack and dies at Desmond's feet. Desmond decides to swap identities with him, to gain his travel papers. He also finds a silver badge, the insignia of the German Secret Police Section Seven, which will gain him wide access. 

Desmond travels to Berlin, and meets up with the Emperor, who holds the other half of the secret document. Taking the document, he escapes from the Emperor before he can be found out; and runs into Dr. Adolph Grundt, a.k.a. Clubfoot, the German master spy. He hits Clubfoot on the head and teams up with his old friend Monica Rachwitz as they try to get out of Germany before Clubfoot catches up with them.

Review: This is the first of seven in the Clubfoot series, and is the only spy novels I have run across set in the World War I era. They are fast-paced and adventurous page-turners. The settings are well described, and put the reader in the dark, rainy streets of various German cities. It contains the usual requirements for spy novels: chases, disguises, false passports, fights, and of course a beautiful woman. 

I found it interesting when Okewood describes the 'code of honor' among intelligence workers: they respect those on the other side - they may fight them, but they will not kill them.

There are two big "coincidences" which are a stretch, but do serve to advance the story. First, Dr. Semlin conveniently dies (of natural causes!)  in front of Desmond, allowing him to obtain his travel documents; and second, Desmond's old friend Monica just happens to be staying in the Berlin hotel in which he is trying to escape from Clubfoot.

The subtitle on the dustjacket is a bit misleading - this is not the story of Clubfoot, the German master spy (who has just a few brief appearances), but the story of Desmond Okewood, the British master spy. 

If you enjoy spy novels like those of Manning Coles, you will enjoy Valentine Williams - for something a little different, being in the WW I era (WW II had not happened yet, when they were written!)

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

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 Portcullis Room by Valentine Willliams (1933)

dustjackets.com

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:

The new arrivals:

• Stephen Garrison, wealthy American
• Philip Verity, Stephen's European manager
• Mrs. Dean
• Phyllis Dean, her daughter, Stephen's girlfriend
• Captain Donald McKenzie, captain of the Ariel

Residents and locals:

• "Toray" McReay, the laird (lord) of the castle
• Flora McReay, his daughter
• Andrew Jamieson, "The Factor" (McReay's financial agent)
• Old Duncan, major-domo of the castle

The bad guys:

• Vicomte Raoul d'Arenne
• Oscar Berg, head of a gambling ring
• Major Carlos Mansard
• Nick Boldini

Long dead prior to the story, but important to it:

• Hugh MacNeil, enemy of the Torays
• Ronald McReay, son of Toray, killed in the war

Locale: Hebrides Islands, off Scotland

Synopsis: Wealthy American Stephen Garrison has a whim to buy a Scottish castle. He and his accountant, Philip Verity; girlfriend Phyllis Dean, and her mother Mrs. Dean arrive at Castle Toray by boat. Toray McReay, laird (lord) of the castle welcomes him - the place is way too big for him to deal with any more. His daughter, Flora McReay, is not quite so sold on the idea of selling.

Toray's son, Ronald McReay, was killed in the war. But he did manage to pass a pile of worthless checks while gambling, and now snarky Vicomte Rauol d'Arenne shows up to collect from his father, bringing along his tough guys Oscar Berg, Major Carlos Mansard, and Nick Boldini. Stephen remembers the Vicomte, they had come to blows a few years earlier.

The castle has a big bedroom called the Portcullis Room, as it was situated above the old portcullis (long gone) which shut the castle off from the sea. Generations ago, an enemy of the McReay's, Hugh MacNeil, sought shelter from a storm and they put him up for the night in the Portcullis Room. Come morning, he is found stabbed to death, his blood permanently staining the floor. His ghost is said to walk the castle every year on the anniversary of his death (Sept. 29), which happens to be Michaelmas.

Here is it Michaelmas again. Vicomte d'Arenne is put up in the Portcullis Room. He is then found stabbed with McReay's dirk (dagger), lying on the very spot where High MacNeil died.

Tidal conditions and storms delay arrival of authorities. First, Oscar Berg takes on an investigation. Then the laird appoints Philip Verity to take over. Meanwhile, things are not going well between Garrison and Phyllis, as he has his eye on Flora.

Review:

What's not to like about a stormy night in a dark old castle on an island, replete with a scary history, and secret passages? Once you have the cast figured out (see list above), it moves right along. It is a bit predictable as you just know who is going to get it, how, and where. It is interesting how one of the "bad guys" (Oscar Berg) takes the role as the initial investigator, serving a good purpose nonetheless.

I had to look up definitions a few times - to save you the trouble:

• a dirk is a ornate jeweled dagger
• a factor is a financial agent
• a laird is a lord, as in lord of the castle

We also see the "ugly American" theme present, when the Americans arrive with unlimited money to just buy up a castle sight unseen just because they don't have one.

Dialects (English with a Gaelic accent, and Italian) are rendered in phonetics and difficult to read and understand.

Mysterious Miss Morrisot by Valentine Williams (1930)

Also published as Mannequin

Valentine Williams

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 Jacqueline "Jack" Morrisot, executive for The Great Victor
• The Great Victor, famous clothing designer
• Oliver Royce, laid-off journalist, our protagonist
• Mousie Hersent, a past-her-prime high-mileage widow
• Don Luis "Neque" Ribeira, a wealthy Argentine
• Doña Isabella, Ribeira claims she is his sister
• Esteban Pinedo, Doña Isabella's husband
• Harvey Nolan, wealthy American idler
• Harriet Bronstein
• Henri Laurent, murderer
• Inspector Dufour

Locale: Cannes and Paris, France

Synopsis: As the story opens, we learn that Jacqueline "Jack" Morrisot, as a child, witnessed her mother's murder by Henri Laurent, who is believed to have drowned shortly afterwards. The whereabouts of Jacqueline's father is not known, the only clue a letter she has signed "Vin."

Fast forward many years. Jacqueline is an executive assistant to famous dress designer 'The Great Victor'. Oliver Royce, our protagonist, loses his journalist job in a buyout; takes his savings to rub elbows with the wealthy at Cannes. He meets and becomes fascinated with Jacqueline.

Quickly running out of savings, Oliver grudgingly accepts lodging with wealthy widow Mousie Hersent, and reluctantly takes the role of a gigolo - escorting her to society events. Jacqueline finds out and insults Mousie Hersent, which results in her (Jacqueline) losing her job. Oliver quits the gigolo gig in disgust.

Jacqueline is approached by wealthy Argentine Don Luis "Neque" Ribeira, who offers her a position as traveling companion to himself and his sister, Doña Isabella; and they drop from sight. Meanwhile, Oliver finds work as a steward aboard the luxury yacht of bored-stiff idler Harvey Nolan. Oliver and Harvey become friends in spite of their employer/servant relationship; with Harvey providing the resources for Oliver to find Jacqueline.


Review:

This is a thriller, with two mysteries woven in: Is murderer Henri Laurent still alive, and where is he? And where is Jacqueline's father?

I was immediately struck by deja vu with the writer-gigolo theme. The 1950 film Sunset Boulevard casts the identical triangle of lead roles:

• Down-on-his-luck writer turned gigolo: Oliver Royce (Sunset Boulevard's Joe Gillis)
• Wealthy widow: Mrs. Hersent (Sunset Boulevard's Norma Desmond)
• Rebuffed love interest: Jacqueline Morrisot (Sunset Boulevard's Betty Schaefer)

It gets a bit dizzy with the characters constantly zooming between Paris and Cannes. Once they get to Mousie Hersent's Paris home, Les Charmettes, the action picks up and becomes an exciting thriller as the parties all converge.

Inspector Dufour has a minor role, primarily at the cleanup.

Readers who enjoy the knight-errant stories of Leslie Charteris' The Saint will enjoy this book, as it moves from the glittery gaming tables of Cannes to a damsel-rescue in Paris. 

The Clue of the Rising Moon by Valentine Williams (1935)

dustjackets.com

Valentine Williams

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:

At the lake house:

1. Victor Haversley, rich Illinois brewer
2. Graziella Haversley, his wife
3. Miss Barbara Ingersoll, his secretary
4. Dave Jarvis, engaged to Sara Carruthers
5. Sara Carruthers, engaged to Dave Jarvis, Edith Lunsden's niece
6. Peter Blakeney, playwright, our narrator
7. Charles Lumsden, owner of the camp and host
8. Edith Lumsden, his wife
9. Dickie Lumsden, their teenage son
10. Cynthia Lumsden, their teenage daughter
11. Buster Leighton
12. Myrtle Fletcher
13. Dr. Oscar Bracegirdle, retired physician
14. Miss Janet Ryder

and...

• Jake Harper, local hillbilly farmer
• Fritz Waters, Graziella's old flame
• Eben Hicks, an old hunter
• Ed Wharton, a New York gunman
• George Martin, escaped convict
• Hank Wells, sheriff
• Detective Sergeant Trevor Dene of Scotland Yard

Locale: Wolf Lake, in the Adirondack mountains of New York

Synopsis: Charles and Edith Lumsden have a sprawling lakeside "camp" in the Adirondacks, consisting of several individual cottages as well as their main house. Wealthy Victor and Graziella Haversley are there, and their marriage is already on the rocks. Graziella seems quite interested in old flame Fritz Waters who is hanging around.

Playwright Peter Blakeney (our narrator) has the guests stage a reading of his latest play. He wants to test his theory that Graziella and Waters are lovers, and assigns them the lovers' roles. When the big kiss moment comes, Victor is enraged, argues with Graziella, and injures her. Fritz threatens to kill him. He's not the only one out for Victor - he has enemies from the labor unions who represent workers at his brewery.

A shot is heard at 11 PM, and Victor is found dead in the "Trapper's Cabin". He is initially thought a suicide. Sheriff Hank Wells and Detective Sergeant Trevor Dene find the scene was "tidied up" after the shot, therefore it must be murder. Motives abound - an estranged wife, her lover bent on revenge, labor unionists, and a couple of random toughs - an escaped convict and a shadowy gunman.

Review:

It is a bit odd to have a Scotland Yard detective at a New York wilderness camp, but it does work out. We have the isolated camp populated with drama, and the added complexity that the village (and the sheriff) are only accessible by boat - although there is a road to the village as well; but the boat is the preferred mode of travel. 

The solution rests in building a timeline of the crime and verifying alibis one by one. This gets a bit tedious but it does slowly narrow the suspect pool. Measuring the oil remaining in the oil lamp is a bit of fine-combing of clues, the sort that would be put to use later by Erle Stanley Gardner and his routine examination of candles and lamps in his stories. 

A map of the camp would have been helpful. Perhaps the original has one, but my Collier reprint does not. Here is a sketch made from the text which seems to fit:

click to enlarge

Overall, a good mystery to take to your camp on the lake!

The Eye in Attendance by Valentine Williams (1923)

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:

Residents of Node House:

• Sir Harry and Lady Ethel Fubsy, owners
• Ned Fubsy, their son .. in Brazil at the moment
• Alix Barleston, Lady Fusby's niece
• Major Frankie Barleston, (Alix's husband), over his head in debt
• Captain Ronald "Ronnie" Dene, Alix's lover
• Isobel "Freckles" Dalgleish, Alix's sister
• Gerrard "Gerry" Leese, an American diplomatic secretary
• Curtiss Vrogue, an author (apparently)
• Cantle, the butler
• Vance, the maid

Basil Stanismore. M.P. (Member of Parliament), wealthy financier
Keene Kavanagh, one of Frankie's creditors


Superintendent Nolling, local police
Inspector George Manderton, Scotland Yard

Locale: Isle of Wight, off the coast of England

Synopsis: Beautiful Alix Barleston has too many men in her life. There is her estranged debt-ridden no-good gambling husband, Frankie Barleston. There is her secret lover, Ronnie Dene. Now enter wealthy financier Basil Stanismore, who has bought up Frankie's debt; and makes an astounding offer to Frankie: Stanismore will forgive his debts and set him up with a fresh start and a job somewhere distant; if he will just look the other way as Stanismore takes Alix as his mistress.

Sir Harry and Lady Ethel Fubsy own Node House on the coast. Alix and Ronnie are staying as guests (separate rooms, of course). There is a creepy tower on the property which has a room which was the Fubsy's only daughter who has died, and it is kept intact. Stanismore meets Alix in the tower, and begs Alix to be his mistress; which she rebuffs. Returning to her room, Frankie appears at her room and begs to remain there all night.

American Gerry Leese and Alix's sister, Isobel "Freckles" Dalgleish are returning from a date by boat, and when landing at Node House, discover a body on the beach - later identified as Basil Stanismore. He had been murdered.

Pretty much everyone has a motive, but all keep quiet when Inspector Manderton arrives; as no one wants to finger anyone else.

Review: This is a nice tight self contained page-turner, and not one of the Clubfoot series. 
I wish/hope Williams had authored more of these - perhaps he has since I have not read them all. 
I will have to refer to the bibliography. That said, a good country house mystery set on an island. 
There are six servants stated, but we only meet two. One aspect which I thought would lead 
elsewhere was the mysterious tower room once occupied by the only daughter who died, 
but it only serves as a tryst location. The final chase scene as the perpetrator escapes by boat is
very well done.

Clubfoot The Avenger by Valentine Williams (1923)

"Being Some Further Adventures of Desmond Okewood of the Secret Service"

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:

Desmond Okewood, British Secret Service
Francis Okewood, his brother
Miss Vera Slade, a.k.a. Vera Sokoloff, femme fatale spy #1
Madamoiselle Xenia, femme fatale spy #2
Madeleine McKenzie, femme fatale spy #3
Dr. Adolf Grundt, a.k.a. "Clubfoot"; a.k.a. Dr. Madjaroff, German Secret Service,
Heinrich, a.k.a. Kriege, Clubfoot's assistant with a scar

Synopsis:

This novel consists of three independent spy thriller novelettes strung together in a sequence: The Clue of the Purple Cabriolet, The Affair of the Constantinople Courier, and The Girl at the Hexagon.

Desmond Okewood, retired after the war (which would later be known as World War I, of course), is called back into service for the British. It seems Dr. Adolf Grundt, "Clubfoot", is in England with a list of British Secret Service contacts to do away with, and so far he has plugged three of them.

In The Clue of the Purple Cabriolet, secret service agent Gustaf Törnedahl, is found dead in Vera Slade's car. Desmond and Vera begins to look into it, and is kidnapped and brought before Clubfoot. Before Clubfoot can do away with them, they are rescued by Desmond's brother Francis Okewood. Patricia Maxwell, a friend of Francis' wife, comes to the Okewoods with a strange story. She was bidding on an old Russian ikon painting at auction, and won it against another bidder who ran the price up. At home, she was visited by Dr. Madjaroff (Clubfoot) who offered any price she would name for it. Suspicious, the Okewoods have the ikon examined by an expert, who finds a quantity of radium concealed inside it.

In The Affair of the Constantinople Courier, a King's Messenger is abducted and documents stolen from him. However, the documents are in code and Desmond is grabbed to decode them with the unwilling assistance of femme fatale #2, Xenia, who is being held hostage.

In The Girl at the Hexagon, femme fatale #3, Madeleine McKenzie, is a regular at the Hexagon night club. She gets instructions from her handlers from a flower-seller using flowers as a signal. Desmond masquerades as another to get himself grabbed, and thus taken to Clubfoot. A package of precious jewels is in the balance.


Review:

I wonder if Ian Fleming read this author prior to writing his James Bond novels (when it was written, Fleming was 15 years old!). The story line is a predictor of the James Bonds. Here we have a British Secret Service agent, having - ahem - liaisons with a femme fatale spy, chasing an arch criminal, who captures the pair and ties them up. While passing the time before killing them, the master criminal and our hero engage in witty repartée - and we are only on page 35 by this point!

The Valentine William's spy thrillers are set in the period between World War I and II, when you might assume things were quiet. But the action is nonstop and all are good reads.