Wicked Uncle

 Wicked Uncle (aka Spotlight; 1947) by Patricia Wentworth

Dorinda Brown needs a job. She lost her parents when young and went to live with her Aunt Mary and her husband (always known as the "Wicked Uncle"). The Wicked Uncle took Aunt Mary for everything he could and then left her. So when Aunt Mary died there was just a tiny annuity left which doesn't quite meet her needs. So she takes a position with the wealthy Oakley family as a secretary to Linnet Oakley, whose nerves won't allow her to answer the telephone or see most people in person. It's not exactly the best thing going in the way of jobs, but beggars can't be choosers.

When the Oakleys go to their country house, they are invited to dinner by their neighbor Gregory Porlock and he insists that they bring along Dorinda because his numbers are uneven. Before the party, Mrs. Oakley sends Dorinda to town to buy a suitable frock (nothing the poor girl has with her will "do") and some luminous paint for her son's playroom clock. While at the high-end shop (which carries everything from "suitable frocks" to luminous paint), Dorinda is accused of shoplifting. If not for Miss Silver, she would have been carted off to the police station and been forced to miss the dinner party. But Miss Silver saw another woman slip her hand into Dorinda's pocket and plant the item in question. The real question is--why? Miss Silver is sure that something nasty is afoot and gives Dorinda her card; telling her to call on the elderly sleuth if anything should come up.

So, Dorinda makes it back to the Oakleys in time for the party and off they go to Porlock's house.The last person Dorinda expects to see as her host is her Wicked Uncle (only his name should be Glen Porteous). And wicked he is. He's blackmailing just about everybody on the guest list--from Mrs. Oakley over the fact that they were once married...but never divorced to Mr. Tote who carried on some shady black market business during the war to Moira Lane who purloined her aunt's bracelet and pawned it to Mr. Masterman who may have caused his aunt's death and certainly has suppressed her will to Leonard Carroll who probably sold secrets to the enemy during the war. Porlock (as we'll continue to call him) has pleasant little chats with all of them to let them know he has the goods on them and they'd pay up--with money or juicy gossip--or he'll just have to let the proper authorities know.

When the lights go out unexpectedly during a game of charades, none of us should be surprised that Porlock is found dead from a stab in the back after the lights come back on. All we need to find out is which of his victims couldn't take the pressure and did away with the source of their trouble? Chief Inspector Lamb and Detective Sergeant Lamb are soon on the spot to find out. And Miss Silver arrives soon as well after Dorinda calls her in. And it is Miss Maud Silver who points the police in the right direction.

This was a prime example of Wentworth's Miss Silver mysteries. Young woman in the thick of things--check. Personable man for her to wind up romantically involved with--check. {This means they did not do it--check. Nor really a spoiler because this is the general set-up in Wentworth mysteries.} Miss Silver knitting in hand and cough at the ready--check. Though I must say that I didn't notice Miss Silver coughing nearly as much this time around. Inspector Lamb blustering about--claiming not to be happy about Miss Silver's involvement; irritated by Abbott's educated ways; but ultimately following Miss Silver's lead--check. There are plenty of suspects and motives and red herrings spread about to keep armchair detectives busy. All making for a nice mystery outing. 

I really enjoyed Dorinda's character in this, although she did seem just a little bit slow on the uptake when it came to Justin Leigh and who he really was in love with. And even though she loved him, she seemed intent on pushing him into Moira Lane's arms because "Moira's the type of girl you should be with." But I did like the way she refused to be talked into being the nanny for the horrid little Marty in addition to being Mrs. Oakley's secretary. She may have been desperate for a job...but she wasn't that desperate. I did figure out who did it--but I didn't catch all the clues. So, good for Wentworth for keeping some of the secrets to herself until the wrap up.  ★★★★

First line: When Dorinda Brown came into the Heather Club at four o'clock on January eighth she hadn't the slightest idea that she had just made the first step upon a road which was going to take her into some curious places.

Last lines: "Don't worry," he said. "Pure gold doesn't rust."
*********************

Deaths = 7 (one stabbed; three natural; one hit on head; one hanged; one fell from height)

Bev's Bookish Fall Break

 

It's that time again...for Bev's own Fall Break Bookish Extravaganza. And it's all made possible by the Hoosier Hills Food Bank Community Book Fair. Each year I take two days off work so I can go to the opening day of the book fair for the best chance at getting the most vintage mysteries. And then spend the next day blissfully logging and scanning my finds. This year, per usual, I stood in line Thursday morning with $10 in hand so I could have a first glance at the bookish goodies. Then I went back on Saturday (ostensibly to see if there were any comic books my husband might possibly want...) and came home with another round. 

This year was supposed to be a big deal (kindof like last year was supposed to be a big deal--"bigger & better than ever"). Bob Hammel--long-time sports writer for the Herald Times--donated 2,000 IU and sports-related items towards the sale. I didn't notice anyone flocking towards that area.... The only area that seemed to be "bigger than ever" this year was the DVD section. Way more tables than I ever remember.  Also more record albums. The better books mystery section and regular mystery sections were about the same size as last year--but the regular mystery sections were loaded down with newer stuff (it appeared that several Janet Evanovich and David Baldacci fans had unloaded every book they owned....). 

I picked up six from the better books sections and then moved on to the regular mysteries. I was beginning to think I wouldn't find anything vintage that I didn't already own (one of the difficulties with having been a collector for so long...). So...not wanting to leave without at least putting a few things in my bag, I grabbed up some more modern authors. Then I got to the last table of hardback/large paperback mysteries....bonanza! All of the books marked with an asterisk were on that last table. And the trip to the Book Fair would have been worth it for Fatal Descent--a book I never thought I'd see in the wild. And with a dust jacket, no less!

My two-day haul: 44 books [lowest # ever since I started keeping track--six found on Saturday]; 3 books on CD; 9 mystery magazines; one Charles Dickens mini-puzzle; and 2 Hoosier Hills sweatshirts. I thought about going back on Sunday (half-price day), but I just couldn't imagine that I'd missed much. I hope some vintage mystery lovers donate a ton of books for next year...

Vintage Mysteries

Below Suspicion by John Dickson Carr (Bantam #1119) [better books]  

Lord Edgware Dies by Agatha Christie (Fontana Books #31) [Saturday find]

Murder in the Maze by J. J. Connington (hard back w/dustjacket) [better books]

Some Women Won't Wait/The Mysterious Suspect/A Big Hand for the Corpse by A. A. Fair/John Rhode/George Bagby (Detective Book Club 3-in-1 volume) [inexplicably in clearance section]

The Tall House Mystery by A. E. Fielding [better books]

Cork & the Serpent by MacDonald Hastings [Saturday find]

Masterpieces of Mystery: The Fifties selected by Ellery Queen [better books]

Fatal Descent by John Rhode & Carter Dickson (hard back w/dustjacket)*

Bulldog Drummond by Sapper (book on CD) [Saturday find]

The Chinese Chop by Juanita Sheridan (modern reprint)*

The Kahuna Killer by Juanita Sheridan (modern reprint)*

The Waikiki Widow by Juanita Sherica (modern reprint)*

Dead Man Inside by Vincent Starrett (modern reprint)*

Measure for Murder by Clifford Witting (modern reprint)*

Murder in Blue by Clifford Witting (modern reprint)*

Silver Age Mysteries (1960-1989)

The Scottish Decision by Alan Hunter [Saturday find]

Rough Cider by Peter Lovesey [Saturday find]

Death in the Past by Richard A. Moore [Saturday find]

Thursday's Folly/The Visitor/The Trouble with Tycoons by Judson Philips/Anthony Gilbert/H. Baldwin Taylor (Detective Book Club 3-in-1 volume) [inexplicably in clearance section]

Masterpieces of Mystery: Detective Directory I selected by Ellery Queen [better books]

Masterpieces of Mystery: Detective Directory II selected by Ellery Queen [better books]

Requiem for a Schoolgirl by Ivan T. Ross*

More Modern Mysteries

The Rainaldi Quartet (Sleeper) by Paul Adam 

One Book in the Grave by Kate Carlisle (book on CD)

Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine May/June 2019 by Janet Hutchings, ed

Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Sept/Oct 2019 by Janet Hutchings, ed

Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Nov/Dec 2019 by Janet Hutchings, ed

Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Jan/Feb 2020 by Janet Hutchings, ed

Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine July/Aug 2019 by Linda Landrigan, ed

Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine Sept/Oct 2019 by Linda Landrigan, ed

Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine Nov/Dec 2019 by Linda Landrigan, ed

Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine Jan/Feb 2020 by Linda Landrigan, ed

Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine May/June 2020 by Linda Landrigan, ed

The Birdcage Murders by Karen Baugh Menuhin (historical--Golden Age era)

The Mystery of Montague Morgan by Menuhin (historical--Golden Age era)

A Wreath of Red Roses by Menuhin (historical--Golden Age era)

Cemetery Dance by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child

Fever Dream by Preston & Child

Verses for the Dead by Preston & Child

Murder at Ardith Hall by Irina Shapiro (historical--Victorian)

Murder at the Abbey by Shapiro (historical--Victorian)

Murder at the Mill by Shapiro (historical--Victorian)

Murder in the Caravan by Shapiro (historical--Victorian)

Murder in the Crypt by Shapiro (historical--Victorian)

Murder in the Grave by Shapiro (historical--Victorian)

Murder at Union Station by Margaret Truman (book on CD)

Everything Else

Ellison Wonderland by Harlan Ellison

Beauvallet by Georgette Heyer

False Colours by Georgette Heyer

The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer

An Infamous Army by Georgette Heyer

The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer

The Quiet Gentleman by Georgette Heyer

The Reluctant Widow by Georgette Heyer

The Toll Gate by Georgette Heyer

The Obsession of Victoria Gracen by Grace Livingston Hill

And...

Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol mini-puzzle

two Hoosier Hills Book Fair hoodies (one for me & one for Brad--Kyle doesn't like hoodies)

Find a Crooked Sixpence

 Find a Crooked Sixpence (1970) by Estelle Thompson

Dr. Jacqueline Freeman's friend Dr. Arthur Pembroke in Willowbank, Australia is planning to take an extended vacation and needs someone to cover his practice. He invites Jackie to come and look over the area about a year ahead so she can see if she thinks she'd like to do it. During her preliminary visit, there is a major rainstorm and flood during which a bridge is washed out. The wife of playwright Carl Shrader is found murdered. Their farm was cut off when bridge collapsed and if Carl had not obviously been on the wrong side of the river when the murder occurred, he would have been arrested immediately. You see, Carl and his wife Eleanor had a big fight earlier that was overheard and implied that she was involved with another man. And there doesn't seem to be another motive anywhere...not even robbery. But when a man can't swim and there weren't any boats readily available, it's difficult to pin a murder on him. So, the murder goes unsolved.

When Jackie returns to Willowbank to take over the practice, she finds herself more and more attracted to Carl. The villagers obviously think Carl killed his wife--even if there doesn't seem to be a way for him to have done so. Carl swears he's innocent and she believes him, so she begins asking questions...questions that draw the attention of the killer and puts her life in danger. There is a near-miss in a shooting incident that results in a phone call:

"I wanted you to know I am sorry," the whisper said hoarsely....

"About this morning?" I suggested pleasantly. "About the shooting accident, is that it?"

***

"It was no accident. You have to die. I just wanted you to know I regret that fact.

At this point, Jackie has no idea why she has to die. Apparently, her questions and/or observations have given her some knowledge that is dangerous to someone. But she doesn't know what...or who. And if she doesn't find out soon, the next time they might not miss.

This was my first mystery by Australian author Thompson. She appears to have written stand-alones rather than settling on a series character. The plot follows in the woman-in-danger tradition--though both Jackie and Carl face dangers--so there is a bit of a Gothic feel. It's a solid story but I can't say that I felt a great connection to either of our main characters. A bit more depth would have gone a long way. The mystery itself was interesting and there were definitely clues that could have been picked up...if I had just seen them. I didn't. That didn't prevent me from focusing on the culprit. I just couldn't have told you (from clues) why I suspected them. ★★★  for this outing, but I am interested in seeing how she does in the other title I have sitting on the TBR pile (Hunter in the Dark).

First line: The rain was easing a little, I thought, as I pulled upon the door of the car and slid hurriedly behind the wheel; but it was still heavy enough to dampen my clothes quickly, and to bring the summer dusk prematurely over the tiny town.

Last line: "Then, let's go and invite the nice policeman to our wedding," I said, and together we went out into the moonlight.
******************

Deaths = 3 (one hit on head; two natural)

Never Cross a Vampire

 Never Cross a Vampire (1980) by Stuart Kaminsky

Stuart Kaminsky's Toby Peters has a double-feature in store for him in his fifth recorded case. First up is Dracula himself, Bela Lugosi. Someone has been sending America's favorite vampire threatening messages and nasty little packages. Lugosi hires the Hollywood private eye to look into the case. Peters meets a whole group of vampire-wannabes who seem to dote on Hollywood's Count, but does one of them think they can replace Lugosi as the king of vampires? Before Peters can get very far into the suspects and motives behind the poison pen, he's asked to take on a second case. This time it's the murder of an agent and the prime suspect is William Faulkner, a southern author who has decided to try his hand at screenwriting.

The case looks pretty black against Faulkner. Not only did the dying man identify him as the culprit, but the man's wife also claimed to have been present and fingered the author as well. The curious thing is...when Peters interviews her and shows her a picture from his wallet (asking her, "Is this the man?"), she identifies the man as Faulkner. But it's not--it's Harry James [Peters doesn't say so, but I'm guessing this is a reference to the musician/band leader]. So something is definitely fishy. And then the two cases seem to intertwine and Peters has to figure out if they really are related. And he better do it before the killer decides to add Peters to the body count.

The Kaminsky novels are fun and high in nostalgia for those of us who grew up with the old black and white movies playing every Saturday and Sunday afternoon (when there wasn't a bazillion channels/streaming services/what-have-you). He's got old Hollywood down to a T (or should that be down to an H?). It's also good for those who like their private eyes more soft- than hard-boiled. I mentioned in my last review that Peters doesn't really fit the 1930s/40s tough guy detective bill--he gets beat up (quite often by his own brother, police Lieutenant Phil Pevsner), shot at, and framed for murders more often than most private eyes do in an entire series. And--as with his adventure with Errol Flynn, it's the Hollywood star who saves his bacon when the bad guy is ready to write "The End" on Peters' life story. Lugosi, in full Dracula kit, scares the bejeebers out of the culprit and Peters lives to face another day.

I wasn't quite sure how I liked the meshing of the two stories, but Kaminsky did manage to bring it off in a fairly satisfactory way. I spotted what was going on with Faulkner, though I didn't quite get the culprit right. ★★★ and 1/2 stars for a fun romp.

First line: A pudgy vampire with a soiled black cape sat on a coffin across from me sipping a bottle of Hires Root Beer through a soggy straw.

Last line: I tucked the envelope back in my jacket, crawled into the dental chair, adjusted my back so I wouldn't lie on the sore spot, and fell asleep to the lullaby of traffic, battles, and dead dreams that floated up from Hoover Street, penetrated the walls, and surrounded me with a familiar blanket.
********************

Deaths = 4 (three shot; one fell from height)

The Mystery of the Coughing Dragon

 The Mystery of the Coughing Dragon (1970) by Nick West

Jupe, Pete, and Bob, the Three Investigators, are off on another adventure. This time Alfred Hitchcock calls on the boys to help out a friend. Mr. Henry Allen's Irish Setter Red Rover has gone missing. And Allen thinks that maybe a dragon has run off with his beloved pet. When he was out searching for the dog, he swears he saw a dragon come out of the sea and enter one of the caves below his house on the cliff. Red Rover isn't the only dog that's gone missing in the little town of Seaside. Several other pet owners are missing their furry friends as well. 

The boys don't really believe in dragons (do they?), but they decide that the cave deserves their attention too. But when a sabotaged staircase leading down to the beach collapses, it begins to look like someone doesn't want them investigating. Jupe is the one who tumbles down the staircase. Then Bob falls in a hole in the cave. Men in diving suits menace them with spear guns. And....they see the dragon! They escape safely and after they all calm down, Jupe realizes there were some odd things about the dragon and when he figures out what they mean he realizes that there's more going on than just missing dogs.

This is another just plain good fun mystery from my favorite three investigators. It's not too far removed from a Scooby Doo episode--because of course the dragon isn't a real live fire-breathing dragon. But it's a great cover for what's really going on. I love it when I can revisit favorite mystery series from my childhood and still get a kick out of them as an adult. The Three Investigators deliver almost every time. This one is particularly good for the town of Seaside and the background information that Bob manages to dig up on the caverns beneath Allen's house. The interactions between the boys are very good in this one as well. The culprit is fairly obvious (it's not too difficult when there aren't many suspects running around), but knowing this is aimed at a juvenile audience I don't expect intricate plotting. ★★★  and 1/2

First line: "I wonder," Jupiter Jones said one morning, "how we would go about attempting the biggest robbery ever seen in this area."

Last line: "Since I've just purchased that large buslike trailer for my vacations, perhaps it would be a good idea if I learned how to double-clutch the dragon in the cave first, before I ventured forth on the Los Angeles freeway!"
*************************

Deaths = one suicide

Murder Every Monday: Treasure Chest of Murder

 

Kate at Cross Examining Crime hosts a fun mystery cover game on Instagram called Murder Every Monday. Our assignment, should we choose to accept it, is to display book covers and titles from books you own that meet prompts which she posts well in advance (see link). I've been participating for quite some time on Instagram and I have decided to post here as well.

 

Today's theme is covers with a trunk or chest. Click on pictures for a larger view.

The Hollow Chest ~Phoebe Atwood Taylor (as Alice Tilton)

Mystery of the Brass-Bound Trunk ~Carolyn Keene

Cain's Jawbone ~Torquemada

Murder Without Clues ~Eleanor Pierson

The Mystery of the Talking Skull ~Robert Arthur

The Body Missed the Boat ~Jack Iams

Poirot Loses a Client ~Agatha Christie

The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes [Confidential] ~Marvin Kaye (ed)

The Footprints on the Ceiling ~Clayton Rawson

The Cellar at No. 5 ~Shelley Smith

The Saint on the Spanish Main ~Leslie Charteris

Panic in Paradise ~Alan Amos

1970 Club

  Twice a year Stuck in a Book and Kaggsy's Bookish Ramblings sponsor a group book club where those who would like to read books from the declared year. This October, the chosen year is 1970--which will take me into Silver Age mystery territory (1960-1989). As I prepare for next week's reading, I thought I'd take a look at what 1970 books I've already read and list those that are on the TBR mountain range and could be used for the event.

Here are the books from 1970 that I've read and reviewed previously on the Block
Running Blind by Desmond Bagley
The Sound of Murder by John & Emory Bonett
Death on Allhallowe'en by Leo Bruce
A Coffin from the Past by Gwendolyn Butler
Deadly Pattern by Douglas Clark
Sweet Poison by Douglas Clark
No Case for the Police by V. C. Clinton-Baddeley
The Great Dinosaur Robbery by David Forrest
84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
Many Deadly Returns by Patricia Moyes
Preach No More by Richard Lockridge
Twice Retired by Richard Lockridge
Ringworld by Larry Niven
A Guilty Thing Surprised by Ruth Rendell
Murder at the Savoy by by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö
The Girl in Blue by P. G. Wodehouse

And once again, most of my reading is in mysteries. There are a few more non-mysteries among the books I read pre-blogging:
The 13 Crimes of Science Fiction by Isaac Asimov (ed)
Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach
Deadly Meeting by Robert Bernard
Spock Must Die! by James Blish
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
To Kill a Cat by W. J. Burley
The Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars
Poetic Justice by Amanda Cross
The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman
Lore of the Great Turtle by Dirk Gringhuis
The Secret Woman by Victoria Holt
The Mysterious Mannequin by Carolyn Keene
Wobble to Death by Peter Lovesey
Beyond This Point Are Monsters by Margaret Millar
The Tower of Glass by Robert Silverberg
Out of Their Minds by Clifford Simak
The Trumpet of the Swan by E. B. White
And Improbable Fiction by Sara Woods
Knives Have Edges by Sara Woods

Now, let's see what's sitting on the TBR pile waiting to be read for the 1970 Club:
The Secret of the Crooked Cat by William Arden
Passenger to Frankfurt by Agatha Christie
Do Not Fold, Spindle, Or Mutilate by Doris Miles Disney
All Grass Isn't Green by A. A. Fair
Murder Pluperfect by Kenneth Giles
Something in the Air by John Alexander Graham
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes by Hugh Greene (ed)
Gently with the Innocents by Alan Hunter
Death at the Chase by Michael Innes
Trixie Belden & the Mystery of the Missing Heiress by Kathryn Kenny
Troubled Journey by Richard Lockridge
When in Rome by Ngaio Marsh
Find a Crooked Sixpence by Estelle Thompson (10/16/24)
The Mystery of the Coughing Dragon by Nick West (10/15/24)
Dead in the Morning by Margaret Yorke

The Lost Girls of Paris (spoilers at the end)

 The Lost Girls of Paris (2019) by Pam Jenoff

1946, Manhattan

Grace Healey is trying to rebuild her life life after losing her husband during the war. She works for a man who is helping immigrants rebuild their lives after coming to the United States during or after the war. She is late to work one morning and find it necessary to go through Grand Central Station to avoid a traffic jam resulting from an accident. The Station has haunting memories for her--it's where she waited in vain for her husband to arrive for a quick trip home before shipping out. An accident prevented her young soldier from ever leaving the States. When she sits down to get her bearings, she finds an abandoned suitcase tucked beneath a bench. Her curiosity gets the better of her and she the suitcase. Among an odd collection of items, including a pair of baby shoes, she finds a bundle of photographs—each of a different woman. In a moment of impulse, Grace takes the photographs and quickly leaves the station. She notices the name Trigg on the suitcase as she shoves it back under the bench. She's shocked later to read that Eleanor Trigg was killed in an auto accident earlier that day. When she returns to the Station, the suitcase is gone. Something about the faces in those photographs speaks to her and Grace decides to investigate.

1943-1944, London & France

When male agents in France begin to go missing at an alarming rate, Eleanor Trigg, confidential secretary to the Director of SOE (Special Operations Executive), suggests a force of female agents--young women are more plentiful in the occupied nation and it would be less likely that agents would be spotted. The Director makes her the head of the women's division and she supervises the training and deployment. Things go well until the Allied forces prepare for D-Day...and suddenly the largest ring of agents goes silent. Eleanor had suspected something was going wrong with the radio transmissions, but had been denied clearance to go to France herself and investigate. Twelve of Eleanor's agents go missing without a trace. 

Both Eleanor and Grace work to find out the truth behind the women's disappearance. And both are shocked to find betrayal at the heart of the answer. And having discovered the truth after Eleanor's death, Grace determines to find justice for the women who never made it home.

My take: First up, the good. I enjoyed Jenoff's prose. I found myself reading through this effortlessly and thoroughly enjoying her writing. I loved the build-up--both to Grace's involvement in the story and Eleanor setting up the women's division of SOE. I liked watching Grace and Eleanor try to figure out what went wrong with the mission. The relationship between Grace and Mark worked well and I do like that Marie decided she still needed to sort some things out personally before getting serious with him (instead of a nice tidy wrap-up to their romance and off into the sunset together). And I could tell that Jenoff did her research on this period of the war. 

But...SPOILERS!

Marie--the one agent of the twelve who actually makes it out of France (though we don't know it till the end)--seriously? She sticks to none of her training. None. When in danger, she's supposed to destroy her radio. She doesn't. When capture is ensured if she doesn't get the heck away from her "cover" apartment (and out of France all together), she stays put. When captured, the last thing she's supposed to do is give up her second code "check", she does. When her superior (also the man she loves after a very brief period) reminds her of her duty (not to do what the Germans tell her to do), she gives in to "save" him. Anyone with a smidgen of sense knows that as soon as she gives in, the Germans will kill them both because they'll have no more use for them. It's a miracle that she doesn't die.

Marie started out great. I like her character a lot. Until she got to France--where she fell in love and all her training went out the window. 

The story was pretty solid. The setting was great. The mystery and intrigue well done. I just wish Marie hadn't messed things up so royally in France. ★★★ and 1/2

First line: If not for the second-worst mistake of Grace Healey's life, she never would have found the suitcase.

Last line: She crossed the avenue toward Grand Central, unencumbered and unafraid, and started through the doors of the station, headed for the life that awaited her.
********************

Deaths = 10 (three hit by car; one bled to death; three boat sank; one shot; one poisoned; one blew up)

The Queen's Awards 8th Series

 The Queen's Awards 8th Series (1953) by Ellery Queen (ed)

This collection contains the winners of the Eighth Annual Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine "Detective" Short-Story Contest (quotations mine). These are supposedly the "blue ribbon mysteries of the season." And I have to say that these are the sorriest bunch of short stories I've read from any Queen collection. There are crimes involved in nearly all of these, but a large portion are not anything that I would call detective. For one thing, the word "detective" sortof implies that there will actually be a detective detecting. And there are definitely not nearly as many detectives as there are stories in the collection. The best of the bunch are "Miss Paisley's Cat," "High Court," and "Heaven Can Wait"--but that isn't saying a whole lot. ★★ for the collection--just. 

"My Brother Down There" by Steve Frazee: The story of a sheriff, his posse, and a trigger-happy civilian on a manhunt for four dangerous escaped criminals in the Rocky Mountains. [two shot]

"Miss Paisley's Cat" by Roy Vickers: When the angry bookie downstairs kills her beloved cat, the elderly Miss Paisley wants to kill him. And when he's found dead the next day she's sure she did. But the police won't believe her. [one stabbed]

"If a Body..." by A. H. Z. Carr: A disgruntled husband who believes his wife has played him false, decides to get rid of all his troubles at once... [one shot]

"The Betrayers" by Stanley Ellin: A man falls in love with his next door neighbor and when he thinks her abusive husband has killed her, he's willing to risk everything to avenger her. [one stabbed]

"The Quality of Mercy" by Eleazar Lipsky: When a distraught father nearly kills the nun he believes is keeping him from his daughter, the nun's mercy is much different than the court's.

"The Stroke of Thirteen" by Lillian de la Torre: Dr. Samuel Johnson works to clear a man who has been found guilty of treason. The soldier's only alibi? A clock that struck thirteen.... [one hanged]

"Laugh It Off" by Charlotte Armstrong: A young woman has a reputation for making up suspenseful events. When George meets her for the first time, she swears that a man is following her and out to kill her. Her other friends tell him to ignore it--that it's how she gets her laughs, but she seems so very scared. Is it for real this time? 

"All of God's Children Got Shoes" by Howard Schoenfeld: A couple of tramps making their way south in the boxcars. One of them wants a pair of shoes--really bad.

"High Court" by Thomas Kyd: One of the passengers on an overnight flight to England is killed. An overbearing, snobbish man appoints himself the investigator. To his credit, he does find an interesting way to flush out the killer.  [one hit on head]

"Born Killer" by Dorothy Salisbury Davis: A dark story that explains a young man's fondness for suicide missions.. [one natural; one shot]

"On the Brink" by James Yaffe: Miss Hannah Aaronson has always been fond of her nephew. When he has a falling out with his father that turns bad enough for murder will she be able to save him from himself? [one natural]

"The Town Without a Straight Man" by Will Stanton: A small town's penchant for telling tall tales isn't quite as benign as it may seem.

"Mrrrar!" by Edgar Pangborn: Told from Timmy the cat's perspective...Timmy is the only witness to murder. But who is he going to tell? 

"The Silver Spurs" by E. C. Witham: A desperately pathetic story of a woman who drives her husband to drink...and possibly to murder. [one shot; one stabbed]

"The Panther" by Browning Norton: Some dark thing is stealing chickens and lambs at night. When the village remembers that a panther got loose from a traveling circus some time back, they believe they know what's getting their livestock. Bill and Bob Coulter determine to bring the panther down. [one shot]

"Heaven Can Wait" by G. B. Gilford: A mystery writer is murdered--stabbed in the back--and when he gets to the Pearly Gates, he wants to know who did it. When (to his surprise) they can't tell him, he's miserable. He just has to know and won't be happy till he does--well, Heaven can't have any misery hanging about, so he's sent back to earth to solve his own murder. [one stabbed]

First line (1st story): Now there were three left.

Last line (last story): "Didn't you know that all mystery writers go to Heaven?"

Murder Every Monday: Twins!

 

Kate at Cross Examining Crime hosts a fun mystery cover game on Instagram called Murder Every Monday. Our assignment, should we choose to accept it, is to display book covers and titles from books you own that meet prompts which she posts well in advance (see link). I've been participating for quite some time on Instagram and I have decided to post here as well.

 

Today's theme is two crime fiction novels with the same title but by different authors. Click on pictures for a larger view.

Murder by the Book by Norma Schier

Murder by the Book by Frances & Richard Lockridge

The Perfect Crime by Ellery Queen

The Perfect Crime by Israel Zangwill

Murder by Prescription by Jonathan Stagge

Murder by Prescription by Bill Pomidor

Last Seen Wearing by Hillary Waugh

Last Seen Wearing by Colin Dexter

Sweet Poison by Douglas Clark

Sweet Poison by David Roberts

Murder by the Book by Martin Edwards (ed)

Murder by the Book by Rex Stout

Close But No Cigar:

The Mystery of the Yellow Room by Gaston Leroux and The Yellow Room by Mary Roberts Rinehart

One Foot in the Grave by Peter Dickinson and Foot in the Grave by E. X. Ferrars

Where There's a Will by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Death Is Relative (whose alternate title is Where There's a Will) by Edward Phillips [If only I had the alternate title edition]

The Final Deduction

 The Final Deduction (1961) by Rex Stout

Just as I did ten years ago, I listened to this one as a book on CD during my road trip this past week. And I've mentioned before how much harder it is for me to do a full review when I listen. I just sit back and enjoy the performance. I mentioned in my previous review (which I'm shamelessly re-using below)  that Michael Prichard does an excellent job bringing Nero Wolfe and, especially, Archie Goodwin to life. This time around my son joined me on the trip up to my parents' house and he and I had enormous fun listening to Archie's wise-cracking run-down of Wolfe's latest case. I also realized during this listening session that if Archie had just stuck with his first deduction he might have beaten Nero to the punch in figuring out where the suitcase full of cash was stashed. 

The story opens with Archie losing a little bet with himself. Althea Vail, wealthy, society lady, arrives at the old brownstone with no appointment and asks to see Nero Wolfe--preferring not to tell Archie what about, but to tell Wolfe himself. Archie is convinced she's come to ask the world's best brain to ask him to tail her most current husband--that's what so often happens when an older woman (with money) marries a younger man (without). But Archie is wrong. Mrs. Vail has come because her husband, Jimmy Vail, disappeared over the weekend and she has received a ransom note. She doesn't want Wolfe to investigate the kidnappers or try to find her husband. What she wants is for him to ensure that her husband is returned, alive and unharmed, once she pays the ransom.

She refuses to share much detail with Wolfe--having been told by "Mr. Knapp" that she and her Jimmy would regret it if she talked to anyone--so, the great detective has few options. He decides to place an ad in The Gazette where Lon Cohen owes him favors (and any other papers who can make it happen before the ransom must be delivered):

If her property is not returned to her, or if it is damaged beyond repair, I have engaged to devote my time, energy, and talent, for as long as may be required, to ensure just and fitting requital; and she has determined to support me to the full extent of her resources. If you do not know enough of me to be aware of the significance of this engagement to your future, I advise you to inform yourself regarding my competence and my tenacity.

my hard copy

He also makes it clear that Mrs. Vail has not revealed any details in an effort to save Jimmy's life and then they all settle down to see what happens. Vail miraculously returns--tired, but safe and sound with instructions not to go to the authorities for 48 hours. It looks like Wolfe has earned a hefty fee ($60,000) for very little work. But that same day, the body of Mrs. Vail's secretary is found--run over by her own car--in the same location where the handover of the ransom money took place. Then Jimmy Vail is found dead in his own library, apparently killed by Benjamin Franklin. That is to say...a heavy bronze statue of the historical statesman (whose base was unsteady) toppled over and killed him in what seems to be an accident.

When Mrs. Vail's son comes to Wolfe wanting to hire him to find the ransom money (his mother has promised him the cash if he can locate it), the genius, satisfied with his recent fee, plans to turn him down. But Archie, true to form, goads his boss into action by threatening to take some of his leave time to do the legwork on his own and snag the hefty commission for himself. Wolfe can't do without Archie and takes the case--of course, he can't get involved with out solving the other crimes as well and it takes a rather ingenious "final deduction" to collar the criminal.

My son and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this on our six-hour (round-trip) journey to and from my parents' house. It was absorbing and interesting. And, despite guessing half the solution, I'm giving it ★★★★ for the entertaining reading/performance and the final twist that Stout gives the case. I'm tempted to give it just a little bit more for the added bonus of sharing the good time with my son.

First line: "Your name please?"

Last line: If you offered him ten thousand bucks to detect who swiped your hat at a cocktail party yesterday he wouldn't even bother to glare at you.

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Deaths = 2 (one run over by car; one crushed by statue)

Coronation Year

 Coronation Year (2023) by Jennifer Robson

It is 1953 and the year that the United Kingdom will see a new queen crowned. London is preparing to celebrate. Hundreds of visitors are expected and Edie Howard, owner of the Blue Lion Hotel, hopes that enough of them will want to stay at her establishment to help get the hotel back on its feet. The hotel has been in her family for generations and she doesn't want to see it fail. When she learns that the queen's route will bring her royal procession within feet of the hotel's front door, she's certain that her luck is about to change. Especially since she'll be able to charge well above the usual rates for guests to be so close to Queen Elizabeth II.

Edie isn't the only one hoping for a change in luck. James Geddes is a decorated war hero and a talented artist, but he needs a big break to make his mark in the art world. He gets his chance when a company on the processional route commissions a large painting to commemorate the day. This brings Jamie (as he's known) to the Blue Lion. A room fronting onto the street will give him the perfect view to help him create his masterpiece. Edie manages to provide a room with both a perfect view as well as a skylight to give the perfect lighting for an artist at work.

And then there is Stella Donati, a young Italian photographer, who has tried to break into the photography business. When an advertisement for "Photographer Wanted" appears in the London magazine Picture Weekly, she has little hope that they will want a girl from Italy with no professional experience. But the editor is impressed by the raw talent displayed in the portfolio of photos she sends and she finds herself in London. Her parents, lost to the Nazi concentration camps, were friends of Edie's family, so when Stella writes to ask for a room Edie is more than happy to give the girl a place to stay while she finds her feet. She's also going to be in the perfect spot to take pictures of the queen's procession.

But then...just when things are looking good at Blue Lion, a determined man tries to talk Edie into selling her hotel. And after she repeatedly turns him down anonymous threats centered on Coronation Day and the Blue Lion begin to appear. Someone wants Edie and her regular guests out of the hotel--but is it the thwarted buyer or someone else. Edie, Jamie, and Stella wind up risking their lives in their efforts to get to the bottom of the threats and save Coronation Day for the Queen...and for the hotel. 

This is a lovely look at the 1950s when Queen Elizabeth II was crowned. Terrific historical detail with a cast of engaging characters. I enjoyed meeting Edie, Jamie, and Stella as well as the regular guests in the hotel and the staff. And I wouldn't mind reading another story that featured them. The only real disappointment was the mystery portion of the story. It wasn't nearly strong as the basic story and historical details nor were there many clues to be had or much detection going on. If the mystery had been as well done as the rest of the story then this would have been a five-star outing with no questions asked. ★★★★

First line: A gale from the east had swept across the city late the evening before, scouring away the worst of the smog, and the rare sight of London's night sky had inspired Edie to open her curtains and raise the fraying blackout blind.

Last line: "I can't imagine anything better," she said, and she looped her arm through his, and together they stepped into the welcoming light of their bright and beckoning future.
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Deaths = 4 (two in concentration camp; two natural)

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