The Professor Knits a Shroud

 

The Professor Knits a Shroud (1951) by Wirt Van Arsdale (Martha Wirt Davis)

Professor Pedro Jose Maria Guadaloupe O'Reilly y Apodaca, professor of anthropology and commonly known as Uncle Pete, finds himself in the middle of a dreadful tangle of murder when he accompanies his courtesy niece Kay and her husband Niles Carter to their farm near New York City. the mystery really began before they left for the country. First, he sees Kay out in the city and she's looking drawn and worried. Then Niles, a publisher, brings him a short story written in Spanish and only wants the professor to give him an oral translation. But he won't explain where it came from or who the writer is.

Speaking of writers--the Carters have been renting their farmhouse to the famous writer, Henri von Fliegel, the man who put Niles' publishing business on the map. Von Fliegel was supposed to be returning to California, but he insists that he must stay until he finishes his current book--which may take another month or two. Kay is none too pleased and the professor soon finds out why. She suspects Niles of having an affair with the author's secretary, a cool beautiful blond by the name of Marita.

Kay isn't the only one who'd rather that von Fliegel left as originally agreed. It seems the writer is disliked by nearly everyone in the area--except for the irritating Mrs. Costigan who hopes the author will help her with her own writing aspirations. So, when von Fliegel is found shot to death in the Red Room (which he has been using as a study) the police have plenty of suspects. Perhaps Niles killed the author because he was interfering with his plans for Marita. Or maybe it was Minnie or Harry, the Carter's caretakers, who had had run-ins with the new tenant. There's also Larry, von Fliegel's nephew, who may have hoped to inherit some or all of his uncle's wealth. There's a hint that Marita may also have wanted to be rid of her employer. Freddie Costigan is a crack shot and seemed mighty put out at how much time his wife was spending with von Fliegel, so just maybe it was him. While the police keep changing their pick for prime suspect, Professor Apodaca sits and knits socks--the one activity that helps him think through puzzles (last count he had knitted 2,736 of them). When the Costigan's little girl starts collecting spent bullets, the Professor begins to see his way to the end of the case. 

So, this was an unexpected pleasure. I went into it blind save for knowledge that a professor featured as the amateur sleuth. I had come across the title at some point when looking around for academic mysteries. And I can't resist a new-to-me author in the academic mystery field--especially a vintage mystery. This was Van Wirt's first and only mystery--perhaps more had been planned, but she died unexpectedly of a heart attack the year following publication--and she shows great promise in her debut. Her plotting well done and she certainly throw plenty of red herrings across the trail. It's not her fault that I wasn't fooled by them--I latched onto the culprit right away and never let go. The professor is a lovely character and I thoroughly enjoyed his method of detecting and aiding cogitation. His interactions with various characters and particularly little Jeannie Costigan were great fun. My one complaint about him is how long it takes him to remember where in print he has seen Rache before. A man with such an interest in detection would surely remember Sherlock Holmes a little sooner...But overall a delightful academic mystery.  ★★★★

First line: Pedro Jose Maria Guadaloupe O'Reilly y Apodaca, B.S., M.A., Ph.D., leaned over and carefully sprinkled a scoopful of caned coal on the fire in the tiny grate.

Last line: "I guess he never will learn to look at a thing a second time."

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Deaths = 4 (one shot; two natural; one car accident)