Books: Third Act

Good-looking, poker-faced Helen Wills Moody, eight times women’s singles champion, having tried her hand at tennis (with some success), at art (with somewhat less), finally decided to try it at a detective story.* Her heroine: Betty Dwight, good-looking, poker-faced, five-times women’s singles champion, who faces Mexican Challenger Marie Azarin, at Wimbledon, only to have Senorita Azarin drop dead on the court. Significance: in Mrs. Moody’s hand the racket is mightier than the pen.

*DEATH SERVES AN ACE—Helen Wills & Robert Murphy—Scribner ($2).