Books: Murder

The ghastly corpse sprawls on the floor, a curious dagger still quivering in its side. The wall-safe gapes open−gone the twin heirloom emeralds, gone the royal Russian ruby. A slip of a girl cowers by the curtain, hand to throat, wide eyes glued to the horrid spectacle. Thunderous knocking at the door−the police! Quavering housekeeper opens; gusty storm blows her grey wisp of hair, flash of lightning glitters in her twin green (emerald green) eyes. Blustering sergeant finds cigaret case initialed J. S. “A plant,” sneers John Smith, master detective, who has appeared suddenly in their midst. “Forged!” he leers again, as the sergeant unearths a wallet stuffed with bills. A low moan from the upper hall; the police lumber up to find another body: the ambassador’s son. Detective Smith goes to the phone: “Give me transAtlantic, operator−I want Scotland Yard.” . . .

To the general public Scotland Yard stands for all that is masterly in criminal detection. So much so, in fact, that the best-selling detective stories involve Scotland Yard; the second best contain the word murder in the title; and the rest trail far behind. Such are the findings of the American “Crime Club,”* a smart bookselling racket conceived by Nelson Doubleday, smart son of a smart father. As an advertisement, he mails to club members or prospective members a pink sheet of mystery-story news luridly modeled after the gumchewer dailies. But it is mailed to no gumchewers; rather to portly smokers of Corona Coronas−bank presidents, railway magnates, lawyers, Senators, and even a presidential candidate. Woodrow Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt were notoriously addicted to mystery stories; so also Dwight Morrow, Stanley Baldwin, Arthur Hadley, Herbert Hoover.

Of the tremendous output of detective stories a goodly number attain the high standard of sportsmanship which gives the amateur sleuth a pleasantly difficult chance of spotting the criminal. Follows a list of recent good mysteries:

THE MYSTERY OF THE BLUE TRAIN−Agatha Christie−Dodd, Mead ($2).

Society woman murdered en route to Nice−for love, for money, or for famous rubies?

THE BLACK HOUSE IN HARLEY STREET−J. S. Fletcher−Doubleday, Doran ($2).

An underworld gang robs the peerage of its diamonds and yachts, conducts terrific hypnotism, torture, explosion.

THE CLEVER ONE−Edgar Wallace−Doubleday, Doran ($2).

Two foul murders pointing to a young etcher set benevolent Detective Bourke on the trail of an international forger of banknotes.

DEEP LAKE MYSTERY−Carolyn Wells−Donbleday Doran ($2).

A Wisconsin corpse is decorated with larkspur, feather-duster, oranges, and chiffon−is his charming niece the artist?

THE SIX PROUD WALKERS−Francis Beeding−Little Brown ($2).

Death lurks on bright Italian highways and in dingy catacombs; political assassins and oil intrigues are tracked down.

THE MURDER OF MRS. DAVENPORT−Anthony Gilbert−Dial ($2).

A famous beauty of questionable reputation is found strangled, clutching three black clues. Lovers’ quarrel? Blackmail?

THE SEA MYSTERY−Freeman Wills Crofts−Harper ($2).

Mutilated body packed into a crate and set adrift, but there is a triangular birthmark−and a love affair.

WHO KILLED GREGORY?−Eugene Jones−Stokes ($2).

A dead enemy provides blood-curdling Cuban spooks, but the author ingeniously produces a flesh-and-blood murderer.

THE MYSTERY OF LYNDEN SANDS−J. J. Connington−Little Brown ($2).

One mysterious death, one sure murder, one burglary, one mutilated face, and one lunatic−a thriller, though logical.

THE PATRIOT−A. E. and H. C. Walter−Dutton ($2).

A philosopher and a psychiatrist goad-the police on the trail of a hypnotic maniac, but involve a peroxide blonde on the way.

THE DIAMOND ROSE MYSTERY−Gertrude Knevels−Appleton ($2).

Female bandits like Two-Gun Tittle and Kangaroo Kate conduct a reign of terror in Greenwich Village whilst a more charming female looks into the murder of her revivalist uncle.

* In London two distinguished social clubs for criminologists, lawyers, psychiatrists, are the Crime Clubs, Jr. and Sr.