ELLERY QUEEN – The Fourth Side of the Triangle. Random House, hardcover, 1965. Paperback reprints include: Pocket, 1967; Ballantine, 1975, 1979. Actually written by Avram Davidson, from detailed story outline by Fred Dannay. TV pilot: 23 March 1975, as Ellery Queen: Too Many Suspects (screenwriters: Richard Levinson & William Link; Jim Hutton as EQ & David Wayne as Inspector Queen).

   Ellery, confined to bed with two broken legs, is involved with a strange love triangle consisting of Ashton and Lutetia McKell, their son Dane, and Ashton’s “mistress,” Sheila Gray. Upon learning his father’s secret, Dane tries to interfere and becomes Sheila’s lover himself.

   When Sheila is murdered, the police arrest each member of the family in turn. After two dramatically ending trials, Dane’s parent are cleared, but a blackmailer implicates Dane, and he also is accused. Ellery’s deductions point to Ramon, the chauffeur, but he is only the blackmailer. It is Inspector Queen who discovers the final clue proving [the killer’s] guilt, one of his few triumphs over his son.

   Maybe Perry Mason can do it once in each of his stories, but [two trials are] a bit far-fetched. The second in particular is concluded with a million-in-one accident providing a surprise witness, hardly believable.

   The plot is rather clumsily handled through pages 80-83. Dane supposedly tells everything except his (first) attack, but the lack of reaction from his listeners makes it unclear if everything was told. But yet he must have disclosed both his father’s secret and his involvement, for both are implied later.

   In fact, they confront his father with the story a few pages later, yet again he also has a surprising lack of reaction, even though the complete story has not come out at the trial. Confusing indeed, though not vitally affecting the mystery, the solution to which can at least be partially guessed.

   Entertaining, but not completely satisfying.

Rating: 3½ stars.

– August 1967