MAGDALENE NABB – Some Bitter Taste. Marshal Guarnaccia #12. Soho Press, hardcover, October 2002; trade paperback, October 2003.

First Sentence:   The young man, Gjergj, just disappeared.

   An elderly woman believes a stranger has been in her apartment and asks Marshal Guarnaccia to visit her. Another case of a wealthy expatriate interferes. When he does, he discovers she has been murdered. The two cases involving the past, as well as Albanian and Jewish refugees, causes Guarnaccia to question his own judgment.

   For places we’ve not been, one tends to think of the idealized version of them. Nabb quickly dispels that image of Florence— “There were no words to describe Florence in July. … Breathing the same soup of evaporating river, car fumes, sweat, and drains day after day made you long to stay indoors where it was cool and clean.”

   Nabb gives one a real sense of the marshal. Without going into specific details, we know how he looks, as well as how he deals with, and is regarded by others. The types of complaints handled by the marshal seems universal. One also gets a look at his home life— “She held his head and looked down into his big, mournful eyes. ‘What is it, Salva?…’ As long as she kept hold of him and he could feel the vibrations of her voice it was all right.”

   It’s nice to have him referenced as Salva — one assumes short for Salvatore — by his wife, rather than always by his rank. That he is so self-deprecating— “‘He’s too clever for me.’ The captain sat back in his chair and looked hard at the marshal. ‘The prosecutor doesn’t think so, as I said.’ The marshal wanted to say, ‘You shouldn’t give the wrong idea about me, get up people’s hopes. It’s not right’” –while everyone else sees his skill and worth, is both interesting and rather unique.

   Although it appears there are two separate cases, the commonalities and the way in which Nabb finally weaves them together is so well done. While his superiors deal with the procedural aspects of the cases, Guarnaccia follows the actual clues. More than that, however, is his ability to what lies behind the images people present.

   Some Bitter Taste is a true mystery, rather than a book of high action. It’s a story of flawed people. The ending is a bit sad, but it’s real.

Bibliographic Note:   Magdalene Nabb wrote 14 crime fiction novels with Marshal Guarnaccia as the primary detective, the first published in 1981. She died in 2007, with the final book in the series appearing in 2008.

MICHAEL COLLINS – Shadow of a Tiger. Dan Fortune #5. Dodd Mead, hardcover, 1972. Playboy, paperback, January 1979; 2nd printing, October 1981 (shown).

   Michael Collins was the pen named used by Dennis Lynds (1924-2005) when he wrote about his one-armed Manhattan-based PI named Dan Fortune. Until, that is, Fortune packed up and headed for the far sunnier climate of California. Sunnier, but also a state with plenty of opportunity for a good PI to make a better than average living.

   All in all, there were 17 Dan Fortune novels and two short story collections. For much more about the author and a complete bibliography, check out this page on the primary Mystery*File website.

   Fortune was still living in New York City in this book, and in many ways the setting is an inherent part of the story, as he finds himself involved in the murder of a mild-mannered pawnbroker who seemingly had no enemies in the world. But his brother may have, having been much more active in the French resistance during World War II, and his brother has friends and acquaintances who may not be entirely friendly.

   The dead man’s daughter may also be part of the problem that Fortune must solve. She’s recently taken up with a young hoodlum from the far wrong side of the tracks. Figuratively speaking, of course, as the metaphor does not quite apply to Manhattan, but the social and economic boundaries are there all the same.

   Political, social and economic issues are always to the forefront in a Dan Fortune novel, so why should this one be different? What I also enjoyed, and even more so, was the any number of twists in the tale that Dan Fortune must unravel before he’s done with this one, a far better than average left-of-center PI novel. All without preaching. Quite an accomplishment.

NIGHT OF THE DEMON. Columbia Pictures, UK, 1957. Columbia Pictures, US, 1958; released as Curse of the Demon and shortened by 13 minutes. Dana Andrews, Peggy Cummins, Niall MacGinnis, Maurice Denham, Athene Seyler. Based on the story “Casting the Runes” by M. R. James. Cinematography by Edward Scaife. Director: Jacques Tourneur.

   The plot may be hopelessly incoherent, but the photography is amazing. Now, amazing isn’t usually a word that I would use when discussing cinematography. But it fits. With director Jacques Tourneur (Cat People, Out of the Past) at the helm and cinematographer Ted Scaife (Khartoum, The Dirty Dozen) behind the camera, Night of the Demon is elevated from what would have been a mediocre B- horror movie into a visually stunning work of horror cinema, albeit one that is not well served by its, confusing and disjointed story line.

   Psychologist and professional skeptic Dr. John Holden (Dana Andrews) arrives in England for an academic conference wherein he hopes to disprove the existence of the supernatural and the theories of occult leader Dr. Julian Karswell (Niall MacGinnis). Unfortunately, just prior to Holden’s arrival, the viewer learns that the world of black magic is all-too-real — at least in this movie.

   Rather than hinting at the possibility of the occult, or teasing the audience a bit, the filmmakers behind Night of the Demon evidently decided to show the audience the fire monster within the first ten minutes of the movie. The problem with this, of course, is that it takes away a great deal of suspense and makes Holden’s incessant arguments with his late colleague’s niece, Joanna (Peggy Cummins), about why witchcraft is all just a bunch of hokum even more tedious. And believe me, it’s not merely once or twice than Holden segues into a monologue why he is not superstitious.

   But lest you think I didn’t enjoy the movie at all, I assure you that, in many ways I did. There’s something cinematically magical about black-and-white horror movies like Night of the Demon. It’s in the way in which they create a whole universe all its own. An off-kilter world, a land of shadows and madness, the England that Dr. Holden finds himself in is a land that harks back to its pre-Christian past.

   England may be modern, but there’s an Anglo-Saxon past just underneath the surface. After all, the people who wrote cryptic manuscripts in runes had their own ways of thinking well before scientists like our protagonist Dr. Holden came along.

SPARKLE HAYTER – What’s a Girl Gotta Do. Robin Hudson #1. Soho Press, hardcover, 1994. Penguin, paperback, 1995.

   Hayter is a TV newswoman who has worked for CNN and WABC, and this is her first novel. She’s also been a standup comic. Would you believe I actually bought this, on a whim?

   Robin Hudson is a third-string reporter — fallen from better times — for ANN, a news network obviously modeled on CNN. In the process of being divorced from an unfaithful husband, she is not in the mood for a package of material from someone who has fond out a lot about her she isn’t particularly proud of.

   She’s supposed to meet the man at a hotel where the network is having a party, but he doesn’t answer his door. The next day he’s found dead in the hotel room, and it turns out he was trying to blackmail several of the network’s employees. But why, and who was he working for?

   Hayter does have a way with words — “dumber than a sack of hammers” and “a few bees short of a hive” were just a couple of phrases that caught my eye early on. I liked Robin Hudson, and I liked the quick, sure hand Hayter showed with the other characterizations. She writes a bit better than she plots, as is nearly always the case these days with first novelists. This one wasn’t egregious, though, and only broke down a little toward the end.

   I thought is was a strong contender for the First Novel Edgar most of the way through, and I’m not sure I still don’t. I liked Hayter’s maiden voyage a lot.

      The Robin Hudson series —

1. What’s A Girl Gotta Do? (1994)
2. Nice Girls Finish Last (1996)

3. Revenge of the Cootie Girls (1997)
4. The Last Manly Man (1998)

5. The Chelsea Girl Murders (2000)

WITHOUT LOVE. MGM, 1945. Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Lucille Ball, Keenan Wynn, Carl Esmond, Patricia Morison. Director: Harold S. Bucquet.

   When a wartime inventor comes to Washington, he finally finds a room with a young widow who is also a great admirer of science. He has had experiences with love; she has had enough love to fill a lifetime. Result: a platonic marriage. You can take it from there.

   While Tracy tries to be as hard as nails, and can’t, Katharine Hepburn combines a certain kind of buoyancy with girlish primness. In 1945 she was also extremely beautiful, and it’s worth wading through all the stagey dialogue and moth-eaten plot just to see her.

PATRICIA MOYES – Down Among the Dead Men. Henry & Emmy Tibbets #2. Holt Rinehart & Winston, US, hardcover, 1961. Ballantine U2240, US, paperback, April 1965. Henry Holt, US, paperback, 1986. First published in the UK as The Sunken Sailor (Collins, hardcover, 1961).

   When the Tibbetts go on vacation, murder a usual is not far behind. Invited by friends to go sailing for a week in the North Seam they discover themselves instead find the killer of a man temporarily marooned on a fog-covered sandbank.

   For a while in this book there is more talk about boating than I cared to know, but once the mystery begins, the at least full attention is paid to it. There are lots of clues, most very well hidden, and except for a middle portion which sags rather predictably, this is fine stuff.

Bibliographic Notes:   Henry Tibbett was an Inspector, later Chief Superintendent, with Scotland Yard. Somehow or another, his wife Emmy invariably found herself mixed up in many if not all of his cases. Nineteen of their adventures together were published between 1959 and 1993. Patricia Moyes died in the year 2000 at the age of 77.

CHRISTOPHER BUSH – The Perfect Murder Case. Ludovic Travers #2. Wm Heinemann, UK, hardcover, 1929. Doubleday Crime Club, US, hardcover, 1929. US hardcover reprints: P. F. Collier & Son; Grosset & Dunlap [no dates given]. UK hardcover reprint: Howard Baker Ltd, 1970.

   A letter sent to the London dailies and to Scotland Yard tells them that the writer, “Marius,” is going to commit the perfect murder. A second letter is transmitted giving further information, and then a third and final letter sets forth the night and in what area the crime will be committed.

   The murder takes place as outlined, and it indeed appears to be a perfect one. The murdered man is apparently detested by all who know him, including his nephews who stand to inherit a goodly sum. But while Scotland Yard’s investigation focuses on the nephews, each has what seems to be an unimpeachable alibi.

   What Marius had not counted on, however, is the interest taken in the case by Durangos Unlimited and its Enquiry Agency, aided and abetted by the curiosity and insights of Ludovic Travers. Without them, Scotland Yard would have remained baffled, despite the thoroughness of its investigation.

   This is an excellent example of a mystery from the golden age, well written and interesting. If I have any complaint about it, it would be that Travers is not more prominent throughout the book.

Bibliographic Note:   Ludovic Travers appeared in a grand total of 61 detective novels, spanning a time period of over 40 years, from 1926 to 1968.

CONRAD ALLEN – Murder on the Mauretania. George Porter Dillman & Genevieve Masefield #2. St. Martin’s Press, hardcover, December 2000; paperback, January 2002. Gerald Duckworth and Co Ltd, UK, softcover, 2002.

   If I can’t read a mystery taking place on a train, the next best thing is one that takes place on an ocean liner crossing either the Atlantic or the Pacific. It’s a happy combination of travel, limited access, and the proximity of new people to meet — and once a murder has been committed, a whole list of possible suspects.

   This second adventure in crime for the detective twosome of George Porter Dillman and Genevieve Masefield takes place in 1906 aboard the maiden voyage of the Mauretania, the pride of the Cunard Line — the biggest and the fastest at the time and for many years to come. They met in Murder on the Lusitania, the first book in the series and are now not only co-workers on board ship, but lovers as well.

   Conrad Allen certainly did his research before tackling this book, and it shows. Details of life aboard all three the ship’s passenger levels are described in detail, from the elegance of first class as compared to the cramped quarters of third.

   The book starts out leisurely enough, with the only crimes Dillman is required to investigate are some thefts of silver jewelry, and he very quickly has his eye on the most likely suspect. But after a hige afternoon squall, the man has disappeared. He’s nowhere to be found. Has it anything to due with a fortune in gold bullion the ship is also carrying?

   You bet it does.

   And lest you think Genevieve Masefield has nothing to with the story, her portion of the job is to mingle with the passengers in first class, and keep on eye on an elegant lady who seems to have nothing in common with the man who is masquerading as her husband.

   A long, nearly 300 pages of fine, sophisticated detective work. I think Dillman and Masefield could not help but love their jobs!

       The George Porter Dillman and Genevieve Masefield series —

1. Murder on the Lusitania (1999)

2. Murder On the Mauretania (2000)
3. Murder On the Minnesota (2002)
4. Murder on the Caronia (2003)
5. Murder on the Marmora (2004)

6. Murder on the Salsette (2005)
7. Murder on the Oceanic (2006)
8. Murder on the Celtic (2007)

NOTE:   Conrad Allen is but one of the pen names to have been used by British author Keith Miles, aka David Garland, Martin Inigo, Edward Marston, and Christopher T Mountjoy.

THEY CALL IT SIN. First National Pictures, 1932. Loretta Young, George Brent, Una Merkel, David Manners, Helen Vinson, Louis Calhern. Director: Thornton Freeland.

   The biggest attraction this small unprepossessing pre-Code film has is luminously beautiful Loretta Young, only 19 years old at the time and an actress you just knew was going somewhere, even in 1932.

   It’s kind of a silly film, but with themes I’m sure resonated with audiences at the time, in the depths of the Depression. When a traveling salesman of sorts (David Manners) hits a small town in Kansas, he’s already engaged to a girl back in Manhattan, and he has no idea he’ll find himself so completely smitten by the girl he finds playing the organ in church on Sunday morning.

   Her parents have small town values, but Marion Cullen doesn’t share them. There is a reason for that, which I won’t go into, and she sees in Jimmy a way to leave her particular small town behind, and she does, following him to New York, thinking that he loves her.

   Which he does, deeply, but as I mentioned up above, he already have a fiancée, and reluctantly he does the honorable thing. But what this does is leave Marian on her own in the big city, a theme of forbidden fruit, I imagine, to small-town audiences.

   She does all right, though, and I doubt that you will be surprised to have me tell you that. First she hooks up with another would-be Broadway starlet named Dixie Dare (Una Merkel), but then has to fend off the advances of a lecherous but well-known producer.

   Nor is he the only one. A doctor friend of Jimmy (George Brent) has his eyes on her, too. Beauty, it seems, is not to be denied.

   It is around this point of its running time that the film takes on a somewhat darker tone, but even though this film has been released on DVD as part of a box set of pre-Code movies, there are only hints of really dastardly stuff. We do get to see the charming Dixie Dark romping around in her room in her lingerie, though, which is a fact that seems well worth mentioning. Mostly, though, this is entertaining fun, a film that today would be hard-pressed to even make it into the PG category.

BASIL HEATTER – Virgin Cay [+] A Night Out. Stark House, trade paperback; 1st printing, July 2017. Includes Virgin Cay (Gold Medal, paperback original, 1963) and A Night Out (Popular Library, paperback original, 1956). Introduction by Steve Lewis.

   The book actually needs no introduction, not if you’ve read my reviews of the two paperback novels that comprise this just published reprint of both, here:

https://mysteryfile.com/blog/?p=47342

and here:

https://mysteryfile.com/blog/?p=47173

   Of course, you could go back and read both reviews and then buy the Stark House combo, which not too surprisingly, if you think about it, I do recommend.