Thu 11 Aug 2016
Reviewed by William F. Deeck: RICHARD STARNES – Another Mug for the Bier.
Posted by Steve under Bibliographies, Lists & Checklists , Characters , Reviews[7] Comments
William F. Deeck
RICHARD STARNES – Another Mug for the Bier. Lippincott, hardcover, 1950. Pocket #858, paperback, 1952.
While Senator Philander Chance is on the Senate floor trying to get a natural gas pipeline bill enacted, Courtney Mandrel, gossip columnist and TV and radio newscaster, is at the U.S. Capitol preparing to unleash scandal about the bill. Someone on the Hill then puts an end to Mandrel’s muckraking.
Barney Forge, reporter for a wire service, finds Madrel’s body and moves it so a good guy won’t be accused. Forge then hies himself to Alexandria, Va., to consult Dr. St. George Peachy, elderly pathologist. In a complicated case with several other deaths occurring, one right in front of him that he was supposed to prevent, Peachy clears things up. Well, except for one or two details that I am still puzzling about.
I don’t know how good a reporter Forge is, but he is a delightful character, as are his wife; Haggis the Airedale; and Ewe-All the goat.
The Barney Forge & Dr. St. George Peachy series —
And When She Was Bad She Was Murdered. Lippincott, 1950.
Another Mug for the Bier. Lippincott, 1950.
The Other Body in Grant’s Tomb. Lippincott, 1951.
August 11th, 2016 at 8:11 pm
Those are great titles. I’ve always assumed that the books themselves were as light-hearted and humorous as the titles, but although seriously tempted, I’ve never read one.
Starnes also wrote a couple of spy novels in the late 60s, but the one I tried, I didn’t get very far with.
August 11th, 2016 at 8:37 pm
That bier pun was popular in that era. Frank Kane used it too in THREE SHORT BIERS. This sounds fun in the screwball school.
August 11th, 2016 at 11:30 pm
The Frank Kane book was A SHORT BIER, A Dell paperback. THREE SHORT BIERS was a mid-40s hardcover mystery by the soon-to-be-forgotten Jimmy Starr.
August 12th, 2016 at 8:55 am
I’ve read AND WHEN SHE WAS BAD SHE WAS MURDERED and THE OTHER BODY IN GRANT’S TOMB and they also had a (for me) welcome comic element.
August 12th, 2016 at 9:28 am
It’s definitely time I give one of them a try.
August 12th, 2016 at 12:18 pm
I don’t remember seeing this short review when Bill did it, so I’m glad you gave it to us here. I might try one of these.
August 12th, 2016 at 3:21 pm
I enjoyed THE OTHER BODY IN GRANT’S TOMB much more than the other two. But there is some good Washington atmosphere in this BIER tale.