G. H. TEED – The Mystery of the Film City. Sexton Blake Library #644, (New Series), UK, paperback, 1927. Available online here.

   One of the unique qualities of the British pulps was the scarcity of House Names. There were few Maxwell Grants, Kenneth Robesons, or Brant Houses, to be found. Most work was published under the real names of the writers involved, and even within long running series like the Sexton Blake series, writers had their own unique creations who appeared only in their stories.

   It was quite a cast too, E. S. Brooks’ (aka Berkeley Grey) Waldo the Wonderman (who so out performed Blake he threatened to drive him from his own series), John G. Brandon’s S. M. Pursivale, and a long line of heroes and villains like Secret Service man Granite Grant, Dr. Huxton Rymer, Gunga Dass, Dr. Ferrano, and Zenith the Albino.

   Here we have one of the more popular examples of the form in G. H. Teed’s former Yard man turned super-criminal George Marsden Plummer (lately Sacreel-Drooge, the Lion of the Mountains, chief henchman of Abdel Krim the Lion of the Riffs) and his personal Irma Peterson. Madame Vali Mata-Vali the French actress known as the Bird of Paradise. If you simply imagine George Sanders or Basil Rathbone teamed with Maria Montez you won’t be far off.

   Having recently been bested by Sexton Blake in Morocco and France Plummer is down on his luck and on the run as the book opens, though being Plummer that dire condition is accomplished on Madame Vali’s luxury yacht. the Thetis, while sipping champagne and indulging in his other carnal appetites. Still, he and Madame Vali need a big job, and England and Europe being too hot for them. an offer from a Hollywood producer to the seductive French actress offers a new venue.

   It seems that in not to distant times one Peter J. Constant (“Constant in name, constant by nature…”) proposed to Madame Vali, and being one of the richest men in Hollywood there must be a way the two can cash in. So with Plummer posing as Madame Vali’s manager Senor Machado the two sail West to invade the land of pools, palm trees, and movie stars.

   Things aren’t going to be simple though. Constant is currently on his fourth marriage to one Sonia Vensky, late of Warsaw, now a movie star at the very same studio where Madame Vali has had an offer, and Mrs. Constant is having an affair with her murderously jealous leading man, Paolo Posini. Throw into the mix Constant’s Japanese servant Soto, who Plummer recognizes as a thief and murderer, and the set-up is nearly complete.

   The portly Mr. Constant soon finds himself in deep waters when he renews his acquaintance with Madame Vali. He is willing to do anything for her, including divorcing the current Mrs. Constant. But before he can do that he has to liquidate his assets into bearer bonds he and Madame Vali can take with them to Mexico.

   Sonia and Paolo aren’t having any of that, and with Soto her paid spy in the household she is onto her husband. What she can’t know is that the blackmailed Soto, is now Plummer’s man. With a fortune in bearer bonds at stake Constant wakes up from a drunk at his beach house to find Paolo shot through the head, the gun lying beside him, and the bonds missing.

   Did he kill Paolo in a drunken stupor, or was he the intended victim of a crime gone wrong? The only certainty is the police are hot on his heels for murder. Before turning himself in though, Constant wisely shows up at the luxury suite where Sexton Blake, finishing a case for British clients, is relaxing before leaving Los Angeles for San Francisco. One mention of Madame Vali and Senor Machado and Blake and his young assistant Tinker are on the case.

   This is more pulp than classical detection, and there is a good deal of pleasant melodrama at hand, but there is a good recreation of the crime by Blake, some high handed business worthy of Sherlock Holmes or Philo Vance, a bit of rough stuff, and a fairly exciting chase through the mountains before Madame Vali and Plummer escape to strike another day, and Blake solves the mystery, saves his client, explains it all to friendly L.A. cop Morrison and a jury, and he and Tinker depart with a large fee in hand from a grateful and much wiser Peter J. Constant.

   That’s quite a bit of plot for ninety or so double columned pages. Admittedly we are told far to much, shown too little, and it all goes a bit arch at times. There are one or two uncomfortable moments reflecting attitudes of the times (and mild at that), and the American’s are caricatures, but all things considered it has more than a little charm, as do Blake and especially Madame Vali Mata-Vali and George Marsden Plummer, who you will likely find yourself pulling for despite yourself.

   It’s all done with such aplomb and audacity that it’s hard to fault it as the disposable entertainment it was meant as.