Wed 15 Jun 2016
Reviewed by William F. Deeck: LENORE GLEN OFFORD – Clues to Burn.
Posted by Steve under Authors , Reviews[5] Comments
William F. Deeck
LENORE GLEN OFFORD – Clues to Burn. Duell Sloane & Pearce, hardcover, 1942. Mercury Mystery #186, digest paperback, abridged, 1953.
After the Electrical Dealers’ Convention, at which Bill Hastings discussed Priorities and Coco was an Electrical Widow, the two of them were looking forward to a quiet time on Sally Dudley’s rustic island — coal-oil lamps and outdoor plumbing — in a remote part of Idaho. Little did they know that others would show up to strain the food supply and the festivities and commit murder.
Having investigated an earlier murder, Coco is eager, for the most part, to find out who killed the woman no one seemed to know. But, as the book’s title states, there are clues to burn — a bloody fingerprint, footprints, cigarette papers, etc. Is the murderer playing games with Coco, or is the shrewd killer planting, if such a thing can be done, red herrings?
A fine husband-and-wife team in an amusing and richly clued — but which are real? — mystery.
Bio-Bibliographic Notes: There was one earlier adventure of Bill and Coco Hastings, that being Murder on Russian Hill (Macrae-Smith, 1938). Besides writing six other mysteries, four of them with mystery writer turned amateur detective Todd McKinnon, Lenore Glen Offord was the mystery book critic for the San Francisco Chronicle for over 30 years.
June 16th, 2016 at 11:27 am
Offord was also one of nine authors contributing to the writing of The Marble Forest (apa The Big Fear in paperback) as by Theo Durrant. Among the other nine contributors was Eunice Mays Boyd who wrote Murder Wears Mukluks, surely a leading candidate for Best Mystery Book Title, Alaska Division.
June 16th, 2016 at 1:42 pm
Bill
The book, alas, didn’t live up to the title, at least not for me. Very ordinary.
June 16th, 2016 at 1:33 pm
I knew Offord as a critic and always meant to sample her fiction but never did. Now I regret that.
June 17th, 2016 at 4:23 pm
I remember when Ellen Nehr championed three-named female writers. On July 6 I’ll be reviewing Ancient Egyptian Supernatural Tales by someone you might be familiar with: Jonathan E. Lewis! I’ve already read this fine anthology and enjoyed it!
June 18th, 2016 at 12:01 am
I’m glad you did, George. It’s a book everyone should buy. In my opinion, of course!