New-York tribune., 1908-08-22
MORE MYSTERIES.
Pleasing Stories of Murder, Theft
and the Like.

and the Like.
M7.#s7 By so Eden Of PRposs and IpsEi hod
Bennett Illustrated by T. X. Hanna 12nlo, pp
$40. Morat Yard Co.
THE CIRCULAR STAIRCASE By Mary Roberts
e RnehI 5 s a The q56faGns Bobba rT FL copany p"
THE BLoTTING BOOK. By E F. Benson. 12rno,i
DID. 25 Doubleday, Page & Co
THE VOICE OF THE CITY & EgTtheT Ea1d Stories n9 Of
45. The Mcclure Company.
In the thick current Of stories about crime and
its detection any book in which Mr., Arnold Ben
nett had a hand could be depended upon TO bring
the reader new sensation The name Of Mr
Eden Phi1lpotts is placed first on the title page
Of The Statue" which they have written III
collaboration but 1T must be that the fantas-
ticaltty of the thing looked after by MT
Bennett II IS SO much In his vein IT IS 81
ike the kind OF thing he has done before in such
books as Hugo or 'The Grand Babylon Ho-
tel So Hike. and yet so fresh. SO unexpected
This clever Englfshn1an always has surprise
in reserve for his reader II this instance he
places ar the centre of his murder mystery as
whimsical motive as he has ever invented.
Carl Courlander is millionaire Of the type that
ia born to command veritable Napoleon Of
finance. He moves quietly, sI1avely. about his
portentous business Nations hang upon the
nod of his head-and he keeps them hanging
until Il suits him TO nod. Then he acts with
miraculous calm, diplomacy and power. Incl
dentaIfy he likes TO envelop his transactions
more or less in mystery and to bring of a coup
with dramatic effect He INDUCES his taste to
the full when he erects the monument which
gives this book it's title.
The statue is really something more than a
monument. Rising to height Of several hun
fi1a try
man # is fitted with an elevator. electric lights
and even room in which Courlander and a few
guests can comfortably dine. far above the
ground It is at a dinner in the statue that the
trouble begins England is interested in Ger
tain loan that may be made TO Morocco by
France or Germany. Whether she shall have
peace or war depends upon the nationality of the
lender. Courlander who is working for one
mower invites to his dinner Mr.. Crampiron' his
rival who is looking after the interests OF the
o+ber At the same table sits the Prime Min
lister of England Cour1ander triumphs- That
night he is found dead at the foot of his statue
WHO did the deed? That is mystery enough.
b,,+ tba authors of this story make matters
darker for the reader by dragging in the statue
That seemingly harmless affair has sinister
eacre+ all its own What is It? Let the reader
erd ont for himself All we need tell him is
that he will be we'll repaid for his trouble
The author Of THE Circular Staircase" does
NOT do things by halves. In the spacious coun-
nv horse devised as background for her story
oDe thrilling incident is only disposed OF 10 De
eo,,,,,,a5 bz another AS in THE Statue, much
da,a,ds upon the scene. Sunnyside as the
house in the book is called begins TO get on the
,e-ves Of the lady who leases 1t almost as soon
as she has settled down for the summer to make
cheerful home for her niece and nephew
Strange sounds are heard. The servants taik
- Ghosts Presently matters take an even
sraver turn A pistol shot breaks the stlllnesS
OF tfe night dead man Is discovered on liae
premises and when his identity Is settleo lhe
-,Io+ ,s thickened about so per cent AS for the
murderer. he not only evades capture but, after
rho ,,s,,s1 fashion fiction, causes innocent per-
80 20 ne s1spected Moreover, this crime is
- +Ls first in a swelling list Of disasters, all
,,ae+ finding out The spinster who is supposed
- fall the story has all she can do TO aVolo
b,-s+erics The man loved by her niece Is sus
,.c+Ad Of completely in the ruin OF the oahh
nth which be is associated Her nephe"
eyreatheart is plainly In love Win IlI'i' ou' -
s-,o on the point that she must heVertneleaH'
marry another man. doctor whom no proper
--.,.,,+.5 eirl could think OF enduring, Final
" IL any creature in the circle is possesS70 - "
10, which might lead TO a general clearance
:; sealed to a dreadful silence. BY
7 he
t. +ir,a the reader has perhaps surmiSeo 'iis l.
-,,o circular Staircase" is little prepostefouS
NJ are not most of these tales of hidden crime
-, % the charge? DO they make any the leSS
-, reading for that fact? TINS particular
-, 80, not he any more plausible than the
,o-,.,, of stories in its class, Dut II Is III
.-~s,.ah1,, more entertaining than the average
] "shocker" -,,.4,-. raool, =,
~ penson.s new story, '"Ths Biotting 6ooh'
a,,.s mn pretensions to being novel, - -
o.-ce1y, a novelette,. but, rather snort hloiS
/ Iorg drawn out. This does not MAKE 1t ieuiouS-
/ ON the contrary, the author treats MS suDJecI
so 5eftIy that the padding never troubles US OuI
! falls smoothly enough into place his centTai
eq,,r. is a dishonest solicitor who has been play
/ ,,z ducks and brakes with the fortune OF an un-
/ sr.necting young man. When, in order to save
himself from exposure, Mr.. Taynton hIlls It COLI
nsnient To commit a murder, he fngeniousIy coh-
,sxas that rircumstantial evidence shall actually
notut 70 Young Assheton- His plans work out
almost II not quite TO perfection. The innocent
man is arrested and brought 10 trial, and things
look black for him indeed But all this time the
/ god from the machine is waiting for the right
/ moment to appear-comfortably swathed Ia blot