The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-10
Literary Lights and ShadOhs
BY s. MAYS BALL.

of dirty politics that most of us will live to see all over the United States. MT. Crewe's Career is a very delightful novel.
 "The Silver Blade" by Charles E. Walk
 GA. c. McClurg & Co.)
 Now to your readers who just must have something which will keep you on the jump, sitting or standing, this re- view department presents 'The Silver Blade.' If there is any other book which has more mystery within 407 pages than has "The Silver Blade" then instead of being from Missouri where people have to be shown, this review department halls theoretically speaking, from Texas, where. You have to put in my hand and let me hold it.
 This book is thriller from way back wonder. It comes just as did those de- scribing our old friend "Deadwood Dick when exciting things happen on every page. Alberto de Sanchez was rich Mexican who was visiting in the south. Sanchez loved and wished to marry Miss Joyce Westbrook, but Joyee's brother, as some brothers will very foolshly do at times, objected to this love mutch. This brother, Dr. Westbrook, was a prominent physician in southern city. Sanchez pays a call on Dr. Westbrook one after noon just about dark. The first thing the doctor knows or tells about this call from Sanchez was when the latter fell headlong into the doctors office with the silver blade sticking in his jugular vein. Sanchez quickly dies and friend of Westbrook calling to see the doctor finds him standing over the dead body of Sanchez with another man looking on. This last visitor to Dr. Westbrooks office hurres to the police headquarters. re- turning with Captain Converse, the most remarkable detective of recent fiction It is in this way that '"The Silver Blade opens There is no clue to the murder, there is no reason on earth why Westbroo< should have killed the Mexican beyond the fact that he didn't wish his sister to marry the murdered man, but no man could or would go around killing off every man who wanted to marry so 'beeyooti- ful'' a girl as Joyce Westbrook Perish the thought. We'll old Converse, the greatest detective in the world, more or less, became immediately busy hunting clues A page of this paper could not adequately work out to any ones sats- faction the mystery even at the begin- ming of this exciting thriller. And as it continues for 407 pages, no reviewer would ever have the time much less the inclination, to write it all out. Then. too, the only charm connected with detec- tive story is not to know the answer. So all one could conscientiously say here is that "The Silver Blade will keep one busy, if one likes detective tales. The fact that Dr. West brooks father was killed soon after the murder of the Mexi- can Sanchez only adds double ply mys- tery, the book is just full of it.
 All of this happens in a southern city. This review department cannot tell you what city it is that is made famous because it doesn't know. The book is handsomely produced by A. c. McClurg & Co.,, who really have a habit of get ting out handsome books. The Silver Blade is illustrated in colors by A. B. WenzelI, ar artist of reputation who does sometimes draw and paint men and women or 10 feet high with heads on them of the right size for a feet high human heinz a