Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-30
MYSTERY AND THRILL.
IN NEWEST NOVELS
Science and Myth Furnish En-
uironment for Some Strik-
ing Fiction

Edwin Balmer, who, in "Via Wire
less," ''The Indian Drum" and other
novels, collaborated with William Me-
Harg, goes on his own IN Resurrection
Rock" his new story, which projects
an exciting plot Of adventure, mystery
and surprise against the background OF
the great outdoors. The place Of the
title is small island off the Michi-
gan coast, Of limited and rocky acre
age and with an empty house on It..
The house is one of mystery. 1t is of
especial concern to the grandfather Of
girl whom the hero meets on his way
to the West, summoned to the local
ity by a strange message that reaches
him. The young man Is just returned
from the war overseas and the mys-
teries and hazards he encounters in his
new adventure are abundant enough
and thrilling enough to keep even a
somnolent reader wide awake. Mr..
Balmer has the element OF suspense well
under his control and his plot loses
nothing from it's constant recourse to
the unexpected.
"Who Killed John Theobald?" You II
have to read very ingenious mystery
detective story to find out. 1t is called
production Of Henry Smith Williams,
who is widely known for his popular
interpretations Of modern scientific dis
coveries and inventions. He develops
his plot with the strictest scientific ac-
curacy. yet not duly or dryly. The
temptation of writer in handling a
story of this type is to be too technical
in terms or abstruse in reasoning. but
DR.. Williams carefully evades anything
of the sort. The sun is literally n wit =
ness in the murder trial, following the
death Of John Theobald. That is very
definite testimony and is given by a
series of remarkable photographs which
contrOvert with absolute success well =
built up structure of circumstantial evi =
dence. BY the keen and unerring eye
of the camera the ultimate truth is re :
vealed and the Hfrailty of the human
reasoning powers and detective logic is
demonstrated. This is n story that will
delight even while it perplexes the
lover of ratiocination and ingenuity.
"IIidden Eyes is apparently first
novel. II 1t is a prentice work it Ger =
tninly has nothing amateurish about it.
The writer. Eric Levinson. is literally
"more than mysterious in his plotting
and development. as the books Jacket
annotates. His story Is also provided
with further asset in being engagingly
written. and with more of the love in :
terest than this school of story Gus
tomarily carries. There are criminals
in it and dark deeds, and the veil Of
secrecy. but through its curtain for
crime the Hidden Eyes penetrate. II
will furnish good evening for any
reader who wants to get away from the
routine. We say IAN" evening, for no
body will postpone the finishing Of q
perusal overnight.
Gerald Bliss has experimental sue.
ccssfully in the weird and uncanny in
1.-THE Door of the Unreal" 1t is a story
of the grotesque, the arabesque, the su :
pernatural and the horritic. Based on
the old idea of lycanthropy it makes
almost disturbingly credible the primi
tive belief in werewolves. The author
has keen faculty for devising anC
developing the mystic, the unreal ant
the ingenious. Terrifying nocturnal anC
supernal orgies, mysterious disappear
ances. the habits of the men wolves
all are part of the enthralling and com
plicated plot 1t may give the reader the
creeps, but he will want to read it tc
the startling end
THE DOOR OF THE UNREAL. BY GeralG
hsS NfX EYES Hsrk ~ g. Eric Sons
htui htdiananc,is: Robbs- Merrill Co, He''"S'n' IN
THE WITNESS OF THE sun. BY Henr,
Smith Williams. New York: Doubleday
RIlstRREcTIoN ROCK. BY Edwin Bal
mer. Boston: Little Brown Co.