The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-06-05

plot. >The setting-high society cir cles--is unusual for this type of nc- ton, but it rings true and is not of the stage.
 MT. CrapbS is an author who has just arrived. His style is delightful, ana he brings to this field fresh touch that will be gratifying to, many read CTS of mystery stories.
 WIND ALONG THE WASTE" By Gladys E. Johnson. The Century Company, Publishers, New York City. Absolute distraction from the com ,mon affairs of life one asks of a mys- tery tale One has it here. The breath Hess interest with which one follows from page to page the swift gathering of mystery about lonely house on the California shore in which three women, two children, Chinese servant and an Iostensibly war-crippled man come to 1 live, the complete abandonment of one self to the interest of the plot Is a gift 1 of price to one who has turned as the keenest minds do, to the diversion of a good mystery story.
 The gathering to a climax of thrill- ing power is steady and the exotic ele- ment which at last reveals itself as the cause of all the inexplicable happen ings is fresh and weirdly fascinating.
 
 consequence of a wild,deed in the past life of the strange, strong woman who rules the house--a deed accomplished with the dash and daring of a man-in the years long past when she was a missionary in the Gobi desert
 It is never fair to give the plot of the mystery story away the reader is cheated of his speculations the writer of his ultimate surprise. But 1t is pos- | l-r t- AL ~I~1 .oHH HH..n ated by the wild sand dunes of the Pa cific coast the pervading roar of the sea, the weather tortured house, of the interest gripping and unusual character of the dark -browed woman who Is the chief protagonist; of the sympathetic personality of the delightful woman who tells the tale; of the altogether convincing love story which develops among the alarms and bewilderments
 GHOSTS,
 By Arthur Crabb. The Century Com-
 pany Publishers, New York City. l No author of mystery stories ap- breaches so nearly the Sherlock Holmes l of grateful memory as does Arthur Crabb creator of Samuel Lyle. This huge, loose -Nmbed lawyer, psycholo- gist and great-hearted lover of his fel- low man is not an imitation of Sherlock l Holmes or or any OIHeT uHTdVelcT Oi fascinating mysteries But MT. Crabbs s ease of style, his distinction. his urbane humor his use of psychology in achiev- ing his results, and his freedom from melodramatic fuss and nonsense recall the great popular successes of Conan Doyle.
 Ghosts" is a mystery story; it is at I the same time charming love story The two themes are naturally bound to- gether and run parallel courses until the highly satisfactory conclusion. The setting is quiet, restful seaside resort frequented by fashionable people who are not noisy. Going there for a vaca- l tion, Sam Lyle runs into mystery drifting away unsolved and an appeal ing love affair drifting into disaster. The best that is in him is challenged; | and he rises to the challenge with re- suits that will delight thousands of 1 readers.
 The mystery theme of the story is concerned with the theft of tremen- dously valuable collection of jewels and especially with how they could, in | the circumstances. have been stolen al all: And tho method by which sam Lyle finally makes it all as plan as day ] Us as natural as it is surprising.