Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-16
REVIEWS OF WINTER BOOKS
Constitution the Background of Monosraph-The Nerves
Fiction--A Volume Concerned With
Modern Scotland.

own contribution to the excellent
plan.
THE BENSON MURDER CASE. En-
S. S. Van Dine. New York
Charles Scribner's Sons.
IT is a rule that each new mystery
novel is heralded by It's publisher
as something strikingly different from
the familiar run of this bran4 of
fictional invention. 1t is equally the
rule that publishers fail to make eood
this promise to readers. Poe's ex
ample of basing mystery tales ulon
a study of the philosophy OF criIae
upon the psychology of criminals and
Of crime detection, has failed OF aty
distinguished following. SIR Coma
Doyle's later creation OF Sherloci
Holmes, deductive logician working
In this field, has produced little mora
than a host of feeble imitators
Therefore, despite fair promises OF
the one hand and inspiring examples
on the other, the mystery tale-popu-
lar as it is and for good reason is
bound to be-remains among novels
the most Slpshod in conception, the
least convincing in effect.
But every rule has its exception, 50
we are told 1.-THE Benson Murder
Case" actually does present so much
of departure from the routine I'm this
class of novels as to invite the reader
in good faith to it's consideration
There is a sustained motive here
taking the place of the odds and ends
of motive that characterize the aver
age of these romances. This motive
is to show finally the futility OF cir
cumstantial evidence and the posi-
BILE injustice of this instrument Of
pursuit. Other writer's have set out
with this motive. but others have not
held to 1t so consistently, have not
incorporated it so firmly in the fabric
Of the whole matter. as this author
has done. More than that, this con
trolling purpose has not run away
with the stOry.teller. For the 70
nance moves forward freely and alt
sorbingly. not openly diverted from
its course by any academic displsy
of the author in an overemphasis of
up the weakness of cirCumstantial
evidence.
THE FORBIDDEN TOWN. BY Mary
Gaunt, author of THE Mummy
J. Clode, Inc.
k3CNFI adventure set d-SOlH6 on ltit
west coast of Africa. A down-at-
heel rubber plantation, suddenly
brought into fresh notice by the new
demand for its product, becomes the
center of this general commotlon.
The place Immediately begins to hum
with the schemes of rival promoters.
with the desperate plots of a band OF
clear rascals, with the easily seduced
| fealtieS of a host of Superstitious ma
tives. The villainies of the plotters
and the credulity OF the natives create
| the legend of the forbidden town.
The situation calls plainly for man
| size hero. Not so long ago the novel
| list with this story scheme In mind
would have cast about for a brave and
| lusty young man to carry on here
| Not any more. This is a new day
| Therefore Miss Fabia Vrooman, young
| woman right off the top of the present
! high moment, sails away TO Wesl
| Africa, where she moves through this
litter of conspiracy and wickednesS
like q cleansing cyclone. Having
cleaned up the place, Miss F'abia pro
ceeds to run IL. And that's about as
far as she gets-for the young man
comes along. She'd rather be mar.
ried and keep house, after all. Here
is the hectic and improbable fight oil
a rioting Imagination whose only
grain of lasting truth lies in the color
less conclusion of the whole matter