The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-08-18
BY WALTER d. HICKMAN

DID you ever run up against
~ mystery novel that just made
YOU go wild because of the writing
tricks of the author?
II YOU never have, I am quite sure
that will be your reaction to The
Prime Minister'S Pencil" by Cecil
Ware. who wrote The Figure OF
Eight"
The trick used by the author this
time in retarding action and en-
phasizing every detail Of the plot
belongs to The Strange Interlude"
family because Christopher Perrin,
An investigator of crime, allows the
reader TO think" with him as he
assemblies his facts and clews.
had the impression that this
''interlude" trick slowed up the &C
ton and it made me impatient and
yet it held my interest every second.
An interesting thing about this
novel is that the title is the key to
the mystery Before you reach
Page 10. YOU have the knowledge
that the prime minister of England
was killed in his Office by his own
pencil or the pencil he was sharp
ening
You say this is not so exciting
Will grant that, but it is the way
the author permits Perrin TO solve
this mystery and weave a chain of
exciting events as we'll as interest
ing characters which gives this
novel most of its entertaining values.
At the beginning. the reader is
not concerned with the prime min
lister or his pencil The first thing
of Importance that happens is the
sudden and strange death of Mr..
Solway. secretary Of the Sir Ethel
red Rushburton, member of
parliament.
Sir Ethelred does not report the
murder" of his secretary because
all official reports show that he
died of sleeping sickness.
You cay that this method of
death in no way has any relation to
the murder of the prime minister
as he was calmly sharpening his
own pencil.
Will grant that but those respon-
sible for Solway's death and the
attempt upon the life of Perrin
himself are the members of pow
erful ring.
This ring embraces as member
ship great doctor and scientist
who is so skillful that he can call
the atom brother" And it is the
atom-Oh. well. just must not give
away the plot You wouldn't thank
me for doing it.
Perrin belongs TO the thinking
type of an investigator or private
detective. He permits you TO get
into his confidence and he thinks
out loud so you can hear his most
secret thoughts.
And one thing-the author does
not tag on Hollywood ending for
the detectives. No romance for him
with would-be-h there
really isn't any heroine) because
Perrin is married although you
never meet her.
The ending Of the mystery comes
rather sudden but not when you re-
call that you have heard Perrin
thinking for $50 pages.
The Prime Minister'S Pencil is
published by the H. C. Kinsey e.
Co. Inc. and sells for So 1t is
comfortable and different detective
reading.
Suppose YOU would receive a let
ter from Houghton- Mifiin Com
pany. publishers. of Boston. and the
letter stated that this letter con-
tanned deaths head"
II l had not noticed from whom
the letter was. I probably would
have yelled police" saw no
deaths head" and so l read on.
Hold a match under the center
Of this letter and watch the deaths
head appear"
I did as directed and the head
appeared. In other words. here is a
clever way of telling me that
Houghton- Miffiin soon will publish
Death Behind the Door" by Vic
tor MacClure.
This is mighty clever. Now ]
want to read the book. This invis-
ible ink mystery is mighty clever.
LINERS are 'reviving" old and
successful books. Meaning that new
editions are being prepared. Hough-
-Mifiin announces a new edi-
ton Of "A Circuit Riders Wife" by
Cora Harris. This book was pub
lished twenty-five years ago and
the author has received over fifty
thousand letters in regard 10 her
photographer novel. As you re-
call. IL is the story of a wife Of an
atar,nrnr,f Afni Ii. = 3. Il.