Evening star., 1933-08-16
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
THE MYSTERY OF THE CAPE COD
PLAYERS. By Phoebe Atwood Tay-
lor. New York: w. w. Norton g.
Margaret Germond.

PLAYERS. By Phoebe Atwood Tay-
lor. New York: w. w. Norton g.
Co., Inc.
Asey Mayo Is without doubt the most
unique detective in American mystery
fiction today. Though he cannot in any
way be likened to the late" Charlie
Chan, he is equally as extraordinary a
character and he possesses all of the
charm and fascination needed to make
him as popular and as lovable as the
famous Oriental
In the first place, Asey is a Cape
Colder, and in no other section of this
broad continent has there been SO lit
tie change of temperament and of that
elusive something peculiar to the natives
OF certain localities termed "atmos-
phere' as there has been in the down
east Yankee. One Of the unusual things
about Asey Is that he is not a regular
detective, and that he positively re-
fuses to become one. He Is well off
financially, and works or not, Just as
the spirit moves him. He is a good
carpenter and does not hesitate to en-
gage in that trade II he is disposed to
do So Also, he has substituted for the
chef at the Weesit Inn. He Is good
mechanic and sometimes works at a
garage. If somebody needs q lawn
moved, Asey mows it.
On more than one occasion Asey has
been offered an official position in the
county. His response to the offer was
Parker, I got a lot of respect for you
You're good arm of the lawr. even
admit they's good points to any p'rfes-
sion. I en- see where there'd be times
when it'd be a real pleasure to be a
gravedigger or a hangman." No arg1I-
% O
cept the job. Nowhere in the world
could such character as Asey Mayo
be found except on Cape Cod.
Following the same procedure In this
new novel as in her other two mystery
stories. the author gives second place
to delightfully."- fine and wholesome
woman some years beyond the period
Of youth, endowed with keen sense of
humor and plenty Of hard common
sense Mrs. Ballard is a widow, with
grown and married adopted son
whose chief characteristic is a domi-
nant disposition to manage his mother
his wife and every one else within
range
AS the story opens Mrs Ballard is
just coming through safely from a
siege Of pneumonia, and her son is
managing her into a vacation on Cape
has selected and engaged a house on
the cliffs beyond Weesit and is at
tempting with all his might to make
his mother accept the companions he
has chosen for her. She allows herself
to be persuaded TO go to the cape, but
she rebels at her sons choice of COM
panlons and takes along with her a
staff of her own choosing.
Arrival at Weesit affords only a dis
couraging outlook. The house is out
of sight and out of hearing of neigh
bors Of any sort and the pounding of
the sea is the only sound which breaks
upon the silence of isolation Night
has descended and utter loneliness and
desolation seems to have settled like a
smothering pail over the place But
being overly weary from the trip. and
knowing full well that daylight invaria =
bly, transforms the gloom of darkness
| into cheer Mrs. Ballard prepares tC
settle her little company into theil
rooms and herself go to bed. Strange
forces were at work already. however
and out of the fog and bleakness OF
the night comes a troupe of players
lost III the mist. the truck and van
in which they are travelling disabled
Knowing nothing Of the roads or OF
the people within the area in which
she is located Mrs. Ballard is unable
to give them directions and offers them
shelter for the night and food, which
they accept.
The next morning one of the mem
bers of this gallant band of strolling
entertainers is found murdered not far
from the front door of the house Asey
Mayo, on his way to deliver telegram
to Mrs. Ballard, is first to stumble upon
20 ~ fOv r. =
of a stroll before breakfast. is next
From this point the two work to-
eether on mysterious shooting which
nobody definitely heard above the roar
Of the pounding surf. and which mar
rows and widenS alternately in its
circle of suspected murderers until the
reader is more befogged than the
stunned and nearly terrified assort-
ment of people involved in the story
Clues range all the way from paper
clips and tooth paste to skunks with
the latter finally bringing to book the
perpetrator of a murder that was
planned to dun we'll"
For more than three hundred year;
| the family of Miss Taylor has been es-
| tablished on Cape Cod, and all of it:
members except herself were born there
She knows the Cape, its language its
| history, its traditions and its "atmos-
| phere" Her people are real, her plots
are exceptionally clever. and she is a
splendid story teller Her creation oi
.Asey Mayo was an inspiration, end al
ready ne gives promise of becoming the
most superior detective of fiction since
Charlie Chan.
THE BROKEN O. BY Carolyn Wells
Philadelphia: j. B. Lippincott Co.
With more than thirty feathers al,
ready in his cap of victory, Fleming
| Stone steps again into the picture as g
master solver of crime puzzles, this time
meeting the really most battling myster!
of his long and strenuous career.
! In the home of a wealthy family or
Long Island the last-minute plans ano
details of a large and brilliant we'd
ding are in progress. Everything take;
place according to schedule, and the
| happy bride and bridegroom begin theil
wedding journey by motor, going Soutf
! through Philadelphia and Washington
with Richmond, the ancestral home o.
! the groom. as the final destination be-
| fore returning to New York and settling
| down.
| Corey Maiden is fourteen years Older
than his lovely bride, is very wealthy
and enjoys wide circle of acquaint'
ances and friends all through the east
ern section of the country from Boston
to Richmond. In Washington he ha:
| a number of friends, and on their arri-
val in the National Capital they are
much feted and received. Returning
| to their hotel suite late at night, they
sit and talk for a few moments on 8
subject which Maiden has postponed
until the last ninute-hiS mother The
next morning they are to start for Rich
mond. and Perilla has to be told that
her mother-in-law is horrid malicious
and evil creature. Philosophically in
clined, Perilla is unconvinced thai
mother Maiden will not be lovablt
person, and determined to be happy
promises that she will make everything
all right. They stand with their arms
around each other for a good night
caress, and as he kisses her he col
| lapses and falls to the floor. dead
Death from an unsuspected heart weak
ness is the verdict.