Evening star., 1936-08-26
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
BY MARGARET GERMOND.

New York: Frederick A. Stokes Co.
Something more than mere entertain
ment for the thrill hunter Is offered in
this story of a stranger who sets out
single-handedly to break up in the Ma
tions big town racket that lies at
the root of organized crime and that
threatens the security Of society against
a form of gang rule which recognizes
no law save that dictated by the emer-
gency at hand.
Mr.. Strang's program Of extinction Is
directed at the racket Of parole. He lives.
not as man but as a mission, a mission
born of hatred for system that pro-
notes the killing of its enemies, and
dedicated to the killing Of that system.
Hatred and vengeance are mighty
weapons when put to use by man OF
dauntless courage and superior intelli-
gence. Mr.. Strang has devoted years OF
his life to preparation for the fulnllment
of his mission, and when he strikes
things begin to happen.
The story opens in an upper room OF
an office building where the body of
girl who has been tied, gagged and
tortured to death is being examined by
Inspector Barton and his homicide
squad. A closet In the same room Is
found to contain the body OF notorious
criminal, paroled convict who has been
free for only a few days. It is unmistak-
able that the girl has been murdered
by the convict, perhaps with the aid OF
pal, but the body of Leonard Faine
bears evidence that the mysterious Mr..
Strang was in the neighborhood OF the
crime.
Inspector Barton has gained in prestige
since Mr.. Strang became active in
criminal circles. Raids, arrests and con-
victions of notorious characters on parole
have been numerous. Mr.. Strang's in
formation has never failed and the in
spector has done his work and done 1t
well. But whether to trust or not TO
trust this strange man who has guided
him is a question he cannot determine.
There is no question in Strang's mind
of trusting Barton. He knows his man
to be honest, courageous and determined
never to dishonor the badge of his office.
Martin Quinn. boss of the parole
racket. is disturbed by the activities of
Strang. but he has a large corps OF
workers to call upon. If he needs a
killer he has q good one paroled and
assigns him to a job of murder But
terror begins to grip the underworld
when, one by one, men commissioned by
Quinn to kill Strang meet violent death
in the presence of the fearless stranger.
Resa Kent, beautiful girl whose mo-
tives are too deep for either Quinn or
Strang to fathom. cleverly works herself
into both camps, promising each OF
them that she wants the death of the
other Which one is she actually work.
ing for? The question keeps the reader
puzzled for a considerable part of the
story.
Other important characters include
politicians. stools, fences, policemen and
a formidable array of professional GRIM
inals, all of them engaged in desperate
race between the parole racketeers and
the man whose mission is to put an end
to a system which fioutS the forces of
law and order and makes o mockery
of justice.
AS thriller, the novel is one of the
best of the season, and is most certainly
Mr.. Days best.
THE PENROsE MYSTERY. BY R.
Austin Freeman. New York: Dodd,
Mead g. Co.
An eccentric Englishman, collector OF
anything that resembles an antique, fur
nisheS the mystery in this entertaining
tale of crime by completely disappearing
in circumstances that indicate run
away act to avoid trial for fatal road
accident.
Daniel Penrose is indeed queer char
acter, despite his kindly nature, his
generosity and his innate gentlemanli-
ness. His passion for collecting is but
one of the oddities for which he is
notorious He never calls people by
their right names, nor does he ever give
an object its proper designation. His
own home which is also the museum
in which he houses his large and ILL
assorted collection of antiques, is known
as John DAVIS Nest. The catalogue OF
his possessions is even craZier than the
things it is supposed to list.
A few samples from this amazing
catalogue are worth noting, as they have
an important bearing in the investiga-
ton of Mr.. Penroses disappearance. A
valuable and handsome gold brooch is
thus noted beside its number in the
catalogue: "SWeeney's resurrection" OPP
posite the number corresponding to that
on an ancient dish of Gaulish pottery
is written: Sammy. Pot sand. Sinbad."
Another treasure is listed as Carver,
Jul. Pop" A priceless gem is noted as
Lobster (Hortus petasatus)." And then
there is an important piece of broken
pottery, an ancient howerpot which ap-
pears in the catalogue under the cryptic
description Of Moulin vent. Julie
(Polly)."
When Daniel Penrose disappears an
embarrassing problem confronts his soli-
citor. The executor of Penrose's estate
is overly anxious for authority to settle
after several months of silence concern
ing the whereabouts of the missing man.
A reported robbery at the museum, he
believes, makes such action necessary.
The lawyer however, is beset by more
serious problem. Since the disappear
ance of Daniel Penrose his elderly father
has died, and the terms of the wills OF
both men make it necessary to deter
mine the younger mans whereabouts
before any move can be made to decide
who the proper heirs may be.
1t is for this reason that DR.. Thorn
dyke is called upon to find the missing
man. Having no acquaintance with
Penrose or knowledge of his repu-
tation, DR.. Thorndyke's first move
is to learn all that can be found
out about the man and his habits. The
museum and its robbery would seem to
have little to do with the case, inasmuch
as the robbery occurred after the dis
appearance of its owner. But it Is in
the tumble of unrelated objects in the
collection of man whose passion was