Evening star., 1947-12-07

Out ILlclI GllnG-LcSLca
puzzlerS, a few pioneers try
TO entice the readers with
variations on the classic theme.
This year has proved no excep-
ton. In fact, one publishing firm.
motiyated by the lofty aim of getting
better writing into crime stories, has
encouraged its authors to produce
novels of suspense" rather than
straight WhodunitS.
This policy has produced uneven
results, Some of the highly touted
suspense stories have been above
average. Others. to put it bluntly,
have produced more yawns than
shivers
And the readers, according to the
book sellers and rental librarians,
go right on asking for such old re-
tables as Erie Stanley Gardner,
Mignon Eberhardt, Dashiell Ham
NETT. Raymond Chandler, Patricia
Wentworth. Elizabeth DAILY, Ellery
Queen, Agatha Christie. Rufus King,
John Dickson Carr and Mary Rob-
erts Rinehart. They still inquire
wistfully foF Dorothy Savers, though
she hasn't produced mystery story
since prewar days.
Readers Look for
Pet Authors First
The readers. according to the
book sellers, go primarily by authors
names. Secondarily, they will ask
for spy story, something funny"
a whodunit with love interest or a
blood dand-thunder thriller.
Fortunately the year has produced
sufficient variety to fill all demands,
although the number of really top
flight puzzlers can be counted on
two hands.
The year also has been notable for
its anthologies. There have been
more and finer collections, ranging
from the regional series of American
true crimes to contemporary &C
counts of early English bouts with
evil
True Grimes From
The American Scene
Issued about the same time, "The
Fatal Caress," edited by Richard
Barker, and "Villainy Detected"
edited by Lillian de la Tore, come
near to being must" reading for
the connoiSSeur of crime The
former, containing % accounts of
English murders from 1551-1888, is
prefaced by Anthony Boucher and
highlighted by the editors waggish
Introduction to each tale. Miss de la
Tore confines her collection to the
criminals that blotted the name
of Britain in the years from 1860 to
1900" Her villains range from
pirates to highwaymen, all pictur-
esquely portrayed in ballad and
story.
For those who prefer true crimes
drawn from the American scene,
the page one murders" of Los
Angeles. San Francisco, Charleston
and Cleveland have been collected in
book form. The writing is some-
times spotty but the authors who
have contributed to these collections
have caught the flavor of each
period and the background that dis
tinguishes crime of passion among
the azaleas from a greed-motivated
murder in San Francisco fog.
Mr.. Queen has turned out three
anthologies this year-all Of them
worthy of a place on your bedside
table. The first, "l01 Years Enter
tainment." is a 1.000-page collection
with all the best known sleuths from
Poe's c. Augustin Dupin to Ham,
mett's Sam Spade. The second,
Murder by Experts" includes the
favorite stories of 20 members of
Mystery Writers of America and
their reasons for the selection in
each case. The third, THE Queens
Awards. 1947," is a collection Of
prize-winning detective stories.
AS for the mystery novels, Hllda
Lawrence retained her high place
among the suspense purveyorS with
"Death Of a Dell" In it, the reader
follows Ruth Miller, mousy sales
girl, through her terror-laden efforts
to escape from Hope House, home
for working girls. Miss Lawrence
can make step in the hall, the ring
of telephone. an innocent CONVEX
Sation so replete with menace that
reading her work is nerve-shat-
tering experience.
Enough Suspense
To Set You Wild
Also heavy on the suspense, but