The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-04-18
Key Books

(THE QUEENS AWARDS edited
by Ellery Queen. collection of short
detective stories, published by Lit
tie, Brown and Co.. Boston. DAT pa
ges.)
When q reader plunges into .
detective story he feels he has the
unspoken promise of at least one
corpse delivered In the course of
the tale. He also does not expect
his adult reactions dulled in any
way by the odor Of the fifth grade.
For these reasons the first story
in the collection. THE Enemy" by
Charlotte Armstrong, leaves him
with the hah-done feeling that he
has eaten his cereal without
cream, his pancakes without sau-
sages. The taste Of his meal Is not
quite right because the ingredients
aren't all there.
First of all, the corpse IN this
tale is a dog. Regardless Of any
fondness the reader might have for
pooches, the dead dog Bones, falls
considerably short Of the anticipa-
ted human corpse. Besides that,
small boys play the multitudinous
private eyes under . pedagogue
sort Of fellow and grade school
teacher who have about them the
strong aroma Of guiding extra-cur-
ricular activities in the school yard.
The smell Of clapped erasers and
school lunches just does not jell
with the pattern the reader ex-
poets In this genre. Unless, of
course the teacher or the superin-
tendent of schools work themselves
into the featured role Of the corpse!
And to add to the irritation Of
the authors liberties with the ira
ditional, the master Ellery Queen
himself appends . United Nations
postlude to Charlotte Armstrong;
story. Attempting to add . little
more to the current deluge Of lit
erature on this excellent subject he
says. the detective story points
the way, teaches the lesson we
must all learn in order to achieve
peace on earth, good win toward
man. Truth is justice, tolerance,
and understanding by the people,
for the people, Of the people re-
CARELESS of race. color, or creed.
That, and that alone, Is the secret
of a United World the hope, and
the only hope. for better tomor.
row. :"
The other stories In the collection
do not have these postludes, and
most of them follow the traditional
patterns for the detective story. A
lot of the old guard storytellers Of
the past few generations are there
with their favorite story-brews. In
his woman Hunt No Good" Oliver
La Fargo dishes up his usual Ind.
ians, half-breeds, and anthrOpolo,
gists in the frame of the murder
story. Lord Dunsany brings bach
that rather frightful fellow who ate
his dead wife with two bottles oI
pickle relish. This time he is spy
ing for the Germans in s'The Mos
Dangerous Man in the World. and
IL looks rs III the author is saving
him for another comeback because
he was still healthy when the story
| ended.
| Violet Shore offers one called
Bye. Bye Bluebeard" which tells
about another frightful fellow who
induces lonely credulous women se
marry him, and then proceeds q
poison them. But as is the way with
such a tale, one corpse rises from
its grave TO bring him his just de,
serts.
| lTHE STRANGE CHILDREN b.
Caroline Gordon. novel published
by Charles Scribner 4 Sons, New
York City, 3o3 pages.)
This is o comparative rarity II
current fiction. q good allegorica
novel. And the allegory is so sub,l,
handled. the reader to whom ths
story is the important thing. vii
not be disappointed
| The action Is set in present day
Tennessee on q plantation ealles
Benfolly. Through the eyes Of Lac,
Lewis. aged nine, the reader see
the strange ehildren Of the title
They are. ca ore social level. tn,
cosmopolitan house guests al LII
cys parents: and On the ether. IL
Huy Roller tenants who are hold
lng . summer revival meeting O.
the grounds IL BenEolly.
| Even IS precocinas and sensitive
a child as Lacy Is puzzled hy III,
currents at mystery and euosiol
continually flowing through n
members of the hoast party. n,
reader. TOO. unless he Is very a.
iate nay be haiIiea until the rex
TO shc last page u the book, whsl
disclosure causes al TIE piece
10 drop beautifully lnto place.
his IS . novel distinguished :,
beauty ef language, q brilliant pos
rayal Of people, and . masterl
weaving and inter~savinx of AID
guTy ~tth a ahsorhiag strry. n !
. book nos over whoa ne final d 4
Is fanasAed. Bat renalns 10 !
| thoQghs sozn zxasu IA 49,.