The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1953-06-03
KY Books
BY A. de T. Gingras

(THE CROOKED MAN by Shelley
Smith, crime fiction published by
Harper and Bros. - E. SSrd Street
New York City,
If any male reader of mysteries
has secret desires to do injury to
an irritating female in his own or
anybody's else's household, the
reading of this book by the English
writer, Shelley Smith, should have
a cathartic effect.
Thomas Bates, the petty theie
and murderer in the story is the
nastiest, meanest fellow on this
side or any side of Piccadillg
square. The author selects some
of the most gutleSS and helpless
of females, and sizes on them the
sinister Bates. The villain appar.
emily hasn't gathered a single
scruple from any pulpit or mother
knee, and goes 10 work on the
ladies.
Of course, Bates has his minor
setbacks, but be succeeds suffi-
GENTLY TO give any exasperated
male reader satisfaction. In fact
when the author attempts to give
little contrast In the middle Of
the book by having a slick fake
countess put one over on the In
defatigable Bates. he becomes a.
result a little ratified in his
images. Mr.. Smith says. cher
eyes like wet caramels chung to
him stickily for q moment. !"
and a page over says the same
girl gave him the teeniest wink
of her bold black eye. - Unless,
Of course, Mr.. Smith was thinking
Of that confectionery rarity hcor-
Ice caramelsl
Mr.. Smith makes no attempt to
psychologieally explain Thomas
Bates, as has been increasingly the
tendency of writers Of crime fic-
ton. And no grays on Author
Smiths eanvasl He paints IN
blacks and whites. Thomas Bates
Is q rat, an inexcusable, souless,
and low-down rodent.
When an English author por.
trays a petty thief, the fellow
somehow has a few extra refine
ments Of sordidness, which have
never been equally portrayed
the American. Thomas Bates Is
another illustration. This pele
thief peculiar to the British Isles
is the antithesis to the Robin Hood
and brave highwayman tradition,
also British. He Is urban, warped.
vicious. a part Of the stencil of
London or other large metropolitan
area.
Perhaps Che reason the Ameri-
can crime story writer hasn't done
80 well with this type Of fellow,
is because petty thievery has
somehow never been an oyerwork-
cd fiction springboard for The writ
eF on this side Of the Atlantic. In
general the favorite American
criminal Is The gangster or thief
playing for big stakes, and a iar-
eesse enters into the Americans
authors thieyery patterns.
DRAG THE DARK by Frederick
C. Davis, detective fiction. publish.
ed by Doubleday Publishing Com
pany. SIS Madison Ave, New York
City,
For any reader who likes bis
murder dished up in q mid.Dec-
embeF sn0wslorm In Manhattan.
this Is II.
a riyer-diamond worth sig han.
bred thousands dollars Is suddenly
adrifs In . Gotham snowst0rm.
The Devecchi diamond becomes
prima donna Of : Iurld drama Of
felony and murder, and yet Il does
10 more than snuggle iis soft blua
fire and frosted gray coat n q
flannel bag. n becomes ths star
Of deals involving crooked and
and honest private eyes. Park Ase-
nue. iewelry houses. beauslfd ~
men and desperate men.
It's hard cruel glow spreads eul
over the snoWFidden city. Fash
i0nable Sutton place on TIE East
River Is involved, and q bFown.
stone front on Morningsids heights
: delicstessea where Columbia -
lgersiiy students 60. and q taIe-
phone booth II Radio City.
The author eonvssn very w1n
the feeling q midwintsr h fhe g.
tropolla. And kls characters ere
sufficiently believahie nsd inlefenl.
sng 10 the reader The detectives
ere smarf. Bat nci TOO KmsFg. o.
teFesi picks ~ sery fast after -
first fsw chapters NJ. Davis tea
BIZ KtoFy 10 TIE pspsiar firss pnr-
scn. ard sebayisf Cole, ghe pFiss
espAi pFlssie go i esss IL -
Fnis ~ sswyte1sE. He il : p1ea-
uanf fellow ard hoaeaf TIE rsaA
e. Is woTsd when he il worFlsa
friEAisnsd vhea hs i frtzhtsas1.