Golden Age of Detective Fiction

Ellery Queen is back in Wrightsville for this novella and it is full of classic detective fiction tropes. The elderly Bella Livingston, a multi-millionare widow writes to her three step-childen that she is going to disinherit them in favor for her live in companion, Amy Upham who has cared for her these last few years since the passing of her husband. While shehas no animosity towards the children, they have never given much thought and only the merest affection towards her so she feels no need to divvy up their late father’s money, which she inherited after his death amongst them.

Of course her decision to re-write her will causes all of them to flock to her side and curry favor with her, but she is adament that Amy is her sole heir. Bella Livingston is swiftly murdered and then several shoddy attempts to kill Amy follow. However the longer Ellery Queen is on the case the more he suspects there’s something fishy about Bella Livingston’s will

The Review

In her twilight years, Bella Livingston yearns for the love of her step-children. In a desperate attempt to stir their affections, she unwittingly orchestrates her demise.

The three stepchildren, each with their distinct personalities, are a mix of snarky, funny, and occasionally bored. They wander through their childhood home, waiting for the killer to be revealed. Their lack of urgency and finger-pointing, instead of adding a unique twist to the murder mystery, piques my curiosity.

However, after several days of being cooped up on the grounds of the Livingston Estate, Amy Upham begins to crack. She almost decides to dole portions of the inheritance to the three kids—until someone takes a wild potshot at her. Now Amy is darn mad and isn’t scared to give anyone a thin dime.

This was a fun puzzle, and I had a good time analyzing all the variations each stepchild could have done and the many combinations of siblings working together. Still, I really couldn’t see any of them as murderers because they seemed so blasé about the whole affair.

The twist in the plot was a masterstroke that turned everything I had read on its head. It was a twist I never saw coming, a testament to the author’s skill. It’s good that Ellery Queen was on the case, not me!

Queen’s exceptional astuteness shines through in his ability to decipher the dynamics between the characters. He doesn’t get caught up in the step-children’s triangulation but focuses on their motives. Ultimately, he proves cleverer than the murderer and me, leaving me in awe of his analytical skills.

It was a good time that felt a little like a runaway merry-go-round, and before I lost focus, I brought everything together for a splendid conclusion

Ellery Queen Detective Series Review

Ellery Queen Detective #9: The Spanish Cape Mystery (1935)

Ellery Queen Biography

Ellery Queen is the pseudonym used by cousins Frederic Dannay and Manfred Lee, who were American cousins and prominent authors of detective fiction. Their main character, Ellery Queen, is also the protagonist of the majority of their works. The duo adopted the pseudonym in order to create a distinctive identity for their mystery novels and to maintain the mystery surrounding the authorship of their works.

Frederic Dannay, born Daniel Nathan, and Manfred Lee, born Manford Lepofsky, were both born in Brooklyn, New York. They began their collaboration in the late 1920s, writing and editing together. Their first novel featuring Ellery Queen, “The Roman Hat Mystery,” was published in 1929 and introduced the character of Ellery Queen, an amateur detective and mystery writer.

The Ellery Queen novels often followed a similar pattern, with intricate plots, clever puzzles, and a focus on deductive reasoning. Ellery Queen himself was portrayed as an intellectual detective, often solving cases through logical analysis and deduction rather than physical strength or action.

The cousins also created a number of other mystery series under the Ellery Queen pseudonym, including novels featuring Inspector Richard Queen, Ellery’s father, and Drury Lane, a retired actor turned amateur sleuth.

In addition to their novels, Dannay and Lee were involved in other aspects of mystery fiction, including editing anthologies and writing critical essays. They also co-founded Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, a popular publication that continues to feature mystery fiction today.

Ellery Queen’s influence on the mystery genre is significant, with their works helping to shape the conventions of detective fiction and inspiring countless other authors and works in the genre. Although both cousins have passed away (Dannay in 1982 and Lee in 1971), their legacy as Ellery Queen continues to be celebrated by mystery fans around the world.