Golden Age of Detective Fiction

The first of my summer TBR reviews was a great way to set off my summer reading. See the picturesque in beautiful Key West. We follow the Abbotts on their tenth adventure as they try to solve the murder of a man killed during a fishing voyage. Full of slippery suspicious characters, dazzling descriptions of food, and the luscious beauty of Key West, this is a great way to soak up summer vibes, even if you can’t travel.

Pat and Jean Abbott, our charming and quick-witted couple, set off on a fishing vacation to the picturesque Key West with their friend, Captain Bill Jonas of the New Orleans police. Their plan to charter Cy Martingale’s boat for deep-sea fishing takes an unexpected turn when Martingale’s boat becomes a murder scene, drawing the Abbotts and Jonas into a new investigation. With the local police chief away on his fishing trip deep in the Everglades, Jonas, a seasoned detective with a penchant for solving complex cases, is asked to oversee the investigation as the local department is dealing with another double homicide. (Which I thought was going to dovetail into this investigation at some point, but it doesn’t)

The previous fishing party on Martingale’s boat was a web of complex relationships. It included Dixon Whitehead, a millionaire of dubious means; Stephen Ashley, an artist supported by Whitehead, who spends a lot of time snooping around and not making art; Julia Deane, Whitehead’s hopeful fiancée; her mother Katharine Deane; their friend the wealthy, jet setting Priscilla Braden, who had bought the Deanes’ home when they were on the brink of financial ruin and hired Deane to fix up his old house. The boat party is complete with two uninvited guests, Gerald Deane, Katherine’s estranged husband, and Zada Corday, Martingale’s niece and Gerald’s current lover. No one admits to inviting Gerald Deane or Zada Corday, a fun little mystery.

The outing was marred from the beginning with too many passengers on the boat, including two uninvited hangers-on, Zada, and Gerald Deane; realizing they were not invited, Zada sulked all day, looking out at the water and refusing to talk to anyone, even her old schoolmate, Julia Deane. Martingale was displeased to see his niece, Zada, with Gerald, a drunk and a troublemaker, and to witness Katherine enduring her husband’s presence. Already inebriated before coming aboard, Gerald became increasingly unruly as the day progressed, eventually passing out below deck. The day improved slightly when Dixon and Priscilla caught some sailfish, and the party was relieved when Gerald remained below after docking. However, when Martingale went to deal with his drunken passenger, he discovered Gerald dead, stabbed with a fish knife while Gerald was sleeping. 

With a boat full of suspects and Cy Martingale’s livelihood in the line, Martingale reached out to his friend Pat Abbott, but Abbott was insistent on notifying the authorities. With the local police overwhelmed, the small department deputies Captain Jonas and asks for him to handle the case. Captain Jonas and the Abbotts are, at times, allies and, at times, do not find themselves with a boatful of suspicious characters. As Patric Abbott begins his investigation, he has to contend with Corday, fleeing Key West on a private plane, an attempted arson of Cy Martingale’s boat, someone pushing Jean into the harbor, and practically everyone can give the police and Captain Jonas the slip. Ashley’s suspicious behavior further complicates matters as he is always slinking around the dock, tailing Whitehead, and seems to be a friend or foe in equal measure. Was he working for Whitehead, or did he have an agenda? 

The detectives were determined to uncover the truth and solve the case. When the beat cop guarding the Margaret, Cy Martingale’s boat is found bludgeoned, and one of Pricilla Braden’s hired help is shot three times at close range: The Abbotts and Captain Jonas know they are dealing with a desperate and ruthless killer. Yet, they face these dangers with courage and determination, earning the admiration of all who know them.

The Review

Murder on the Purple Water is a fun twist on the Pat and Jean Abbott formula. The Abbotts are vacationing in Key West, Florida, but of course, murder follows them like the plague. Even before the Abbotts and Captain Jonas can go fishing and eat, they are embroiled in a stabbing case. The victim, Gerald Deane, has left a trail of broken hearts and unfulfilled promises in his wake. His alcoholism has fractured his family and ruined his career, and he s living off the goodwill of his friends and soon-to-be ex-wife, so there’s a treasure trove of motives for Jean, Patrick, and Captain Jonas to wade through.

On top of lots of people who dislike the victim, each of them believes that another person on the boat has committed the crime, so they are all literally running around trying to cover up for each other, plant false clues, and use any sort of trickery to escape from police questioning. Poor Captain Jonas doesn’t have a command center, so he’s stuck driving or walking around the island, intervsuspicionsle at Priscilla Braden’s labyrinth home or on everyone’s various boats, planes, dinghy, etc. The constant need to track down suspects and their ability to capitalize on the decentralized nature of the investigation to escape or run away really gives the story a lot of movement and keeps things interesting.

When Captain Jonas, Patrick, or Jean manages to pin down one of the suspects, it’s clear that they are all working on their suspicions. Captain Jonas is trying to solve the case as quickly as possible so he can get back to eating the delights of Key West, Patrick Abbott is trying to defend his client and work out the detailed timeline, and Jean Abbott is snooping around suspecting everyone at the drop of a hat. Each is trying to protect their point of view, which means there’s a lot of tension between the three investigators as their investigations crisscross. 

Having all of these different threads in a less masterful writer could have led to complete chaos, but Murder on the Purple Water is deftly plotted and very easy to follow. Sprinkled in with the investigation are beautiful and loving descriptions of Key West life, from the mixing of cultures to the lovely and unique cuisine- there’s even a recipe for Key Lime Pie that I’m going to try out, harkening back to the first Pat and Jean Abbott mysletsThe Turquoise Shop. Pat and Jean are also written very well: Pat’s ability to collate lots of differing details, bust lies, and even get a little rough and tumble flesh out his character, and despite his desire to give Jean the slip, she’s crafty enough to know when she’s getting the dodge. Jean, actually a little more subdued in this book- although she does have one birdbrained moment – where she steals the wrong car and then lets Julia Deane slip away from Captain Jonas, is incredibly observant, suspicious, and dives into danger headlong with her husband, and sometimes without him- as long as she has her lipstick. As the reader, we get a police investigation,n, a PI investigation, and an amateur sleuth investigation all in the same story without anyone being short-shifted. Quite a feat!

Frances Crane ramps up her social commentary in this book: there are many conversations about how different characters treat each other based on class, financial status, education, and then, in the final third race. There were a few comments about how the hired help, a husband and wife who are black, “came with the house,” in the words of Priscilla Braden, which felt very out of left field. Still, then Katharine Deane and Julia undercut this dismissive attitude by humanizing the couple and explaining their long relationship with them before selling the house. The two are then brought up again by Whitehead, a most detestable character, and he uses a racial slur to denigrate them, which is immediately rebuked by other characters and used to illustrate Whitehead’s desire to criticize others for propping himself up. Even Jean, who makes a weird offhand comment about being afraid of them due to the darkness of their skin, is immediately rebuked by Frances Crane for making them brave and daring characters. The book does a great job of exploring blatant and nascent American racism during this period. Crane, a well-known anti-Nazi political figure, was kicked out of Germany in the 1930s due to writing anti-nazi articles against the party’s racial purity agenda. Seeing her advocacy have such a big payoff in her detective fiction is excellent.

Murder on the Purple Water is a great Pat and Jean mystery and a fantastic mystery. There’s a well-crafted mystery, a vibrant setting, well-rounded and intriguing characters, delicious food to delight the reader, and profound social commentary on issues facing America that plague our country today. This is Frances Crane at her best.

Pat & Jean Abbott Series Reviews

Frances Crane Biography

Frances Crane (1896–1981) was an American author best known for her mystery novels featuring the detective duo of Pat and Jean Abbott. Born Frances Schlessinger on December 4, 1896, in Lawrence, Massachusetts, she later adopted the pen name Frances Crane when she began her writing career.

Crane’s writing journey began relatively late in life. After working as a librarian and a teacher, she turned to writing in her 40s. Her decision to enter the world of mystery fiction was influenced by her love for the genre and her desire to create compelling characters and intricate plots.

Crane’s most famous series features the husband-and-wife detective team of Pat and Jean Abbott. Pat Abbott is a lawyer turned private investigator, while Jean Abbott, his wife, is a former fashion model with a keen eye for detail. Together, they solve crimes in various locales, including New York City and Hollywood, California.

The Abbott series is known for its fast-paced plots, witty dialogue, and vivid descriptions of the settings. Crane’s writing style blends elements of classic mystery fiction with a modern sensibility, making her novels popular among readers of the genre.

Throughout her career, Frances Crane wrote a total of 26 novels, with the Pat and Jean Abbott series being her most enduring legacy in the world of mystery fiction. Her novels continue to be enjoyed by readers for their engaging characters and clever plots. Frances Crane passed away in 1981, leaving behind a rich body of work that has stood the test of time.