Ellery Queen's Crime Cruise Round the World
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Be a modern Magellan of mystery. Circumnavigate the globe and discover a new world of excitement, wonder, suspense, and surprise. Your itinerary will take you from the U.S. down the Atlantic Coast to Mexico and Argentina, across the Atlantic to England, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Italy, then to Africa, Israel, and Australia, north to Japan and Hawaii, and home again, across the Pacific, to the United States. A world trip featuring 26 adventures and excitements you will never forget.
ABOUT THE EDITOR
Ellery Queen (Frederic Dannay and the late Manfred B. Lee) has sold, in various editions published by approximately 100 publishers around the world, a total of more than 150,000,000 copies. Queen books have been translated into every major foreign language except Russian and Chinese.
Ellery Queen popularized the mystery drama on radio in a program called The Adventures of Ellery Queen, which was on the air for nine years; and in 1950 TV Guide gave the Ellery Queen TV program its national award for the best mystery show on television. In 1975-1976, the most recent TV program starred Jim Hutton as Ellery, and David Wayne as Inspector Queen.
Ellery Queen has won five Edgars (the annual Mystery Writers of America awards similar to the Oscars of Hollywood), including the prestigious Grand Master award (1960); three MWA Scrolls and one Raven; and twice Queen was runner-up for the Best Novel of the Year award. He also has won both the gold and silver Gertrudes awarded by Pocket Books, Inc. Mystery Writers of Japan gave Ellery Queen their gold-and-onyx Edgar Allan Poe ring, awarded to only five non-Japanese detective-story writers throughout the world. In 1968 lona College honored Queen with its Columba Prize in Mystery. In 1978, And On the Eighth Day won the Grand Prix de Litterature Policiere, and in 1979, the first Ellery Queen novel, The Roman Hat Mystery, celebrated its 50th Anniversary in print.
Frederic Dannay
(Photo: Mort Engel)
Ellery Queen’s most recent successes are A Fine and Private Place and The Last Woman in His Life. He is internationally known as an editor—Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine is now in its 41st year of continuous publication.
The late Anthony Boucher, distinguished critic and novelist, described Queen best when he wrote: “Ellery Queen is the American detective story.”
The Dial Press
1 Dag Hammarskjold Plaza
New York, New York 10017
Printed in the USA
CRIME CRUISE
ROUND THE WORLD
Novels by Ellery Queen
The Roman Hat Mystery
The French Powder Mystery
The Dutch Shoe Mystery
The Greek Coffin Mystery
The Egyptian Cross Mystery
The American Gun Mystery
The Siamese Twin Mystery
The Chinese Orange Mystery
The Spanish Cape Mystery
Halfway House
The Door Between
The Devil To Pay
The Four of Hearts
The Dragon’s Teeth
Calamity Town
There Was an Old Woman
The Murderer Is a Fox
Ten Days’ Wonder
Cat of Many Tails
Double, Double
The Origin of Evil
The King Is Dead
The Scarlet Letters
The Glass Village
Inspector Queen’s Own Case (November Song)
The Finishing Stroke
The Player on the Other Side
And On the Eighth Day
The Fourth Side of the Triangle
A Study in Terror: Sherlock Holmes versus Jack the Ripper
Face to Face
Books of Short Stories by Ellery Queen
The Adventures of Ellery Queen
The New Adventures of Ellery Queen
The Casebook of Ellery Queen
Calendar of Crime
Q.B.I. : Queen’s Bureau of Investigation
Queens Full
Edited by Ellery Queen
Challenge to the Reader
101 Years’ Entertainment
Sporting Blood
The Female of the Species
The Misadventures of Sherlock Holmes
Rogues’ Gallery
Best Stories from EQMM
To the Queen’s Taste
The Queen’s Awards, 1946-1953
Murder by Experts
20th Century Detective Stories
Ellery Queen’s Awards, 1954-1957
The Literature of Crime
Ellery Queen’s Mystery Annuals: 13th-16th
Ellery Queen’s Anthologies: 1960-1981
The Quintessence of Queen (Edited by Anthony Boucher)
To Be Read Before Midnight
EQ’s Mystery Mix
EQ’s Double Dozen
EQ’s 20th Anniversary Annual
EQ’s Crime Carousel
EQ’s All-Star Lineup
Poetic Justice EQ’s Mystery Parade
EQ’s Murder Menu
EQ’s Minimysteries
EQ’s Grand Slam
EQ’s The Golden 13
EQ’s Headliners
EQ’s Mystery Bag
EQ’s Crookbook
EQ’s Murdercade
EQ’s Crime Wave
EQ’s Searches and Seizures
EQ’s A Multitude of Sins
EQ’s Scenes of the Crime
EQ’s Circumstantial Evidence
EQ’s Crime Cruise Round the World
Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine (41st Year)
Ellery Queen’s International Case Book
The Woman in the Case
Critical Works by Ellery Queen
The Detective Short Story
Queen’s Quorum
In the Queens’ Parlor
Under the Pseudonym of Barnaby Ross
The Tragedy of X
The Tragedy of Y
The Tragedy of Z
Drury Lane’s Last Case
35th
Mystery
Annual
ELLERY
QUEEN’S
CRIME CRUISE
ROUND THE WORLD
26 stories from
Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine
Edited by
Ellery Queen
THE DIAL PRESS
DAVIS PUBLICATIONS, INC.
380 LEXINGTON AVENUE
NEW YORK, N.Y. 10018
Copyright © 1978, 1979, 1981 by Davis Publications, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 81-66407
Printed in the United States of America
First Edition
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The editor hereby makes grateful acknowledgment to the following authors and authors’ representatives for giving permission to reprint the material in this volume:
T. M. Adams for Short Week, © 1979 by T. M. Adams.
Julian Bach Literary Agency, Inc. for Behind the Locked Door by Peter Lovesey, © 1979 by Peter Lovesey.
Bonaparte Holdings Pty. Ltd. and Hope Leresche & Sayle for Wisp of Wool and Disk of Silver by Arthur W. Upfield, © 1979 by Davis Publications, Inc.
Georges Borchardt, Inc. for On the Path by Ruth Rendell, © 1978 by Ruth Rendell.
Curtis Brown, Ltd. for The Ledbetter Syndrome by Stanley Ellin, © 1979 by Stanley Ellin.
James Brown Associates, Inc. for The Boiler by Julian Symons, © 1979 by Julian Symons.
Borden Deal for You Understand?, © 1979 by The Borden Deal Family Trust (Borden Deal, Trustee).
Editions OPTA for The Prisoners by Jacques Catalan, © 1976 by Jacques Catalan.
Celia
Fremlin for A Lovely Morning To Die, © 1979 by Celia Fremlin.
Brian Garfield for Scrimshaw, © 1979 by Brian Garfield.
Laura Grimaldi for Affirmation of Truth, © 1973 by Laura Grimaldi.
Edward D. Hoch for The Theft of Yesterday’s Newspaper, © 1979 by Edward D. Hoch.
International Creative Management for Is Anyone There? by Timothy Childs, © 1979 by Timothy Childs.
Clements Jordan for Mr. Sweeney’s Day, © 1979 by Clements Jordan.
Seicho Matsumoto for The Woman Who Took the Local Paper, © 1979 by Seicho Matsumoto.
Florence V. Mayberry for When Nothing Matters, © 1979 by Florence V. Mayberry.
Scott Meredith Literary Agency, Inc. for A Place of Her Own by Joyce Harrington, © 1979 by Joyce Harrington; and Mr. Fixit by Ernest Savage, © 1978 by Ernest Savage.
Robert P. Mills, Ltd. for The Oldest Law by John F. Suter, © 1979 by John F. Suter.
Frits Remar for The Photo, © 1977 by Frits Remar.
Georges Simenon for The Man from Out There, © 1963 by Georges Simenon.
Larry Sternig Literary Agency for The Midnight Strangler by Jack Ritchie, © 1978 by Jack Ritchie.
Janwillem van de Wetering for The Deadly Egg, © 1979 by Janwillem van de Wetering.
Kathryne Walters Literary Agents for The Big Ivory by Victor Milán, © 1979 by Victor Milán.
Donald E. Westlake for The Girl of My Dreams, © 1979 by Donald E. Westlake.
Donald A. Yates for The Two Kings and the Two Labyrinths by Jorge Luis Borges, translated by Donald A. Yates, © 1962 by Davis Publications, Inc.
ITINERARY
INTRODUCTION: A Briefing
North America
UNITED STATES
The Theft of Yesterday’s Newspaper—Edward D. Hoch
The Midnight Strangler—Jack Ritchie
Mr. Fixit—Ernest Savage
The Girl of My Dreams—Donald E. Westlake
A Place of Her Own—Joyce Harrington
MEXICO
You Understand?—Borden Deal
South America
ARGENTINA
The Two Kings and the Two Labyrinths—Jorge Luis Borges
Europe
ENGLAND
Behind the Locked Door—Peter Lovesey
On the Path—Ruth Rendell
A Lovely Morning to Die—Celia Fremlin
The Boiler—Julian Symons
DENMARK
The Photo—Frits Remar
THE NETHERLANDS
The Deadly Egg—Janwillem van de Wetering
BELGIUM
The Man from Out There—Georges Simenon
FRANCE
The Prisoners—Jacques Catalan
ITALY
Affirmation of Truth—Laura Grimaldi
Africa
The Big Ivory—Victor Milán
Asia Minor
ISRAEL
When Nothing Matters—Florence V. Mayberry
Australia
Wisp of Wool and Disk of Silver—Arthur W. Upfield
Asia
JAPAN
The Woman Who Took the Local Paper—Seicho Matsumoto
HAWAII
Scrimshaw—Brian Garfield
North America
UNITED STATES
Mr. Sweeney’s Day—Clements Jordan
Is Anyone There?—Timothy Childs
Short Week—T.M. Adams
The Oldest Law—John F. Suter
The Ledbetter Syndrome—Stanley Ellin
CONTENTS
Cover
Descriptions
Novels by Ellery Queen
Title Page
Copyright
Contents
Introduction
Edward D. Hoch
The Theft of Yesterday’s Newspaper
Jack Ritchie
The Midnight Strangler
Ernest Savage
Mr. Fixit
Donald E. Westlake
The Girl of My Dreams
Joyce Harrington
A Place of Her Own
Borden Deal
You Understand?
Jorge Luis Borges
The Two Kings and the Two Labyrinths
Peter Lovesey
Behind the Locked Door
Ruth Rendell
On the Path
Celia Fremlin
A Lovely Morning to Die
Julian Symons
The Boiler
Frits Remar
The Photo
Janwillem van de Wetering
The Deadly Egg
Georges Simenon
The Man from Out There
Jacques Catalan
The Prisoners
Laura Grimaldi
Affirmation of Truth; or, Justice Done
Victor Milán
The Big Ivory
Florence V. Mayberry
When Nothing Matters
Arthur W. Upfield
Wisp of Wool and Disk of Silver
Seicho Matsumoto
The Woman Who Took the Local Paper
Brian Garfield
Scrimshaw
Clements Jordan
Mr. Sweeney’s Day
Timothy Childs
Is Anyone There?
T. M. Adams
Short Week
John F. Suter
The Oldest Law
Stanley Ellin
The Ledbetter Syndrome
INTRODUCTION
Dear Reader:
Be a modern Magellan of mystery. Circumnavigate the globe and discover a new world of excitement, wonder, suspense, and surprise.
Here is the itinerary of your Round-the-World ’Tec Tour. Bon Voyage!
You start by visiting five cities in the United States—Hoch, Ritchie, Savage, Westlake, and Harrington.
Then a quick side-trip to Mexico—to Deal.
Before spanning the Atlantic, there is a stopover in Argentina—at Borges.
Then overseas to England where you will stay in Lovesey, Rendell, Fremlin, and Symons.
From England to Remar, in Denmark.
Then hop south to van de Wetering, in The Netherlands.
South again to connect with Simenon in Belgium.
Still farther south to Catalan in France.
You continue your Grand Tour by visiting Italy where you have reservations at Grimaldi.
By air to Milan in East Africa.
On to Mayberry in Israel.
Then the long journey to the bush in Australia, sightseeing in Upfield.
Next you head north to Japan where, after enjoying the hospitality of Matsumoto, you cross the Pacific, stopping over at Garfield in Hawaii, and finish your globe-trotting back in the United States—in Jordan, Childs, Adams, Suter, and Ellin.
Six continents—13 countries—26 stops—and welcome home from your Crime Cruise Round the World!
ELLERY QUEEN,
Travel Agent
North America
UNITED STATES
Hoch
Ritchie
Savage
Westlake
Harrington
MEXICO
Deal
Edward D. Hoch
The Theft of Yesterday’s Newspaper
Nick Velvet is a unique thief—and in a sense, a unique detective. As a thief, Nick steals only the valueless, the worthless—“never money or jewels or art treasures”—and for a minimum fee of $20,000 (inflation has not yet reared its ugly head). But to be a successful thief it is usually necessary for Nick to solve a mystery, thus becoming a detective with a unique purpose—a detective whose aim is not to uphold the law but to break it.
In this caper-case Nick is hired to steal a copy of yesterday’s newspaper—and usually there is nothing so dead (worthless) as yesterday’s newspaper. But then there was the mystery to solve: why should a copy of yesterday’s newspaper be worth $20,000?. . .
Nick Velvet slid a stack of chips across the green felt of the roulette table on the top floor of Londo
n’s Playboy Club and waited for the wheel to be spun by a pert blonde girl with long legs and perfect teeth.
“So much, Nicky?” Gloria asked cautiously at his side.
“I’ve a hunch black is due to come up.”
But as the girl spun the wheel, Nick’s attention was distracted by a stout man on his right. The man thrust something into his hand and when Nick looked down he saw it was a check drawn on a London bank in an amount approximately equal to twenty thousand American dollars. It was payable to Nick Velvet and signed by someone named Felix Poland. “That’s better than a calling card,” Nick commented.
“I thought so,” the man said with a smile. His eyes were deep and alert, though the wrinkles around them hinted at an age past 50. “You see my name there. May we talk business?”
“It would be a pleasure, Mr. Poland.”
Gloria was tugging at his sleeve. “Nicky, we won!”
“Great! Scoop up the money and keep playing. I have to go chat with this man.” He slipped the check into his wallet and followed Felix Poland to a lounge area at the end of the room.
It was only eight o’clock, but Nick already knew it would be a profitable evening.
Actually, their luck had been running well since Nick and Gloria arrived in London three days earlier. It was a vacation for them—replacing the dampness of January in Westchester with the dampness of January in London—and Nick had no thought of doing any work. But the weather on their arrival was unusually good, almost balmy, and their good fortune was compounded at the hotel which discovered it had no double room reserved for them and promptly put them in a three-room suite for the same price.
Nick had been to London before and he enjoyed showing Gloria the sights, especially places like Buckingham Palace and the Regents Park Zoo which had figured in a previous adventure. They’d registered at some of the casinos when they arrived, and observed the two-day waiting period before being allowed to gamble. Finally this was their first gambling night, and judging by the unexpected check from Felix Poland their lucky streak was continuing.
“How do you know my name?” Nick asked when he and Poland were settled at a corner table in the lounge.
“I have contacts around London. Someone told me you were here and you’re just the man I need.” He sipped his drink and added, “The check is quite good, in the event you’re wondering.”