The Widening Stain
Page 21
Legendary science fiction author Fowler Faulkes may be dead, but his creation, the iconic Dr. Derringer, lives on in popular culture. Or at least, the character would live on, if not for Faulkes’s protective and greedy heir Hilary, who, during his time as the inflexible guardian of the estate, has created countless enemies in the relatively small community of writers of the genre. Fully aware of his unpopularity, Hilary fears for his life after two near misses with potentially mortal “accidents” and calls the police for help. Detective Terry Marshall and his assistant, the inquisitive nun, Sister Ursula, will have to work overtime to keep him safe—a task that requires a deep dive into the strange, idiosyncratic world of science fiction in its early days.
ANTHONY BOUCHER (1911-1968) was an American author, editor, and critic, perhaps best known today as the namesake of the annual Bouchercon convention, an international meeting of mystery writers, fans, critics, and publishers. Born William Anthony Parker White, he wrote under various pseudonyms and published fiction in a number of genres outside of mystery, including fantasy and science fiction.
“Stellar.”—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
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John Dickson Carr
The Crooked Hinge
Introduction by Charles Todd
An inheritance hangs in the balance in a case of stolen identities, imposters, and murder
Banished from the idyllic English countryside he once called home, Sir John Farnleigh, black sheep of the wealthy Farnleigh clan, nearly perished in the sinking of the Titanic. Though he survived the catastrophe, his ties with his family did not, and he never returned to England until now, nearly 25 years later, when he comes to claim his inheritance. But another “Sir John” soon follows, an unexpected man who insists he has absolute proof of his identity and of his claim to the estate. Before the case can be settled, however, one of the two men is murdered, and Dr. Gideon Fell finds himself facing one of the most challenging cases of his career. He’ll soon confront a series of bizarre and chilling phenomena, diving deep into the realm of the occult to solve a seemingly impossible crime.
JOHN DICKSON CARR (1906-1977) was one of the greatest writers of the American Golden Age mystery, and the only American author to be included in England’s legendary Detection Club during his lifetime. Under his own name and various pseudonyms, he wrote more than seventy novels and numerous short stories, and is best known today for his locked-room mysteries.
“An all-time classic by an author scrupulous
about playing fair with his readers”
—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
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Erle Stanley Gardner
The Case of the Careless Kitten
Introduction by Otto Penzler
Perry Mason seeks the link between a poisoned kitten, a murdered man, and a mysterious voice from the past
Helen Kendal’s woes begin when she receives a phone call from her vanished uncle Franklin, long presumed dead, who urges her to make contact with criminal defense attorney Perry Mason; soon after, she finds herself the main suspect in the murder of an unfamiliar man. Her kitten has just survived a poisoning attempt, as has her aunt Matilda, the woman who always maintained that Franklin was alive in spite of his disappearance. It’s clear that all the occurrences are connected, and that their connection will prove her innocence, but the links in the case are too obscure to be recognized even by the attorney’s brilliantly deductive mind. To solve the puzzle, he’ll need the help of his secretary Della Street, his private eye Paul Drake, and the unlikely but invaluable aid of a careless but very clever kitten.
ERLE STANLEY GARDNER (1889-1970) was the best-selling American author of the 20th century, mainly due to the enormous success of his Perry Mason series, which numbered more than 80 novels and inspired a half-dozen motion pictures, radio programs, and a long-running television series that starred Raymond Burr.
“One of the best of the Perry Mason tales.”
—New York Times
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Frances Noyes Hart
The Bellamy Trial
Introduction by Hank Phillippi Ryan
A murder trial scandalizes the upper echelons of Long Island society, and the reader is on the jury…
The trial of Stephen Bellamy and Susan Ives, accused of murdering Bellamy’s wife Madeleine, lasts eight days. That’s eight days of witnesses (some reliable, some not), eight days of examination and cross-examination, and eight days of sensational courtroom theatrics lively enough to rouse the judge into frenzied calls for order. Ex-fiancés, houseworkers, and assorted family members are brought to the stand—a cross-section of this wealthy Long Island town—and each one only adds to the mystery of the case in all its sordid detail. A trial that seems straightforward at its outset grows increasingly confounding as it proceeds, and surprises abound; by the time the closing arguments are made, however, the reader, like the jury, is provided with all the evidence needed to pass judgement on the two defendants. Still, only the most astute among them will not be shocked by the verdict announced at the end.
FRANCES NOYES HART (1890-1943) was an American writer whose stories were published in Scribner’s, The Saturday Evening Post, where The Bellamy Trial was first serialized, and The Ladies’ Home Journal.
“An enthralling story.”—New York Times
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Dorothy B. Hughes
Dread Journey
Introduction by Sarah Weinman
A movie star fears for her life on a train journey from Los Angeles to New York…
Hollywood big-shot Vivien Spender has waited ages to produce the work that will be his masterpiece: a film adaptation of Thomas Mann’s The Magic Mountain. He’s spent years grooming young starlets for the lead role, only to discard each one when a newer, fresher face enters his view. Afterwards, these rejected women all immediately fall from grace; excised from the world of pictures, they end up in rehab, or jail, or worse. But Kitten Agnew, the most recent to encounter this impending doom, won’t be gotten rid of so easily—her contract simply doesn’t allow for it. Accompanied by Mr. Spender on a train journey from Los Angeles to Chicago, she begins to fear that the producer might be considering a deadly alternative. Either way, it’s clear that something is going to happen before they reach their destination, and as the train barrels through America’s heartland, the tension accelerates towards an inescapable finale.
DOROTHY B. HUGHES (1904–1993) was a mystery author and literary critic famous for her taut thrillers, many of which were made into films. While best known for the noir classic In a Lonely Place, Hughes' writing successfully spanned a range of styles including espionage and domestic suspense.
“The perfect in-flight read. The only thing that’s dated is the long-distance train.”—Kirkus
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Craig Rice
Home Sweet Homicide
Introduction by Otto Penzler
The children of a mystery writer play amateur sleuths and matchmakers
Unoccupied and unsupervised while mother is working, the children of widowed crime writer Marion Carstairs find diversion wherever they can. So when the kids hear gunshots at the house next door, they jump at the chance to launch their own amateur investigation—and after all, why shouldn’t they? They know everything the cops do about crime scenes, having read about them in mother’s novels. They know what her literary detectives would do in such a situation, how they would interpret the clues and handle witnesses. Plus, if the children solve the puzzle before the cops, it will do wonders for the sales of mo
ther’s novels. But this crime scene isn’t a game at all; the murder is real and, when its details prove more twisted than anything in mother’s fiction, they’ll eventually have to enlist Marion’s help to sort out the clues. Or is that just part of their plan to hook her up with the lead detective on the case?
CRAIG RICE (1908–1957), born Georgiana Ann Randolph Craig, was an American author of mystery novels, short stories, and screenplays.Rice’s writing style was unique in its ability to mix gritty, hard-boiled writing with the entertainment of a screwball comedy.
“A genuine midcentury classic.”—Booklist
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Mary Roberts Rinehart
Miss Pinkerton
Introduction by Carolyn Hart
After a suspicious death at a mansion, a brave nurse joins the household to see behind closed doors
Miss Adams is a nurse, not a detective—at least, not technically speaking. But while working as a nurse, one does have the opportunity to see things police can’t see and an observant set of eyes can be quite an asset when crimes happen behind closed doors. Sometimes Detective Inspector Patton rings Miss Adams when he needs an agent on the inside. And when he does, he calls her “Miss Pinkerton” after the famous detective agency.
Everyone involved seems to agree that mild-mannered Herbert Wynne wasn’t the type to commit suicide but, after he is found shot dead, with the only other possible killer being his ailing, bedridden aunt, no other explanation makes sense. Now the elderly woman is left without a caretaker and Patton sees the perfect opportunity to employ Miss Pinkerton’s abilities. But when she arrives at the isolated country mansion to ply her trade, she soon finds more intrigue than anyone outside could have imagined and—when she realizes a killer is on the loose—more terror as well.
MARY ROBERTS RINEHART (1876-1958) was the most beloved and best-selling mystery writer in America in the first half of the twentieth century.
“An entertaining puzzle mystery that stands the test of time.”—Publishers Weekly
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OTTO PENZLER PRESENTS
AMERICAN MYSTERY CLASSICS
THE WIDENING STAIN
W. BOLINGBROKE JOHNSON was the pseudonym of Morris Bishop (1893-1973), an American scholar, historian, essayist, translator, and versifier. While best known for his writings on the Middle Ages and his work with light verse, he was an authority on many subjects, including the history of Cornell University, where he taught and served as the university historian. The Widening Stain is his only work of fiction.
NICHOLAS A. BASBANES is the author of nine works of cultural history, with a particular emphasis on various aspects of books, book history, and book culture. In addition to his books, Basbanes has written for numerous newspapers, magazines, and journals, including the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Washington Post, and lectures widely on a variety of cultural subjects. Among his most well-known titles are A Gentle Madness: Bibliophiles, Bibliomanes, and the Eternal Passion for Books and On Paper: The Everything of Its Two Thousand Year History.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Published in 2020 by Penzler Publishers
58 Warren Street, New York, NY 10007
penzlerpublishers.com
Distributed by W. W. Norton
Copyright © 1942 by Morris Bishop
Introduction copyright © 2020 by Nicholas A. Basbanes.
All rights reserved.
Cover image: Andy Ross
Cover design: Mauricio Diaz
Paperback ISBN 978-1-61316-171-5
Hardcover ISBN 978-1-61316-169-2
eBook ISBN 978-1-61316-170-8
Library of Congress Control Number: 2020907573