Wild Conventions, Trains, & Housewives

For the fiftieth Mike Shayne novel, the publisher came up with the tantalizing title of "Mike Shayne's 50th Case." In fact, Mike Shayne barely makes an appearance in this case until nearly the end. This was written under the Brett Halliday name years after Dresser stopped writing these mysteries. Much of the story follows the narrative of a middle class guy who attends a convention in Miami. In a lot of ways, this character reminds me of characters from early Block novels, particularly the way he slowly and deliberately thinks through and rationalizes his actions which are not necessarily natural reactions. Ace reporter Tim Rourke does most of the investigating in this case and is more of a central character than Shayne. There is also a nod to the civil rights era of the South in the sixties but it feels as if it doesn't really belong in this story. ( )