Whenever you open up a Michael Shayne mystery, you know it's going to be a well-written, top quality story. There were 77 of these mysteries written and, after a while, even Halliday ( a pen name for Davis Dresser and others writing under the house name Halliday) joked in these novels about how famous Michael Shayne had become.

This is a fast-moving read that's hard to put down. It is, however, pretty standard detective fare about a rich guy with a young sexy wife, a jealous sister, a crazy drunkard brother, and a virile chauffeur, all living on a fancy estate. It's a who-done-it with the question of whether the maid, the chauffeur, the young wife, or the crazy brother poisoned the old rich guy or maybe he just had a heart attack on his own what with the young wife and all. You almost wonder if someone is going to announce it was Mr. Green with the candlestick in the library.

Lucy Hamilton, Shayne's loyal secretary and sometimes girlfriend, actually plays an investigative role in this one, a role where she is so bedazzled by the chauffeur he makes her swoon like a sixteen year old.

While the mystery is not overly unique, it is top quality and well worth reading.
( )

I actually read the 1959 paperback of this and was so going to add that edition, but GoodReads was all "please just use the edition listed), which is lame all around. That is lame, GoodReads. The cover on mine is so much better than anything the early-nineties produced. Ever.I really cannot imagine why someone would not like a book where the detective kisses ladies he's just met (some recently widowed), beats the crap out of people who deserve it, and is a loveable jackass who treats his secretary nice.Three deaths (one a dog) solved in about thirty-six hours and an immeasurable amount of booze. ( )