THEIR INFINITE VARIETY

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 35, 9 August 1930, Page 21

THEIR INFINITE VARIETY

Phillips Oppenheim's latest is "The Million Dollar Deposit." This and other novels herein mentioned are from Hodder and Stoughton. Phillips Oppenheim is an acknowledged past master in the fabrication of mystery storie6. The plot of "The Jiillion Dollar Deposit" may not be so ingenious as some others he has written,.but.it holds the reader's interest throughout. The story revolves round the theft frbm the manufacturing firm of "Boothroyd's" of a secret formula upon which-the success of their business is based. This formula the thieveß. value at £1,000,000. They do not trust each other, so'they deposit it in their joint names with' a safe deposit company. Young Lord Dutley, nominal head of the firm, is portrayed as a keen sportsman; but no "business man." The latter description ho proves to be false, for ho successfully recovers the document upon which all his future prosperity , depends. Although ho is helped' by several fortuitous circumstances, he shows much cleverness in following up his theories. Sir Matthew Parkinson, manager of the business, plays the part of catspaw to the mastercriminal, Thomas, Byde, a cold-blooded murderous individual. The love interest is judiciously incorporated, and is furnished by Lord Dutley's growing love for Grace, Sir Matthew's daughter, after having been jilted ]by his fiancee, Priscilla, whois'-in love -with one of the thieves of the formula.

The "Finger of Fate,"> by Sapper, presents, short stories dealing in each case with the triangle emotional problem. In every instance tragedy comes, but in ways unexpected by the reader. There is enough mystery to thrill.

"Tho Knife Behind tho Curtain," by. Valentine Williams, strikes a chord of romance in. tho first, paragraph, and places his characters iv an arresting situation on the second page. Thenceforward' it .is in f'ujl stride, the excitement increasing to the climax of his stories. "The Knife' Behind the Curtain" is a collection'of the best set of short stories of;theseeret service, with a dip into plain' crime for a change here and there,' that- have appeared for a long time.

Francis Heeding can' always be depended upon for a good tale with a touch of originality". His latest novel, "The League of Discontent," is no,exception,- and ho introduces the reader to some interesting types, of villainß. It is a very exciting story, dealing with the trials and tribulations of three men and a girl who endeavour to'probe into the'secrets' of a group; of men whose object in life is to " secure upheaval throughout Europe. Many and varied are the adventures that befall this quartette before they finally gain their objective. The story is ingeniously told and written ivan attractive, manner. • ■ ■ ' • ■ •■''.-

I From Herbert Jenkins, Ltd., is'received " The Rose. in the Dark," by [Roy Viclcers. ' It ia an improbable but diverting tale of a blind man's love for a girl he has;ncver seen. ,An unscrupulous half-brother provides the necessary ingredientsp. of - passion,. tragedy, laud drama; and the plot involves an jembezzlement1 and.'a murderer. From tho same publisher is also received "Daphne, Ltd.,"; by Richard Starr. Daphne meets a millionaire, masquerad- ! ing as a tramp.: SHo loses her job, is the centre of many attentions,, and enters upon a.shop career in drapery under the title of "Daphne, Ltd." Billy Dadd, a wealthy young man, is behind the venture. Ho is out to prove his mettle. There are some adventures in the shop, and finally Sir Michael Dadd admits that his son has chosen his future wifo wisely.' "Whither. Thou Goest/' also from Herbert Jenkins is a novel, by "William Le .Queux, a master craftsman in. fiction. It tells how a group of Anarchists tried to take the life of the King of Spain, also that of a young attache-to the British Embassy at Madrid. , The gang's nefarious designs arc, however, discovered by a" clever young journalist, one Andres Moreno, of Anglo-Spanish parentage, who himself, joins the Anarchist Club, and, along, with the attache to the Brit-, ish Embassy, has a number of sensational hairbreadth escapes. The fact that tlie novol is. by William Le Quex is a sufficient guarantee that it is well written and a thorough "thriller." Both the mystery and the love-interest are well sustained, throughout.

. A good, clean type of mystery story is the "Crystal .Skull," by Warren Hill (Jarrolds: London). . The locale of'the story , is! in the, "Paris" of the Far East—Shanghai—that city of one thousand and oiie mysteries. Marmaduke Sparrow aspires -to social ambitions, and with,the help of an image, stolen from.a high priest's,temple, almost succeeds. His adventures are many,and make very exciting reading. The book throughout is^most entertaining, and has a charming love story running through it.

For rapid action and breathless. adventure, S. Andrew Wood is hard to beat, and these qualities are admirably exploited in his latest novel: "Hell For Leather" (Jarrolds: London). The1 story concerns . the Honourable Francis Everated, who finds himself in hospital with shrapnel in bis brain; Olivia, his "dream lady"; and Aubrey Flowerdew, famous.writer of detective stories, who has never had an adventure in his life and is running away from domestic bliss.- . The book is filled with, exciting adventure, romance, ani laughter, with an undercurrent of mystery running through it all. It:is well written and interest is sustainedi throughout.