THE MODERN FAIRY-TALE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20324, 3 August 1929, Page 8 (Supplement)

THE MODERN FAIRY-TALE

MURDERS TO TASTE. " Monaco to Mrs. Kershaw," by Auston Allen (Geoffrey Bles), " Murder at Sen." by Richard Connell (Jnrrolds). " The Red Kite Clue." by Owen Fox .Jerotno (Skeffinston).

What is the secret of tho popularity of the detective story? Possibly the author of " Menace to Mrs. Kershaw" is right when he makes one of his characters declare that tho detective story is tho modern fairy-tale. Mr. Allen has evolved a new treatment for old murders. His Scotland Yard detective Old, brings to Miss Sabin.a Ord. a novelist of lively imagination a collection of facts bearing on a case. Miss Gibson theu turns her phvchological insight loose among tho characters concerned and presently produces a " reconstruction" of tho probable course of events leading to the murder. This system they employed with great effect in tho caso of Sarah Gilstrap who, exactly a year alter her husband's disappearance, was married to Charley Kershaw, a prosperous butcher. From information supplied Miss Gibson formed mental portraits of tho different persons connected with tho case. Her reconstructions and forecasts proved to bo surprisingly accurato but ono cannot help feeling that a little more action and a little less theory might liavo prevented a second murder. However, considering tho extreme unattractiveness of tho latter victim, perhaps it was all for the best. Tho idea, while novel and ingonious, proves rather cumbrous in execution.

When an ardent amatour sleuth grows weary of being " occupied in crime," and lakes a passage from New York, upon a boat bound for tho happy, and presumably crimeless coral islands of Bermda, ho should not. if he lias indulged a tasto for detective ficction, feel much surprise at finding himself positively wallowing in murder and mystery almost before tho ship itself has begun to wallow in tho Atlantic. At all evenib. that was the experience of Matthew, Ivelton, on the good ship Pendragon. She had only a dozen cabins, but when a passenger was found murdered in cabin B no less than five separate persons confessed to having perpetrated tho crime. That, however, was onJy the beginning of the horrors; the mystery of the "Eyes," of tho wrecking of tho radio, of the death of the ship's dog, of tho silent, passenger all combined to keep Mr Kollon fully occupied. The. complicated relationship existing between the various passengers and extending even to the Captain himself might, ono would think, have given him enough to unravel on a holiday. However, ho f-tood up nobly to tho task and tho arrival of tho ship at her destination saw tile real villian unmasked anil tho rest of the company as in Kipling's poem, " All in couples and a-kissing on the clocks."

" Tho Red Kite Clue," is another American mystery story. Profressor Vanderventer, a noted archaeologist, is found mysteriously murdered three days after his return from the East where he has been doing research work. The only article missing is a horn made out of a human thigli-bono which tho Professor had brought back from Tibet. On his hand daubed in red paint is the myster:ous word " Kite." At first, o:> what would appear rather flimsy grounds, an artist with tho very peculiar surname of St. Brookito is suspected but Artctnus Graham, amateur criminal, and Philip Mac Crag, professional detective, after what is. well described by the publisher as " exciting and baffling experiences." bring tho matter to a happy and, once more, amorous conclusion.