MURDER MYSTERIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21076, 9 January 1932, Page 8 (Supplement)

MURDER MYSTERIES.

MANY SENSATIONS. A mysterious midnight visit, a chase, a diabolical laugh and the finding of a minature gold skull and queer warning message on the table of a bungalow on a lone tropic isle —all in the opening chapter of Frank L. Packard's latest, " The Gold Skull Murders" (Hodder and Stoughton)—urge the reader to hurry ahead. Mysterious, murders, the victims found to be clutching small gold skulls, fires aboard ships, a lone figure on a sunscorched raft, prey to the horror of abysmal loneliness —rescue by a Chinese schooner. An ocean operation with a death threat if unsuccessful brings one to Singapore and even more exciting ad venture. Mr.' Packard can write a really good story and this is perhaps his best. "Stop Press" is a murder mystery ■\yhich centres round the stabbing of a famous dramatic critic of a powerful Fleet Street newspaper. . The journal's crimo investigator, Helmsley, holds the centre of the stage in a cleverly-constructed story. The final and most dramatic arrest of the murderer as a result of the " crime man's" reasoning and elimination of five certain suspects after a " confession" of guilt by an innocent man is most unusual in its setting. Those fond of. " murder" literature will thoroughly enjoy this new story by Erie Spencer. It is published by Hodder and Stoughton.