"THE TEN BLACK PEARLS"

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22142, 22 June 1935, Page 9 (Supplement)

"THE TEN BLACK PEARLS"

A DIFFERENT CRIME STORY A novel and welcome departure from the conventional has been achieved by Cecil Freeman Gregg in his latest crime novel, " The Ten Black Pearls." Written in a style definitely superior to that of the usual "thriller," the book is typical only in that it deals with the exploits of a clever criminal. In other respects it breaks fresh ground, as the story is told from the criminal's point of view, and the reader for once runs with the hare instead of hunting with the hounds. The author also sets a pretty problem in ethics to solve; he himself makes 110 suggestions as to the solution, but merely presents the facts and lets the matter stand at that.

Apart altogether from the plot, which incidentally provides sufficient thrills to satisfy the most sensationally-minded, some highly ingenious devices which may or may not bo adopted by the "better class" of criminal are introduced. Outstanding among these are the methods used by the principal character, a cool knave, to safeguard his stronghold, and to bluff his way out of ticklish situations. The story lias the merit of keeping always within the bounds of possibility, the author having taken as few liberties with reason as is- consistent with the writing of a crime novel. For a work of this type, the characters are finely drawn, and so convincingly bold a figure is the "hero" that the reader is left with a sneaking regard for him. Although the render is introduced to murder, burglary and other violence, such felonies lack the improbability too often associated with them in other chronicles of criminal activity. They are taken as a reasonable part of the day's happenings, as indeed they are in the life of Mr. Gregg's characters. Definitely the book is one that well repays the reading, and oiip that might reasonably bo expected to set a fashion in crime stories. " The Ten Black Peßi-ls," by Cecil Freeman Gregg. (Metluien.)