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Report Card of CrimeBy DOROTHY HUGHESTHE WRONG BODY by Anthony Gilbert Random, House 13.50Anthony, Gilbert nuke* up” lor the. 'pedestrian Item* he'* bean offering of late by delivering a resl terrorizer in ''The Wrong Body, The story is a variation of the Kind Lady theme and has a validity far above its source. In this reporter's opinion Kind Lady fall* flat on It* face HOihea unlei* the lead character is firstaccepted as a .half wlt. (Theauthor’s opinion of her to the con-trary.) Anthony Gilbert, on the other hand lets up a watertight trap.for the.imprisonment of Alice Hunt. Alice is* an ineffectual older woman, alone in the world, who-confides in a stranger on a train-about her inheritance. A train wreck logically permits Laura Freke to assume Alices identity and later, lor her own safety, to take command of the unfortunate woman. Save lor the intrusion on the scene of Arthur Crook, who has long outgrown any resemblance he once had to a human being* this Would be a best of the year. As it Is, Ignore Crook* and you'll find an unforgettable story.TOO nOT TO HANDLE . by Frank G. Prr.snell Mill-Morrow $2,50 . ..Frank GrPresnell stands-four*-square with the best of the private eye writers and His “Too Hot To Handle is one of a half dozen of this school rating high honors this year. Ed Barlow, narrator, is a young lawyer and his story a simple one, the search for his friend and roommate. Art Austin is an irresponsible fellow, actually a bum, but in the cafe society circle of criminals and rich playboys In which he circulates . he's welcomed. The scene is Los .Angeles and Its environs.'a scans’crowdingNew York City for mystery popularity, and it is presented with a lively accuracy. Presnell has brought off a difficult stunt in the unraveling of the story, one which backfired recently on a less able writer, but which in Presnell's hands becomes'a brilliant device. It Is that of Barlow meeting with innumerable characters in his search, letting them speak their piece, and go their way. Write down “Too Hot To Handle as a musl-read. • •THE OTHER BODY IN GRANT’S TOMB by Richard StarnesLlpplncntt 52,50It look* as if Richard Starnes has come into his oWn tor the first half of The Other Body in Grant's Tomb. Barney Forge, Starnes’ version of the smiteur detective, leaves his coyness at home with his coy wife as he embarks on a magazine assignment in an unnamed city. His narration manages to make something new out of a Skid Row* scene. The blind beggar, the alcoholic reporter, the mysterious ‘'Umbrella, Man, the kindly mission preacher and the gutter zealot, each has a vividness which lift* him out of the run of the mill. Things are moving along at a lively clip when, with a dull thud, jowl-scratching Dr, Peachy Is forced into thu scene. Immediately Forge becomes no more thAn a stooge, and instead of action you get nothing but old fathead baffling his doting Watson. This is another of those aad cases of an Athor falling in love with one of his own characters; another pMme'exahtple Is John Rhode and the long unnecessary Dr. Priestley, Dr. Peachy Is not Dr. Priestly; he is a sad copy of John Dickson Carr’s truly antic M-M. Peachy, is particularly sad in this case as he spoils what started to be a good story. Among the minor sour notes are Forge’Svaffectation of British terminology; his views on police methods, which would seem to have been gleaned in a Russian prison; and an overused gimmick, unfair to mention, but which you will recognize as such.Dear P. - Slncf lions ol parentl;ing hoi traction a matt*manda It ha! signs h issue v final c freight! Ketchui veal* tAccordl and Sa for ho chase Texas them tr Countytrap, h brother of a he Pecos r the pr« Soon a to New the L.Llttlefli with oJack' c again g them Co untie Reeves .were ja guards dame 1 stayed Our fOnlon'Ico, ra that BI ico. AOnionby sucl Hop LiHiggins It |» cease -p Rio Gr lentionflhniitt
Newspaper Details
Albuquerque Tribune
Albuquerque, New Mexico, US
Fri, Sep 07, 1951
Page 12
Full Page
Clipped by
University O.
NM, USA 12 Jun 2022
Other Publications Near Albuquerque, New Mexico
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