J. G. Links (1904–1997)

In some ways, the cleverest of the four Wheatley/Links "dossier" mysteries. This one is extremely compact in its story-telling. You get a setup regarding a shady nightclub, whose proprietor is shot dead. Which of a gang of greater than a dozen terrorists killed him? The solution turns out to be quite logical, though you would need to expend some of the clews in order to solve it. The authors themselves make a cameo as two wide-boys, and Peter Cheyney, another crime author, also makes a cameo.

I remember being shocked that I actually correctly deduced the solution to this mystery when I first read it, which may or may not be a sign of a weakness on the part of the authors, given my record in such. As usual, the "dossier"/"feelies" setting is a large part of the fun of this book, and makes a pleasant break from ordinary mysteries. Plus, I think the authors do play fair.

I didn't like this one quite as much as "Murder Off Miami," in part because I think the authors deliberately set up the double-trap door ending. Still and all, the solution is logical and the authors play fair, so they get credit for that. And, as always, the "feelies" and the dossier setting are a lot of the fun. You can actually read this through as a straight mystery.

Catelog of the Canadian exhibition of Canaletto in honor of Constable; pictures, text