Hulbert Footner (1879–1944)

An interesting read for its historical significance--an early female detective with a female sidekick, interesting setting of New York City in the 1920's. That said, the stories (the book contains four long short stories) are nothing special. I enjoyed reading it, but only its rarity made me hesitate before deciding not to keep it.

On the surface, a fairly routine mystery. Amos Lee Mappin, amateur detective of New York City's cafe society, decides to intervene in the case of a murdered playwright, an author (the "celebrity" of the title) that he had known for many years, and who had a number of friends (or "friends") that in the opening chapters show their motives for doing in the author. Which duly happens. He's shot, with a note in his own handwriting. Much drama ensues as the sleuth chases (literally) the murderer show more through New York City, including a fierce chase through "Pennsylvania Terminal." (It's more correctly called Penn Station later.) The revelation of the murder isn't truly satisfying, but some of the characters were a bit cardboard, anyway. Some of the oddities in the book crop up if you read Wikipedia. Like the murderer, Footner typed two-fingered; albeit on a Corona, though the brand is name-checked. Footner was also a playwright that lived in New York City, which does account for a fairly authentic flavour of at least the setting, if not the characters. This book came fairly late in his career; Footner died in 1944, about six years after this book came out. Something of a period piece, but not much to recommend it otherwise. It's likely gone out of print. show less

Joshua Barney was a competent Naval Officer. While John Paul Jones was 12 years older, Barney rivals him as a warrior and as a person of character. Good read. Excellent footnotes