Tag: rufus king

The Lesser Antilles Case (1934) by Rufus King

June 25, 2020

The Lesser Antilles Case by Rufus King

7 Stars (7/10 stars)

“Murder is not like lightning. It’s an established fact that until its source is checked it has an aptitude for striking again, Helen, and again.”

What begins as a leisurely Caribbean cruise ends in terror as the S.S. Helsinor is shipwrecked on a coral reef. The worst is yet to come, however. After several days on a deserted island, Lawrence Thacker, the owner of the yacht, insists they try sailing the lifeboat to safety. Ten passengers board the lifeboat. Only eight will live to tell the tale, and the events they recount are shocking. Lieutenant Valcour must navigate rough waters in this story of murder on the high seas. Continue reading “The Lesser Antilles Case (1934) by Rufus King”

Secret Beyond the Door (1946) by Rufus King

November 18, 2019

Secret Beyond the Door by Rufus King

7 Stars (7/10 stars)

“Why is the door locked? Isn’t it complete?”

“Yes,” Earl said, “it is complete, but it will never be on view. It is a luxury with which I intend to indulge no one but my selfish self. It is a secret which shall remain completely mine…Even you shall never see it, Lily.”

All of Lily Constable’s friends are surprised by her whirlwind marriage to newspaper owner Earl Rumney. After all, she’s wealthy in her own right, and still mourning her beloved husband. Even the sweet-natured Lily is starting to wonder if she’s made a mistake. No one seems to want Lily at the isolated Rumney mansion, least of all her new husband. When he isn’t at the paper, Earl is working on his hobby: recreating rooms where famous crimes took place. He’s completed twelve rooms already. Should Lily be afraid of number thirteen? Continue reading “Secret Beyond the Door (1946) by Rufus King”

Holiday Homicide (1940) by Rufus King

January 8, 2019

Book cover of Holiday Homicide by Rufus King (1940)

7 Stars (7/10 stars)

“In any community, no matter how confined by natural barriers, or how small, there is always murder. I’m unfamiliar with the census number of the population that surrounded Cain and Abel but I imagine it must have been quite negligible.”

On New Year’s Day, most New Yorkers are sleeping off the revels of the night before. Myron Jettwick’s sleep is more permanent. The millionaire lies dead on his yacht, and his nephew Bruce knows that only the eccentric detective (and nut fancier) Cotton Moon can solve the crime. Luckily, Moon’s yacht happens to be docked right next door. With the aid of his secretary/bartender Bert Stanley, Moon’s investigation takes him from the East River to the Caribbean in search of a slippery killer—and the even more elusive sapucaia nut. Continue reading “Holiday Homicide (1940) by Rufus King”