"The Golden Dagger"

The case began with an anonymous phone call from a public telephone to the police, insisting there had been a murder at Cobblers, an estate belonging to Lord Rone and Saine. It sounded like a prank phone call, but the police, in the person of Scotland Yard Commander Bobby Owen, thought it would be wise to check anyway.

Then a second call was received - this time from a woman, calling from the same public telephone box not far from Cobblers. She had just discovered a wicked-looking, and bloodstained, golden dagger in the phone booth.

So maybe something really was going on at Cobblers? The police dutifully trooped out there - to find only bland and rather indignant denials that anyone had been murdered, even though that dagger did come from Lord Rone's collection.

That's the opening of a fine mystery called "The Golden Dagger," by E. R. Punshon, another of those authors whose name is virtually unknown today. For once, that link doesn't go to Amazon - I can't find the book on Amazon - but links instead directly to the book's page on the website of Ramble House, which has brought this post-Golden Age mystery back into print. "The Golden Dagger" is the subject of today's audio review on the Classic Mysteries podcast, and you can listen to the full review by clicking here.

So here are the police, with a bloody dagger, and - they are assured - no murder. Someone missing? Why yes, now that you mention it...two people in fact. And much of the book will be spent trying to figure out exactly what did happen, and to whom, that night in and around Cobblers. Oh, and there's another clue: an expensive hat. It may have belonged to the murderer. If, in fact, there is a murderer...

Yes, it's a delightful, trickly little puzzle mystery, filled with distinctive and memorable characters. And, yes, all that blood on the dagger must have come from somewhere. Check out that page at Ramble House for information about how to get a copy; it's probably also available in an e-book format for six bucks, and it's great fun.

Comments

[Margot Kinberg]

Les - Right you are that this is one of those books/authors that one never hears about today. I'm so glad for Ramble House and some of the other publishers who work to keep those books available. And as an aside, I love the fact that so many good books are now available in e-format. Obviously it's not a perfect system but so many novels that had gone out of print are now available again. Good for us all if you don't think too hard about the TBR list ;-)

[Les Blatt]

Agreed on all counts, Margot - especially the TBR list; at least the list on my Kindle can't threaten me physically the way a towering pile of books can do. Among my resolutions for this coming year will be to pay more attention to e-book offerings, especially from the small publishers who are trying to bring some great books back into circulation.

[John]

I am planning on reading/reviewing two Punshon books later this month. I have my January TBR pile all ready to go. Though I expect nothing will ever surpass DIABOLIC CANDELABRA -- by far one of the most original and imaginative detective novels I've read from the *entire* Golden Age. It's a book I nominate for a reissue.

[Les Blatt]

As far as I can tell, John, that one is virtually impossible to get. I'd love to see it republished. (Ramble House, are you listening?)...

[Gavin L. O'Keefe]

Les, thank you for your good words about Ramble House. Glad you enjoyed THE GOLDEN DAGGER. E. R. Punshon is a great mystery writer, and deserves greater attention. And, yes, we were listening: we have just reissued DIABOLIC CANDELABRA. :-)

[Les Blatt]

Thanks, Gavin. I'm delighted to hear about DIABOLIC CANDELABRA - all I really know about it is that (1) it has long been out of print and (2) at least two people whose opinions I respect recommend it enthusiastically via the GAD Wiki page. I'll be getting it and adding it to the deadly TBR pile, which shows no sign of ever decreasing in size...