LITMIR.BIZ

In five short stories and one long novelette, Rufus King introduces Colin Starr, a young physician whose medical knowledge enables him to detect murder where a less able doctor would have signed a certificate of death from natural causes. Because of his shrewd understanding of human psychology as well as his application of scientific knowledge to seemingly unrelated facts, Dr. Starr is a unique detective in the annals of crime. Included in this volume are:<P> The Case of the Three Baleful Brothers<BR> The Case of the Prodigal Bridegroom<BR> The Case of the Sudden Shot<BR> The Case of the Imperious Invalid<BR> The Case of the Buttoned Collar<BR> The Case of the Lonely Ladies<P> Rufus King (1893-1966) was an American author of Whodunit crime novels. He created four series of detective stories, the most famous being Lieutenant Valcour. Modern critics are rediscovering Rufus King's work. Mike Grost, on Golden Age Detective, features a long writeup of King, stating: «King had a vivid writing style, with colorful characters, events, and images. He was clearly a born writer.»

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Lt. Valcour did not object to interrupting his vacation in order to help Chief Goodfriend of the Miami detective force solve the oddly similar murders of two distinctly dissimilar women. For one thing, the cases, or case as Valcour felt it to be, interested him and he felt a distinct apprehension that unless somebody solved it there would be more deaths to come. And Goodfriend appeared in desperate need of assistance. Consequently Valcour felt as though he were conducting a demonstration course in detection when he set about finding all available information on the women…<P> A tense mystery-thriller as only Rufus King could write it!

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With greedy anticipation, Alan Admont listened to gangster Joe Inbrun plan murder. The Deadly Dove, a ruthless killer, would be hired. The Dove worked quietly and swiftly. The result would be a fatal accident or illness.<P> Alan had just married wealthy and eccentric Christine Belder, who was old enough to be his mother. It was a pleasant setup for Alan – until Joe Inbrun saw in it a way to collect an old debt. Then suddenly Christine cut Alan out of her will and Alan now had to try desperately to keep her alive.<P> But the Dove was at work. Not even Joe could stop him. Alan waited in terror for the deadly blow that would leave him penniless when, without warning, murder struck in the Belder mansion.<P> But the victim was not Christine…

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In this masterpiece of fear and suspense, Rufus King tackles the dangerous subjects of love and atomic energy. The resulting romantic riddle is a brain-teaser guaranteed to stymie detective fans until the very last page.<P> Ramier Bellamy kisses Drusilla Duveen good-bye and prepares to make himself invisible. But something goes wrong with his experiment – and when the machine he invented started to hum, it is Drusilla, not he, who vanishes!<P> That's just the first in a series of mysterious events that will keep you guessing – and wondering!

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Rufus King returns to the maritime mystery genre with «Murder on the Yacht.» A lawyer disappears from a taxi cab on the way to join a party aboard the giant luxury yacht «The Crusader.» Where did he go and what happened to him? Lt. Valcour joins the cruise to find out, mixing with a varied bunch of eccentric guests and crewmen, including a psychic. But will she provide clues or a smokescreen for the culprits? Another thrilling Lt. Valcour mystery!

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An extortionist's note, demanding $20,000 in cash and threatening the kidnapping of Kate Willett's two mentally unbalanced sons, sent Lieutenant Valcour rushing up to the Willetts' Adirondacks camp.<P> There, death struck with slashing suddenness while Valcour was talking to young Arthur Willett, who was sprawled on a sofa smoking a cigarette. Listening to the crackling roar of flames in the fireplace, Valcour detected the odor of burning cloth. He glanced at Arthur to find the cigarette lying in Arthur's lap and Arthur's chin slumped on his chest. Valcour rushed to his side and in stunned amazement stared at the dark mark where a bullet had entered Arthur's skull!<P> A fast-moving drama of multiple murder, featuring Lieutenant Valcour at top form!

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Without realizing it, Carrie Giles has become a stranger in her own home. Four roomers have moved in. Three are cold-eyed men. The fourth is a predatory female whose every word and gesture is a wanton invitation. All four are interested in Carrie's etchings. But she doesn't know why – until a silent killer walks into her room!<P>A classic novel of suspense by the author of the Lt. Valcour mystery series. (Also published as The Case of the Dowager’s Etchings.)

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"In our opinion the best thing that Rufus King has ever written." – The New York Times<P> Miriam Lake found herself in an alarming situation the night she came aboard the luxury yacht <i>Donna Louise<\i> for an interview with a «Mrs. Murchison» who was seeking a governess for a backwards child. First, Mrs. Murchison turned out to be a man – Donald Murchison. Then, Miriam learned that everyone on board believed her to be Murchison's long-lost niece and a victim of schizophrenia, causing her to adopt a strange new personality. By the time Miriam realized it was no honest mistake in identity, and that murder was part of the evil design, the yacht was heading out to sea!<P> A tense novel in which Rufus King is at his scintilating best!

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Rufus King, master of the macabre, penned a modern Bluebeard thriller of such unbearable suspense that Hollywood jumped at the chance to produce it as a movie. MUSEUM PIECE No. 13 (later renamed to match the movie) was filmed as SECRET BEYOND THE DOOR, starring Joan Bennett and Michael Redgrave, and produced by Fritz Lang. It became an instant noir classic, as tense, shocking, and suspenseful as the original novel.<P> Lily Rumney, lovely and in love, could see no evil in her husband. Not even when she discovered his strange collection of blood-spattered rooms where murder had been done. But when a forbidden door swung open and Lily entered a chamber prepared for death – her death! – she knew she must escape. Slowly, warily, frozen by dread, the terrified bride walked a dim corridor…while close at hand a madman planned his thirteenth killing!

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Cotton Moon has his hands full in the Case of the Holiday Homicide. He gets mixed up in a murder investigation on New Year's Morning because of (1) a rare tropical nut and (2) a large fee he is sure to collect. At his side is Bert Stanley, an assistant who was hired because he was once a bartender who could take dictation and type – and swing the stiffs out of a waterfront bar at closing time. With a line-up of suspects and a fast-moving plot sure to please every reader, here is one investigation no mystery fan can afford to miss! <P> "A spot-on spoof of Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin." – Kevin Burton Smith, thrillingdetective.com

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