The Kennel Murder Case
By S.S. Van Dine.
First published 1933.
Published by Scribner
Paper Fiction
Paperback.
ISBN-10: 0684182483
ISBN-13: 978-0684182483
Description:
Vance, an independently
wealthy college educator, amateur detective, uses his deductive skills and
psychological knowledge to help his friend New York County Attorney solve the
murder of Archer Coe. At first, he thought of suicide when Coe's body was found
in a room locked from the inside with all the windows closed. As usual, the
action takes place in New York. Vance's methods are unconventional and run
counter to the more stringent police investigation methods and legal
requirements of a lawyer.
Given all the rich
people getting bumped off in Philo Vance's Manhattan, it's amazing there are
enough left to support the symphony. Latest up: Arthur Coe, found dead in his
own locked bedroom. Suicide? The ever-perceptive Philo doesn't buy that theory
for a second. The presence in Coe's house of a strange, prize-winning terrier
only adds to the mystery, although Philo's fabulously in-depth knowledge of
dogs does not in fact solve the crime; his fabulously in-depth knowledge of the
murder of the Empress Elizabeth of Austria in 1898 proves much more useful.
Praise for the Philo
Vance series:
“With his highbrow
manner and his parade of encyclopedic learning, Philo Vance is not only a
detective; he is a god out of the machine.” – The New York Times.
“Well-crafted puzzlers
that captivated readers . . . the works of S.S. Van Dine serve to transport the
reader back to a long-gone era of society and style of writing.” – Mystery
Scene.
“Outrageous cleverness .
. . among the finest fruits of the Golden Age.” – Bloody Murder.
“A
classic mystery featuring dogged detective Philo Vance. An intricate puzzle . .
. [Vance] has an uncanny insight into the subtler aspects of crime.” – The
New York Times.