#1940 Club: The Norths Meet Murder by Frances and Richard Lockridge and The So Blue Marble by Dorothy B. Hughes

It is the second day of the #1940 Club and time to look at two debuts.

The Norths husband-wife detective duo had long been on my wishlist and when I saw that their career in detection began in 1940, I immediately decided to read it for the club.

Mr. North comes home one day, tired and grumpy because of the continuing hot weather. Mrs. North not only gives him some refreshing cocktails (and yes, through out the book, there is a lot of drinking) but also tells him that she has decided to throw a party the next day that would cheer him up. Their landlady has given her permission to host the party at the top-floor, presently lying vacant. When the couple goes upstairs to plan the party, they find that somebody is already there: a very naked man in the bath-tub.

Lieutenant Weigand of the New York police, along with his junior officer, Mullins, starts his investigations, helped along the way with Pam North but what happens when the suspects include Jerry North.

I enjoyed this case. Mr and Mrs North are an interesting couple: She zany and confusing but with correct hunches and he, solid and reliable. However, much as I liked the couple, I found it even better that this was more of a police-procedural where it is hard-work that first establishes the identity of the victim. And more than the tete-a-tete between the Norths, I enjoyed the interaction between the various police officers and esp b/w Weigand and Mullins. I have come to know that the subsequent books in the series have more investigation done by the Norths and the role of the police is reduced. I sincerely hope it is not considerably reduced because I don’t know whether I will be able to enjoy the books then.

The book also reflects the tension of its time with an exporter being targetted because he continues to have business dealings with Germany. And yes, cats feature prominently in the book.

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First Line: Mr. North came home rather early that Tuesday afternoon, and as soon s he came in Mrs. North realized he was in a mood.

Publication Details: 1940. NY: Mysterious Press. 2016

Series: Mr. and Mrs. North #1

Pages: 244

Other Opinions: My Reader’s Block

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Last year I read Dorothy B. Hughes’ Dread Journey (Review pending – story of my life) and wasn’t too impressed but when I came to know that this was the year she made her debut with The So Blue Marble, a book I had heard praised highly, I decided to read it.

Griselda Satterlee, fashion designer, for Hollywood stars has come to New York in the East to take a break. In the city, she is staying at the apartment of her divorced husband, Con, who being a media person is covering up some border-skirmish and is away from the city. One night, while returning home, she is accosted by the twins Montefierrow, David and Danny, who demand that she hand them over the Blue Marble. She is bewildered because she has no idea abt what they are talking about. Later, in the book, we come to know that the marble is some mythical object that hides within it the map of a lost continent and hoardes of treasure. Griselda’s bewilderment increases when she sees that her own younger sister, Missy, is involved with the twins. And then the killing spree starts…

There is a Kafkaesque quality to this novel. As people are murdered and their bodies disappear, as people behave like psychopath killers one minute and courteous gentlemen the nest, as other people do not understand the tensions underneath, the nightmare simply doesn’t seem to end. Then there is the problem if anyone can be believed: The elder sister; her husband; the Hollywood heartthrob; the maid; the gentle professor next door, the police-officer, the husband who appears and disappears….whom can Griselda turn to. There were times when I simply wanted to scream because things got so tense. So yes, very very unbelievable but an absolute page-turner.

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First Line: Her dress was black and her coat, with its black fox collar, but at night no one would know the fox was real.

Publication Details: 1940. Golden Apple Publishers, 1984.

Series: Griselda Satterlee #1

Pages: 181

Other Opinions: My Reader’s Block; Mysteries Ahoy!, Noirish