One of the books I picked up at the BOUCHERCON in New Orleans was Blood Relations: The Selected Letters of Ellery Queen 1947-1950. During this time period, four Ellery Queen novels were published: Ten Days’ Wonder (1948), Cat of Many Tales (1049), Double, Double (1950), and The Origin of Evil (1951). When I first discovered Ellery Queen back in the 1960s, i binged on the early mysteries reading about a dozen of them before moving on to Agatha Christie and “carter brown.” Afterwords, I read an Ellery Queen novel about every decade. So, in order to read Blood Relations I had to read the four books Frederic Danny and Manfred B. Lee (the cousins who worked together as “Ellery Queen”) discuss in these letters. I found them fascinating with the detail both men go into about their writing process. The letters share personal information: neither man was particularly healthy. Both seem to suffer from bouts of depression. And there’s a undercurrent of anger and antagonism in these letters. Money problems and family problems enter into the mix. I learned a lot about the approach these men took toward their work. GRADE: A
As far as the four novels, I found Ten Days’ Wonder very clever with multiple plots swirling under the surface. A friend of Ellery Queen fears he committed a crime while suffering from amnesia. Ellery accompanies his friend to Wrightsville and becomes involved in a blackmail plot. I found the conclusion surprising. GRADE: B+
A serial killer called the Cat sends New York City into a panic. Ellery Queen, in a funk over the events in Wrightsville in Ten Days’ Wonder, is reluctant to get involved, but when his father is put in charge of the investigation, Ellery plunges into solving the murders. The 10 murders seem completely unconnected and random, but Ellery finally discovers the common element. Cat of Many Tales is one of the best mysteries Dannay and Lee ever produced. GRADE: A
Ellery Queen finds himself back in Wrightsville for a series of deaths that follow the “rich man, poor man, begger man, thief” rubric. I found this mystery very very contrived. GRADE: B-
Origin of Evil is one of the Ellery Queen “Hollywood” mysteries. Ellery is in California to write a book, but he’s immediately drawn into a convoluted crime involving a dead dog, eels, dead frogs, and a guy who lives in a tree house. If you’re in the mood for a wacky puzzle novel, The Origin of Evil will fit the bill. GRADE: B
What’s your favorite Ellery Queen mystery?
I did find the book alternated between fascinating detail about the writing but also information that was really very depressing about their lives and relationship. But there you go. I would have to agree with CAT is the best, a real masterpiece with the admittedly much stranger TEN DAYS just behind.
Sergio, I was surprised about the financial struggles of Frederic Danny and Manfred B. Lee. You would think two best-selling writers wouldn’t have money problems. But they did!
Found a brilliant review of 10 DAYS WONDER here:
http://mysteryfile.com/blog/?p=9399
Dan, that is a very good review of 10 DAYS’ WONDER! I had the same experience as you did with Ellery Queen in High School. I binged on about a dozen Ellery Queen mysteries and then moved on.
I like them all, but CALAMITY TOWN is my favorite today. Tomorrow I may have a different answer.
Jerry, I plan on reading CALAMITY TOWN in a month or so. Once again, I’ve suddenly fallen behind on my Library books!
I must have read some of these books – but I don’t remember them.
Re ” before moving on to Agatha Christie and “carter brown.” ”
I had to chuckle – just remembered that as a student in the early 60s I also bought a few of Carter Brown novels , they were relatively cheap and they helped me with learning slang …
There was a bookstore that I passsed on my way to university and they had ” a lot” of Englsih/American books and magazines – so when I could afford it, I’d buy a novel for my train ride home, was stillliving with my parents the first semesters.
PS:Had to chuckle too at the picture of “The origin of evili” – it must have been a British edition, the price is 2/6 aka a half crown!
That was the price of a cheeseburger when I came to England in 1965, a regular hamburger was 2 shillings …
Paperbacks were really cheap then, 25 or 35 cents – in Germany it was 1.50 Deutsche Mark!
Wolf, I love the old cover artwork on vintage paperbacks. You just don’t see luridness like that much any more!
Great choice. CAT OF MANY TAILS and CALAMITY TOWN are two of my favorite Queens, but there are others I like a lot, too.
Bill, I have fond memories of THE EGYPTIAN CROSS MYSTERY.
I think I’ve read all of the Queens, but can’t remember which ones I preferred. I do remember liking the drury lane/xyz ones, if I”m remembering correctly.
Maggie, I have the Drury Lane books, but haven’t read them yet.
I’ve read and enjoyed the first two. They are like the early Queen books with the atmosphere and outre touches.
Jeff, I always liked Ellery Queen’s CHALLENGE TO THE READER.
CAT is the best of late period Queen, and one of the best of the many find-the-hidden-pattern-in-the-seemingly-random-series-of-killings books that many mystery writers have produced. But in general, I prefer the early pure puzzle plot novels to the later books of the Wrightsville Era, when their approach became a lot more “psychological”. GREEK COFFIN is my favorite.
Art, I’ll have to reread GREEK COFFIN. I’m sure I read it in the Sixties, but don’t recall any details.
Mike Nevins is in my camp on this one. In ROYAL BLOODLINE he writes,, “…the GREEK COFFIN MYSTERY is probably the most involuted, brain-crushing, miraculously well-constructed detective novel published in the United States during the Golden Age.”
Art, I’ll have to reread THE GREEK COFFIN MYSTERY soon!
Nice one. I read it some time ago, and also read the four books (the Hollywood one was the weakest). CAT OF MANY TAILS is one of my favorite Queens. I like the Wrightsville books, and THE GLASS VILLAGE (non-series) and their various short story collections.
Jeff, I’ll probably read more Ellery Queen in 2017. You’re right about the weakness of the THE ORIGIN OF EVIL. Tricky, but far-fetched!
What Art said except I’ll put in a plug for THE SPANISH CAPE MYSTERY. Of the later ones, I agree on CAT.
Rick, I’ll probably be reading THE SPANISH CAPE MYSTERY later this year. The “late” Ellery Queens that were ghosted by other writers are mostly weak. The only one that really interested me was FACE TO FACE which might have been ghost-written by Jack Vance.
George, I finally managed to buy my first Ellery Queen paperback, “Inspector Queen’s Own Case.” that I look forward to reading at the earliest.
Prashant, I have a copy of INSPECTOR QUEEN’S OWN CASE but haven’t read it yet. Hope you enjoy it!
Tried Cat of Many Tales about 5 years ago. Couldn’t finish it. I think I disliked the dialogue.
Steve, I struggle with the dialogue in all the Ellery Queen novels. I try to just focus on the puzzle.
Loved this book of letters. Learned so much about how these two men collaborated and it was eye-opening. The fact that they were able to work together for as long as they did is remarkable.
Rick, you’re right. Frederic Danny and Manfred B. Lee had a complicated relationship. Financial factors and health concerns were a big part of the letters.
I tried one many years ago and wasn’t tempted to try another! I’ve always felt I should try another but haven’t! The ones I’ve been tempted to try were ghosted!
Bob, I liked FACE TO FACE, a mystery that some people think was ghosted by Jack Vance.
Is there something to be deduced from the fact that FACE TO FACE and TAKE MY FACE are both books ghosted by Jack Vance? (The latter as “Peter Held”)
Art, you’re right. Jack Vance also wrote THE FACE as one of his DEMON KINGS novels.
I really enjoyed that Demon Kings series! Much more than the mysteries …
Vance’s SF was more than brilliant.
Why did Vance ghostwrite for Ellery Queen – did he need the money?
Wolf, oops! It’s the DEMON PRINCES series. Not KINGS. I suspect Jack Vance ghosted those “Ellery Queen” mysteries for money. Vance loved to travel so I’m sure whatever he made for writing the EQs for a trip somewhere.
George, I fell into your trap – mixed them up too!
Of course it was because the first novel was The Star King – brilliant!
Wolf, my favorite volume in the DEMON PRINCES series is THE FACE.