The G-String Murders is a 1941 detective novel written by the legendary American burlesque performer Gypsy Rose Lee. The novel has been published under the titles Lady of Burlesque and The Strip-Tease Murders. The setting is the “Old Opera” burlesque theater on 42nd Street. In this detective story, Gypsy Rose Lee investigates a set of homicides where strippers in Lee’s troupe are found strangled with their own G-strings. That qualified as Hot Stuff 82 years ago!
A witty and wisecracking Gypsy Rose Lee narrates a twisted tale of a backstage double murder. Lee provides a fascinating look behind the scenes of burlesque, richly populated by the likes of strippers Lolita LaVerne and Gee Gee Graham, comic Biff Brannigan, and Siggy the g-string salesman.
As the character intent on finding the murderer, Gypsy Rose Lee allows herself to be the “bait” that will reveal the identity of the killer. Gypsy Rose Lee also published a second mystery: Mother Finds a Body (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1942).
There have been claims made that the novel was written by mystery writer Craig Rice, but others have suggested that there is sufficient documented evidence in the form of manuscripts and correspondence to prove Lee wrote at least a large portion, if not the whole, of the novel under the tutelage of editor/friend George Davis with some essential guidance from her good friend Craig Rice.
In addition to her mystery novels, Gypsy Rose Lee was also in over a dozen movies and over a dozen TV shows. Her 1957 memoir was adapted into the 1959 stage musical Gypsy. She died in 1970 at the age of 59. Were you a fan of Gypsy Rose Lee?
Little before my time. She was
I’m old but not that old!
Fred, age is just a number!
An (older) icon of my youth, as was Ann Corio, Lili St. Cyr, and Tempest Storm — all soon to be replaced forever in my heart by Betty Page.
I linked to LADY OF BURLESQUE on my blog earlier this week in celebration of Gypsy Rose Lee’s birthday.
Jerry, it’s good that Gypsy Rose Lee got a shout-out from both of us this week!
Didn’t she supposedly have a chid from Otto Preminger? She had quite the life.
I read this book 40+ years ago and thought it was entertaining enough. I always assumed Craig Rice had a large part in “helping” her write it.
Jeff, I’ve always assumed that Craig Rice “ghosted” THE G-STRING MURDERS. Gypsy Rose Lee was the most famous stripper of her time…and strippers tend to have interesting lives!
GYPSY is one of the great musicals. But I have never read her writing.
Patti, I suspect Gypsy Rose Lee had “help” with all of her books. You’re right about GYPSY, a great musical!
True. We’ve seen it several times, including with Angela Lansbury in London in 1973. Also with Tyne Daly, Bernadette Peters and Patti Lupone. I would have loved to see the 2015 London revival with Imelda Staunton, especially as she was my all-time favorite Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls.
Jeff, Diane and I have seen the touring company version of GYPSY and the movie version.
Many years since I read the book, or saw the movie, Lady of Burlesque, which had, amazingly, Barbara Stanwyck in the lead. Vague as my memory might be, I think I can confidently state that Stanwyck in Double Indemnity was at least an order of magnitude sexier as Phyllis Dietrichson in Billy WIlder’s classic than she was tossing her tassles as “Dixie Daisy” in the United Artists B programmer a year earlier.
Art, I’m not surprised you’re familiar with “Dixie Daisy.”
I read somewhere many years ago that Gypsy, having been raised in a trunk and on the road constantly, was practically illiterate! I tend to believe that her books were ghosted but she provided the show biz information! As for my opinion of her, she’s okay but I always wondered how she got as far as she did with that face!
Bob, I suspect her audience was focused on Gypsy’s other attributes.
I always thought that this was probably just a by-the-numbers ghost job by “Rice”, and perhaps heard too many uninspiring readings of “Everything’s Coming Up Rose’s” on chat shows and variety shows in the ’70s…just enough to make it not worth seeking out…also, ecdysiasts have never done much for me…
Todd, I’m sure Textual Analysis will show THE G-STRING MURDERS were heavy influenced by Craig Rice.