In his informative Introduction, Francis M. Nevins traces the genesis of Captain Leopold, Homicide, from a solver of crimes to a detective who can see through deceptions and lies to discern the true puzzle hidden by the criminal. In “Circus,” the first Captain Leopold story, a 10-year-old boy is found dead, strangled by a rope. There’s pressure to solve the case quickly, but Leopold uses his unique method to discover the truth.

Nevins makes the point that Edward D. Hoch based Leopold on Simenon’s Maigret, a detective of insights. In fact, in a later story, readers find out that Captain Leopold’s first name is Jules–just like Maigret! This aspect comes into play in “A Place for Bleeding,” where a 15-year-old girl is kidnapped and her chauffeur is murdered. Only Captain Leopold figures out why there are TWO ransom notes.

I also enjoyed “Death in the Harbor” which is a homage to Agatha Christie. I’ve been reading a lot of Edward D. Hoch lately. His skill as a short story writer is on display in Leopold’s Way. Wonderful stories, such a delight to read! GRADE: A

Table of Contents:

Introduction — Francis M. Nevins
Circus,
Death in the Harbor,
A Place for Bleeding,
Reunion,
The House by the Ferris,
The Oblong Room,
The Vanishing of Velma,
The Rainy-Day Bandit,
The Athanasia League,
End of the Day,
Christmas Is for Cops,
The Jersey Devil,
The Leopold Locked Room,
A Melee of Diamonds,
Captain Leopold Plays a Hunch,
Captain Leopold and the Ghost-Killer,
Captain Leopold Goes Home,
No Crime for Captain Leopold,
The Most Dangerous Man Alive,
A Captain Leopold Checklist Francis M. Nevins, Jr.,