+ N Y Times p21 N 7 ’20 320w + − Sat R 127:427 My 3 ’19 190w
“Mr Fletcher is one of the most skilful writers of this type of fiction. The narrative abounds in thrills and tense situations and will be highly diverting to devotees of this school of fiction.”
+ Springf’d Republican p9a O 31 ’20 190w
FLETCHER, JOSEPH SMITH. Paradise mystery. (Borzoi mystery stories) *$1.90 (2c) Knopf
20–8629
A stranger in the town of Wrychester is killed by a fall from the upper gallery of the cathedral. But this fact naturally is not so simple as stated, and leads to the question, was the fall suicide, accident or murder, and if murder, who was the murderer, and what was the motive. In the answering of these questions many people are involved: Dr Ransford, whom the dead man had been asking for; Dr Bryce, his assistant, who had been forcing unwelcome attentions upon Ransford’s ward, Mary Bewery; Collishaw, the laborer, who later met his death because he knew too much; Simpson Harker, an ex-detective; Stephen Folliot, whose step-son is also a suitor for Mary Bewery’s hand. These, and others, are all bound up in a network of mystery which is not unraveled until the surprising denouement of the story.
“A good English mystery story.”
+ Booklist 16:347 Jl ’20
“Besides the mystery there is a tender little love story and several interesting characters.”