Edward D. Hoch Bücher

"Edward D. Hoch was the most ingenious of modern mystery writers. His stories off fair play cluing, convincing settings, and elaborate (sometimes bizarre) plots. [...] Hoch's ladies were often faced with seemingly impossible crimes -- throat cutting in a locked room, shooting of giant cacti, murder in a giant hot air balloon, stabbing in a shower with no one present, poisoning of Chinese food as a last meal of a murderer, and more ingenious methods that will keep the reader guessing."--Page 4 of cover.

Set against the backdrop of the Revolutionary War, the collection features thirteen stories of Alexander Swift, who interacts with iconic figures like George Washington and Benedict Arnold while serving the Continental Army. Complementing this historical narrative are five intriguing tales of Gideon Parrot, a flamboyant detective from the Golden Age, renowned for his clever problem-solving skills. Together, these characters offer a blend of historical intrigue and detective mystery.

-Leslie Charteris, "The Beauty Specialist:" The Saint battles a master criminal called the Z-Man.G.K. Chesterton, "The Oracle of the Dog:" This novella, about an impossible crime, is considered by many to be the best of the Father Brown stories. The Mystery Writers of America chose it as one of the best mysteries of all time.Michael Gilbert, "The Cleaners:" The only novella featuring Inspector Patrick Petrella. Mr. Gilbert won the 1987 MWA Grand Masters Award.Dorothy Sayers, "The Incredible Elopement of Lord Peter Wimsey:" In a rare adventure outside of Britain, Lord Peter becomes involved in strange doings in the Basque region of northern Spain.