MUM’S THE WORD FOR MURDER is a forgotten book recommended by James Reasoner here. A novel by Davis Dresser, the creator of everyone’s favorite private eye, Mike Shayne, this one preceding the redhead. His post covers it very well and gives a little background in relation to his more famous character.
I’ll just say I enjoyed it and will have to track down the other one featuring the character, Jerry Burke, THE KISSED CORPSE, under the name Asa Baker. I haven’t yet checked. The cover on my copy is the one shown, the least favorite and seems to be one of Robert McGinnis’ minor efforts, which still puts him levels over many artists. He’s very good.
As for the plot device that James mentioned that was used later on a more famous story, it had me guessing trying to figure it out. I didn’t catch on until late in the story when it seemed the only solution. Even then I wasn’t positive until the last few pages.
Well worth reading.
Not The Baseball Pitcher 
Constantly amazed at all the writers I’d forgotten.
I had a copy of this in my hands at the paperback collector’s show and set it back down (not on the Want List). Darn! It was $6.00, in VG condition.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a copy of it.
Never read Halliday/Dresser, but I’ve found a couple of old stories in Black Mask. I do remember reading a couple of Halliday/Reasoner stories in MSMM back in the 80s. Need to dig them out of storage.
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