Patrick Quentin Books

DEATH FREIGHTThe American Magazine was a glossy, lavishly illustrated “slick” aimed primarily at middle class women readers, filled not only with dastardly murders, but beautiful women and handsome men living the high life, the sweet spice of romance adding to the sordid criminal proceedings.Here are four clever, sophisticated mysteries from the pages of The American Magazine written by Hugh Wheeler in the early 1950s as “Patrick Quentin.” Each story takes the reader on a world tour of murder…The trip begins with “Mrs. B.’s Black Sheep” as a European Tour for Girls is quickly disrupted by theft and murder. In “Death Freight” a world-traveling writer bound for Zanzibar is thrown into a shipboard murder mystery involving an old flame and a pouch of stolen diamonds. “The Scarlet Box” takes us to Rome where an artist must solve the murder of a famous director to prove the innocence of a young woman he has grown to love. And in “The Laughing Man,” a San Francisco police inspector is pitted against a would-be serial killer who cackles as he kills.

This collection features a series of intriguing murder mysteries crafted by Patrick Quentin, showcasing his skill in weaving suspenseful narratives. Each tale delves into the psychology of crime, exploring the motives and consequences faced by the characters involved. With a blend of wit and dark themes, the stories promise to engage readers who appreciate classic whodunits and clever plot twists, making it a compelling read for mystery enthusiasts.

The Man in the Net is a taut and well-crafted example of Patrick Quentin mystery thriller. Quentin typically sets up an unexpected scenario or unusual premise and this is more than fulfilled in this novel.John Hamilton left his lucrative job with a New York advertising agency to move to the country and try his hand at painting. His first show is not a success and he is under some pressure from his wife, Linda, to return to the city to make some money. Linda is having increasing difficulty coping with the dullness of life in the country and has succumbed to alcoholism, although she is able to keep this completely secret from everybody except John.So when John returns from a business trip to find his paintings slashed and Linda missing, later to be found dead, he cannot prove how unstable and violent she had become and the suspicions of the locals put him firmly in the frame for her murder.