Ellery Queen Books

In this early serial killer novel, Ellery Queen stalks a mass murderer through the streets of 1940s New York.

Spanning over fifty years, this collection brings together a diverse array of works that showcase the evolution of themes and styles. It highlights the creativity and depth of its contributors, offering readers a unique glimpse into the changing landscape of literature and thought over decades. Each piece reflects the distinct voices and experiences of its time, making it a significant anthology for both casual readers and literary enthusiasts.

For twelve years following the death of Davy's mother Jessica and the trial of his father, Davy Fox has endured profound inner turmoil. He is aware of his love for his wife, but he is also haunted by the knowledge that he is destined to kill her. Uncertain of when this will occur, Davy grapples with the idea that a man born to be a murderer will inevitably fulfill that fate. The narrative explores the dark intersection of love and violence, culminating in a life-or-death choice that Ellery Queen must confront.

A mysterious religious commune, New York City during a choking heat wave, and a quiet New England town are among the settings for intrigue and murder

An unknown dead man is found in the office of a prosperous publisher. His clothes are on backward, and all of the furniture in the room has been reversed. Ellery Queen continues to uncover "backward" clues--leading him to the identity of this puzzling victim.

Eleven confounding problems in deduction for Golden Age super-sleuth Ellery Queen.

Ellery is persuaded to accompany an old friend to his ancestral home when the latter arrives at Ellery's house covered in blood and unable to remember anything from the past few weeks. There, tensions erupt and foul play results in the murder of one of the household's members. Originally published by Little, Brown in 1948.

Stocks rose, stocks fell, but Solly Spaeth always came out ahead. The fat little man with the computer mind was a financial wizard -- at making other people's money disappear into his own pocket. Then Spaeth made one fast deal too many, and someone decided to make a different kind of killing. By the time Ellery Queen arrived on the scene, Solly had cashed in his blue chips.

King Bendigo is the wealthiest man alive. He has an enormous security detail on his private island, quite capable of dealing with international aggression. But not threats from within his own family. Fearing for his life, he hires brilliant detective Ellery Queen. The King's brother Judah makes no secret of wanting him dead. He even gives a date and a time on which he will commit the crime. So when the day comes, the King is kept in a hermetically sealed room while his brother is guarded by Ellery himself. But somehow the King is still shot.

Looking for trouble, Ellery Queen descends on a small town At the tail end of the long summer of 1940, there is nowhere in the country more charming than Wrightsville. The Depression has abated, and for the first time in years the city is booming. There is hope in Wrightsville, but Ellery Queen has come looking for death. The mystery author is hoping for fodder for a novel, and he senses the corruption that lurks beneath the apple pie façade. He rents a house owned by the town’s first family, whose three daughters star in most of the local gossip. One is fragile, left at the altar three years ago and never recovered. Another is engaged to the city’s rising political star, an upright man who’s already boring her. And then there’s Lola, the divorced, bohemian black sheep. Together, they make a volatile combination. Once he sees the ugliness in Wrightsville, Queen sits back—waiting for the crime to come to him.

Inspector Richard Queen is tasked with solving the mysterious murder of an unknown man in a New York hotel. This detective novel showcases Ellery Queen's brilliant unraveling of a "reverse murder." The unusual execution of the crime and its nearly incomprehensible background highlight the deductive abilities of private detective Ellery Queen.

A killing shocks the erotic film underworld in a mystery featuring Mike McCall, the political troubleshooter introduced in The Campus Murders .The film is called The Wild Nymph , and it may be the finest pornographic movie ever made. A relic of the 1950s, when erotic cinema was more artistic than smutty, it was filmed on a shoestring budget by the enigmatic genius Sol Dahlman. But 20 years later, the film has been forgotten and Dahlman has become a recluse. Finding him will be a deadly proposition.A Hollywood producer comes to the state capital in search of Dahlman, hoping to capitalize on pornography's growing mainstream acceptance. He meets Mike McCall, the governor's top troubleshooter, whose only interest in pornography is in keeping women's lib protestors from picketing the theaters. When Dahlman is found dead, it falls to McCall to stop the bloodshed. Sex can be controversial, but murder is always taboo.

A house party at a millionaire’s hacienda turns into a crime scene in this classic detective novel by an Edgar Award–winning Grand Master. The Godfrey family is vacationing along the North Atlantic seaboard, seeking tranquility and leisure. However, one evening, Rosa and her uncle David argue about her secret romance with the charming yet dubious John Marco, who has no apparent means of support. Suddenly, a towering one-eyed man with a .38 revolver appears. The next day, renowned sleuth Ellery Queen arrives from New York City, eager for a summer escape, only to find himself in the midst of chaos. After rescuing Rosa, he learns that her captor mistakenly attacked David instead of John. The situation escalates when John is discovered dead, stark naked except for a black fedora and an extravagant opera cloak. With numerous guests and household members potentially harboring motives, Ellery must unravel the mystery of John’s death and the fate of his clothes. This iconic series, inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and lauded by Agatha Christie, features meticulously placed clues, logical deduction, and a captivating 1930s atmosphere, making it a delightful read for fans of intricate puzzles.

A murder in a crowded Broadway theater presents a full house of suspects--the first in this classic mystery series starring Ellery Queen! Despite the dismal Broadway season, Gunplay continues to draw crowds. A gangland spectacle, it's packed to the gills with action, explosions, and gunfire. In fact, Gunplay is so loud that no one notices the killing of Monte Field. In a sold-out theater, Field is found dead partway through the second act, surrounded by empty seats. The police hold the crowd and call for the one man who can untangle this daring murder: Inspector Richard Queen. With the help of his son Ellery, a bibliophile and novelist whose imagination can solve any crime, the Inspector attacks this seemingly impenetrable mystery. Anyone in the theater could have killed the unscrupulous lawyer, and several had the motive. Only Ellery Queen, in his debut novel, can decipher the clue of the dead man's missing top hat.

"When Ellery Queen, described by the London Times as "the logical successor to Sherlock Holmes," is invited by his friend, a doctor, to witness an operation, he accepts the offer in hopes of furthering his capabilities as an amateur detective, but soon ends up testing those same skills. The patient who is about to undergo the delicate procedure is Abigail Doorn, the richest and most famous woman in America; the doctor who will perform it is her protégé, one of the leading surgeons on the East Coast. It will all take place in the main operating theater of the vast hospital that she founded. Relatives and friends, and even some enemies, wait with bated breath to learn the outcome of the operation. The institution is hushed, the audience seated, the theater ready. The surgeon calls for his distinguished patient, and the doors swing open. A still form covered in a white sheet is wheeled into the theater. But when the sheet is removed, it reveals Ms. Doorn's corpse, strangled to death with a picture wire. Who among the attendees was ruthless enough to carry out this gruesome operation? It's up to Ellery Queen--and his most perceptive readers--to uncover the clues and find out"-- Provided by publisher

From the very beginning, the Khalkis case struck a somber note. It began, as was peculiarly harmonious in the light of what was to come, with the death of an old man. Georg Khalkis, internationally famous art dealer and collector, died of heart failure. After his funeral, his attorney found that the will was missing and immediately called in the district attorney. When Inspector Queen and his son, Ellery, are brought in to solve the mystery of the missing will, Ellery mentions the one place they have not searched for the will . . . the coffin! Upon exhumation of the Khalkis coffin they find that it contained not one body -- but two!

A card with the letter "J" on it appeared in Robert York's mail, and a day later he was dead. Then another card showed up, and Ellery Queen knew he was up against a brilliant killer who made a game of death by warning his victims. The only clue was the signature "Y" and Ellery had to find him and stop his remorseless vendetta before "Y" won his mad game...

Ellery Queen investigates a murder at the circus rodeo When a washed up Hollywood cowboy-turned-circus rodeo actor is shot dead in the midst of his performance at a New York sports-palace, in front of thousands of onlookers, it seems obvious that someone would have seen the perpetrator of the crime—or at the very least, recovered the gun. But when the ensuing investigation fails to turn up any evidence, even after the newsreels made in the moment are reviewed, the net of suspicion widens across the troupe of performers and the circus staff. Who among them is cunning enough to have constructed such a baffling murder scene? Unluckily for the murderer, genius sleuth Ellery Queen is among the thousands that witnessed the crime, and he won’t be satisfied until he cuts through the confusion to discover the truth of the execution. By the time he uncovers all the necessary clues and delivers his patented “Challenge to the Reader,” Queen (and his most careful readers) will be able to expose both the killer and the hiding place of the weapon—the titular American Gun that fired the fatal bullet. Reissued for the first time in over thirty years, The American Gun Mystery is among the most beloved of the early Ellery Queen novels, renowned to this day as exemplary works of the American Golden Age mystery. The central puzzle is a “fair play” story in which the reader has all the necessary clues needed to solve the crime.

Ellery Queen investigates a series of bizarre murders that lead to a mysterious religious cult “Crucifixion on Christmas Day.” That’s what the newspapers report when a small-town schoolteacher is discovered dead, beheaded, and tied to a T-shaped cross on December 25th. It’s a murder bizarre enough to pique Ellery Queen’s interest — and intriguing enough to lure him to the West Virginia village where it occurred to take a closer look. But when he arrives, Queen is met with too few clues and too little evidence to produce a satisfactory verdict, even for a master sleuth such as himself, and so returns home to New York defeated. The yuletide gore is a distant memory when the next such murder occurs, identical in every way, but now the location has moved to Long Island. When Ellery Queen learns that the sun-worshipping nudist cult he encountered down south has made the same relocation, it becomes clear that the group and the killings must be intertwined. But then several more crucifixion murders follow, drawing Queen deeper into a tangled and eerie puzzle unlike anything he’s encountered before. It will take all of his powers of deduction to uncover the killer. Reissued for the first time in decades, The Egyptian Cross Mystery is a “fair play” puzzle in which the readers have all the clues necessary to solve the mystery themselves. It is the fifth of Ellery Queen’s cases, which may be enjoyed in any order.

Ellery Queen takes refuge from a wildfire at a remote mountain house — and arrives just before the owner is murdered... When Ellery Queen and his father encounter a raging forest fire during a mountain drive, the only direction to go is up — up a winding dirt road that leads to an isolated hillside manor, inhabited by a secretive surgeon and his diverse cast of guests. Trapped by the fire, the Queens settle into the uneasy atmosphere of their surroundings. Things become even more tense the following morning when the doctor is discovered dead, apparently shot down while playing solitaire the night before. The only clue is a torn six of spades. The suspects include a society beauty, a suspicious valet, and a pair of conjoined twins. When another murder follows, the killer inside the house becomes as threatening as the mortal flames outside its walls. Faced with a complex set of alibis, motives, and evidence, Ellery Queen must rely on his powers of deduction and logic to uncover the murderer’s identity — but can he solve this whodunnit before the fire devours its subjects? Featuring bizarre circumstances, eerie atmosphere, and a dazzling solution, The Siamese Twin Mystery is a fair play mystery in which the reader has all the necessary information needed to solve the puzzle. The seventh Ellery Queen novel (which can be read in any order), it finds the legendary sleuth facing one of the most memorable cases of his career.

Ellery Queen, the gentleman detective, is a handsome Harvard grad who works as a private eye alongside his father, Inspector Richard Queen of the NYPD. In The Door Between they face one of their most daunting cases. Karen Leith is dead. An acclaimed novelist turned recluse, she died alone, in a small secluded room of her odd Greenwich Village house. Reportedly tormented by a scandal from decades past, she killed herself. Or did she? The deeper Ellery Queen delves into her past, the more certain he becomes that she was murdered — in as clever and horrifying a manner as he has ever encountered. Queen's superb powers of deduction are put to the ultimate test in this intricate whodunit.

The worst motorway crash in thirty years happens on the M4 near London Heathrow Airport. The impact on the lives of those who survive and the repercussions on the families of those who die unfolds and nothing is predictable.After four years of painstaking research, an enzyme is discovered that will revolutionise the cosmetic industry. John Bartlett knows that ‘Impactus' will be the pinnacle of his success, taking his corporation to new heights. Industrial espionage could result in him losing the race. Time is of the essence.Bali is a beautiful Indonesian island housing Kerobokan Jail, one of the worst prisons in the world. A young backpacker must call on all his reserves to survive the dreadful conditions in order to stay alive.

«C'è l'ennesimo stereotipo che vuole che i racconti, per un autore che scrive romanzi, siano una produzione minore. Qualcosa che fai per forza perché te la chiedono per lo spazio ristretto di una rivista, o perché quell'anno non hai un'idea buona per qualcosa di più lungo, per cui tanto vale un'antologia, magari raschiando il proverbiale fondo del barile. Be', non è vero. Per un autore i racconti sono la stanza dei giochi. Un posto libero in cui correre, proprio come fanno i bambini. Un posto in cui giocare. E soprattutto per gli scrittori di gialli, che a giocare ci sono più abituati degli scrittori cosiddetti 'seri', e quindi figurarsi uno come Ellery Queen. Nei racconti si sperimenta, si prova, si inventa e ci si diverte. Nei racconti si dà tutto subito, proprio perché il traguardo è vicino, come nei cento metri, e non puoi permetterti nessun cedimento, nessun errore. Sono meravigliosi, i racconti. Ellery Queen ha scritto una quarantina di romanzi, va bene, ma anche un gran bel numero di racconti, e se volete sapere quanti andate a contarli nell'indice, perché qui ci sono praticamente tutti. Ce n'è anche uno in più, che era inedito in Italia». (Carlo Lucarelli)

Ein abgetrennter Puppenkopf ein halbtoter Goldfisch eine Peitsche und acht andere grauenerweckende Geschenke, die dem Hausherrn auf mysteriöse Weise zugespielt werden, machen die fidele Weihnachtsparty in einem eingeschneiten Landhaus nördlich von New York zum Alptraum für alle Gäste. Die Geschenke werden von Tag zu Tag teuflischer, die Widmungen drohender. Wenn ihr Sinn auch keinem aufgeht, ihr Zweck ist nur allzu klar: Hier kündigt sich ein überlegener Mörder an, ein Sadist, der mit seinem zwölften Geschenk dem Hausherrn nur eines bringen kann: den TOD

Ventisei avvincenti racconti di maestri del giallo come Lawrence Block, Agatha Christie, John Steinbeck e Ruth Rendell, tutti uniti da un tema comune: il gioco. Queste storie esplorano come il gioco influisca in modo determinante o "definitivo" sulle vite dei protagonisti, a volte persino mettendo in gioco la loro esistenza. Che si tratti di scacchi, bridge o poker, il risultato ha un costo, e il lettore è invitato a scoprire i finali sorprendenti. Gli intrecci coinvolgenti permettono di immedesimarsi nei personaggi, rendendo la lettura fluida e, in alcuni casi, inquietante, con brividi assicurati. In "La scelta del mazziere" di Forrest V. Perrin, si intrecciano diamanti e rischi; in "Il giocatore di dadi" di John Steinbeck, un uomo fortunato affronta un imprevisto; "Il Circolo dello Scarabeo" di J. P. Cohane gioca con fantasmi e rivelazioni inquietanti; "Il pedone avvelenato" di Henry Slesar presenta una sfida tra campioni; "Il nuovo padrone" di Lord Dunsany introduce una macchina da scacchi che si rivela mostruosa; infine, "Vita, morte e indovinelli" di Robert Loy coinvolge enigmi e scommesse. In "Il Circolo dei Giocatori d’azzardo" di Ellery Queen, un caso anomalo mette alla prova l'ingegno del detective.

Contiene:- La poltrona numero 30 - Sorpresa a mezzogiorno- Un paio di scarpe

Der junge Bildhauer Howard hat zeitweiligen Gedächtnisschwund und fürchtet, in diesen Phasen Verbrechen begangen zu haben. Hilfesuchend wendet er sich an den Detektiv und Berufsschriftsteller Ellery Queen.

Leander Hill, ein prominenter Juwelier Hollywoods, wird beim Öffnen eines Paketes im Wortsinne zu Tode erschreckt – das Päckchen enthält einen toten Hund. Laurel Hill, die bezaubernde Tochter des Verstorbenen, wendet sich an Ellery Queen. Den erwartet ein diabolischer Fall. 'Wer noch keinen Queen gelesen hat, sollte zu diesem greifen – lassen Sie sich fesseln von der Faszination, die diesem wunderbar phantastischen, ja unwahrscheinlichen, aber bezwingend konstruerten Mordfall innewohnt.' New York Times

Die Modeschöpferin Sheila Grey ist berechnend und eiskalt, im Beruf und in der Liebe. Das ist Gold wert - oder Blei ... Selbst mit beiden Beinen in Gips kann es Ellery Queen nicht lassen, seine Nase in diesen Fall zu stecken?

Tel est pris qui croyait prendre ! Pour offrir à sa bien-aimée le collier qui scellera leur amour, le jeune Fiske choisit la demeure du général Barrett, ou sont rassemblés quelques amis. Au sommet d'un piton rocheux, entourée de falaises abruptes, inaccessible et austère, c'est une forteresse imprenable. La belle Léone peut croire ses perles à l'abri et son amour protégé. Pourtant... le voleur rôde et s'empare du bijou. Une fortune volatilisée ! Il faut agir ! vite ! Ellery Queen n'a qu'une solution. Subtil et imparable, le piège qu'il imagine se referme sur celui qui se croyait plus malin... La course au trésor est lancée ! Trois nouvelles aventures passionnantes et pleines d'imprévu !

John Marco, von Männern gehasst und von Frauen verehrt, wird während eines Liebeseinsatzes ermordet. Ellery Queen entdeckt die Leiche und erkennt, dass jeder Gast in der Wohnung ein Geheimnis mit Marco teilt. Seine Ermittlungen führen ihn zu einem unerwarteten Schrecken in diesem scheinbar logischen Fall.

2 Mitglieder der steinreichen, sehr exzentrischen Familie Potts werden ermordet. Ellery Queen und sein Vater ermitteln.

Reiner Zufall, dass Ellery Queen im Krankenhaus landet, während dort der verrückte Millionär Cadmus Cole stirbt. Cole hat Ellery kürzlich erst einen saftigen Scheck überreicht - als Vorschuß für künftige Untersuchungen. Deshalb interessiert sich Ellery Queen jetzt sehr für das Testament des alten Cole - und das zu Recht.

Für die Passanten war das Haus kaum mehr als ein einfaches Gebäude an einer verlassenen Straße zwischen New York und Philadelphia. Doch für Joseph Kent Gimball war es ein geheimer Rückzugsort. Zehn Jahre lang lebte Gimball ein Doppelleben, schützte sich in diesem Refugium vor zu misstrauischen Freunden, einer zu neugierigen Familie und vor allem vor seinen zwei zu verführerischen Ehefrauen. Als er zufällig einen alten Freund in dieser abgelegenen Gegend trifft, ahnt Ellery Queen nicht, dass die Leiche Gimballs bald seinen Weg kreuzen wird, ein Weg, der mit Verdächtigen und schlechten Absichten gepflastert ist. Als Meister der Kriminalliteratur bietet Ellery Queen mit diesem Roman ein fesselndes Werk, das auf brillante Weise Kammerspiel und psychologisches Drama vereint.