The Diamond Cross Mystery

By Chester K. Steele.

Being a Somewhat Different Detective Story. The Diamond Cross Mystery is an excellent detective novel for adults published by the Stratemeyer Syndicate under the pseudonym Chester K. Steele – one out of the many pen-names used by the producer. The story starts with a murder – a woman is found dead in her own jewelry shop. Her cousin, Mr. Darcy is suspected to have committed the murder, but the first and most obvious suspect is always innocent in good murder mysteries, so the suspect’s fiancée hires the American version of Inspector Clouseau, Colonel Lee Ashley to carry out an investigation of his own. Though everything continues to point to Darcy, the Colonel eventually reveals the identity of the murderer, but not before lots of suspense, unexpected twists and some amazing action. The murder is surrounded by some very strange circumstances – the cause of death is difficult to identify and all the clocks in the shop stop at different times, to mention just two of the puzzles to be ingeniously solved. The detective’s private interests are also involved in the investigation – it is Ashley’s his passion for fishing will help him solve the case eventually.

New York: George Sully & Co., 1918. 331p.