The French powder mystery

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

78823

Title

The French powder mystery

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

In this classic detective tale, Ellery Queen and his father, Inspector Richard Queen, unravel a murder at a department store. When Mrs. French is found dead in an exhibition window, Ellery deduces the crime was staged to frame an innocent employee. Through sharp logic and a deep dive into the store's secrets, he exposes a drug ring conspiracy and identifies the true killer before a dramatic climax.

Summary up to 500 words

In Ellery Queen's *The French Powder Mystery*, the narrative begins with the baffling discovery of Mrs. French's body in an exhibition window on Fifth Avenue. The scene appears to defy physics and biology, suggesting a staged crime. Inspector Richard Queen and his son, Ellery, investigate the department store, uncovering a complex web of deceit involving the family's stepsister, Bernice Carmody, and her heroin addiction. The drug supply was provided by an employee, James Springer, who attempted to flee but was caught. Springer revealed that he was forced to kill Mrs. French after she discovered his connection to a drug ring and threatened to expose it. To mislead the police, Springer framed Bernice by planting her belongings at the scene. The investigation expands to include various suspects, including the store's directors and night watchmen, as Ellery scrutinizes clues such as missing books, cigarette butts, and fingerprint powder. Tension mounts as Springer, realizing his accomplice has been caught, attempts suicide. In a shocking twist, the store's head detective, Thomas Crouther, is found dead, having taken the fall for Springer's crime. Ellery's meticulous deduction clears the innocent and exposes the mastermind behind the drug ring. The mystery resolves by revealing that the murderer was the only suspect present when the full story was told, someone for whom the use of fingerprint powder was logical, and who had warned Springer to flee once Springer was caught. The novel highlights the battle of wits between the Queens and the criminals, utilizing psychological deduction over routine police methods to solve the case of the French Powder Mystery.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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