Stuart Palmer was een Amerikaanse auteur van mysterie-romans, geroemd om zijn ingewikkeld geplande verhalen. Hij is vooral bekend om de introductie van het populaire personage Hildegarde Withers, een schooljuf die op misdaden stuit en deze oplost. Palmers meesterschap in complexe plots en boeiende verhalen maakte zijn werk succesvol, wat zelfs leidde tot filmadaptaties. Zijn unieke benadering van het mysteriegenre, waarbij slimme raadsels worden gecombineerd met memorabele personages, blijft lezers boeien.
Set against the backdrop of Catalina Island, the story follows Hildegarde Withers as she investigates a baffling murder that occurs on a passenger plane. Despite the presence of numerous witnesses, no one claims to have seen the victim die, creating an intriguing mystery. First published in 1933, this tale combines elements of suspense and detective work, showcasing Withers' keen observational skills as she unravels the truth behind the enigmatic circumstances of the crime.
Retired schoolteacher Hildegarde Withers steps back into action, returning from California to assist Inspector Oscar Piper in locating a missing witness crucial to a murder investigation. Her keen intellect and experience bring a unique perspective to the case, blending her observational skills with Piper's investigative methods as they navigate the complexities of the crime.
Set against the backdrop of a thrilling bullfight in Mexico, the story follows school teacher Hildegarde Withers and her policeman boyfriend Oscar Piper as they become embroiled in a murder investigation. Their adventure blends elements of mystery and romance, showcasing their dynamic relationship while navigating the complexities of crime in a vibrant cultural setting. First published in 1937, this tale combines suspense with an intriguing exploration of the characters' interactions amidst a dramatic event.
In this classic whodunnit, crime-solving teacher Hildegarde Withers discovers a dead body while on a trip to the New York Aquarium with her third-grade class. For the third graders at Jefferson School, a field trip is always a treat. But one day at the New York Aquarium, they get much more excitement than they bargained for. A pickpocket sprints past, stolen purse in hand, and is making his way to the exit when their teacher, the prim Hildegarde Withers, knocks him down with her umbrella. By the time the police and the security guards finish arguing about what to do with Chicago Lew, he has escaped, and Miss Withers has found something far more interesting: a murdered stockbroker floating in the penguin tank. With the help of Detective Oscar Piper, this no-nonsense spinster embarks on her first of many adventures. The mystery is baffling, the killer dangerous, but for a woman who can control a gaggle of noisy third graders, murder isn’t frightening at all. The Penguin Pool Murder is part of the Hildegarde Withers Mysteries series, which also includes Murder on the Blackboard and Murder on Wheels.
After a screenwriter is murdered on a film set, a street-smart school teacher searches for the killer. Hildegarde Withers is just your average school teacher—with above-average skills in the art of deduction. The New Yorker often finds herself investigating crimes led only by her own meddlesome curiosity, though her friends on the NYPD don’t mind when she solves their cases for them. After plans for a grand tour of Europe are interrupted by Germany’s invasion of Poland, Miss Withers heads to sunny Los Angeles instead, where her vacation finds her working as a technical advisor on the set of a film adaptation of the Lizzie Borden story. The producer has plans for an epic retelling of the historical killer’s patricidal spree—plans which are derailed when a screenwriter turns up dead. While the local authorities quickly deem his death accidental, Withers suspects otherwise and calls up a detective back home for advice. The two soon team up to catch a wily killer. At once a pleasantly complex locked room mystery and a hilarious look at the foibles of Hollywood, The Puzzle of the Happy Hooligan finds Palmer, a screenwriter himself, at his most perceptive. Reprinted for the first time in over thirty years, this riotously funny novel shows why Hildegarde Withers was among the most beloved detectives of the Golden Age American mystery novel.
Hildegarde Withers, a pioneering female detective, first captivated audiences in 1931 and has since featured in films and collaborative mysteries. This new collection presents previously uncollected works by Stuart Palmer, showcasing stories that include Hildegarde Withers, Howie Rook, and elements of Sherlockiana. As more of Palmer's writings are discovered through digitization, this anthology reflects the enduring legacy and charm of the beloved detective, hinting at potential future finds in the genre.
