The Puzzles of Peter Duluth by Patrick Quentin

by Patrick Quentin

The first collection of many of these stories featuring Peter and Iris Duluth. The collection includes an introduction by Curtis Evans, and an afterword by Hugh Wheeler's great-niece.

Paperback Bunko

About the author

Patrick Quentin, Q. Patrick and Jonathan Stagge were pen names under which Hugh Callingham Wheeler (19 March 1912 – 26 July 1987), Richard Wilson Webb (August 1901 – December 1966), Martha Mott Kelley (30 April 1906–2005) and Mary Louise White Aswell (3 June 1902 – 24 December 1984) wrote detective fiction. In some foreign countries their books have been published under the variant Quentin Patrick. Most of the stories were written by Webb and Wheeler in collaboration, or by Wheeler alone. Their most famous creation is the amateur sleuth Peter Duluth. In 1963, the story collection The Ordeal of Mrs. Snow was given a Special Edgar Award by the Mystery Writers of America.

AKA:
Πάτρικ Κουέντιν (Greek)

Reviews

[Riju Ganguly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This nicely produced book contains four novellas having Peter Duluth and his wife Iris (mostly) as protagonists cum puzzle-solvers. Since these puzzles usually involve murder and other criminal activities, their solution and resolution involves some heavy-duty brainwork, loits of activities, and practically incredible coincidences.
These novellas are~
1. Death Rides the Ski-Tow;
2. Murder with Flowers;
3. Puzzle for Poppy;
4. Death and the Rising Star.
The works are lightly written, with decadence of various levels strewn across the pages, infusing the characters and the tales with suitable atmosphere.
Although Curtis Evans has claimed these works as 'Puzzles for Posterity' in his 'Introduction', I strongly doubt if that would be the case. These tales are terribly time-stamped.
But, if you want to have a good time with Nick & Nora-esque characters, written in a prose that's radically different from that of the Ace Performer Hammett, then this book can do the job.

[Dipankar Bhadra · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Puzzles of Peter Duluth is a book of short mystery stories by Richard Webb and Hugh Wheeler. The stories feature Peter and Iris Duluth, who are amateur detectives. The book includes an introduction by Curtis Evans, a postscript by Mauro Boncompagni, and an afterword by Joanna Gondris. Now let's talk about the stories in the book.

1.  Death Rides the Ski-Tow :
Peter Duluth is a Broadway producer who loves to drink and is married to Iris, who is very smart. One snowy night, Peter witnesses a woman being shot on the streets before she shares crucial information with him. Now, Peter and Iris are being targeted by dangerous smugglers who will stop at nothing to get what they want. It's a thrilling and suspenseful story with humor and great pacing. It's like watching a Hitchcock film unfold.

2. Murder with Flowers :
In "Murder with Flowers," Peter and Iris find themselves caught up in a series of murders where the victims are covered in blood and flowers. They must evade the police while trying to solve the case. Their dangerous situation takes a surprising turn into a chaotic adventure. The story is fast-paced with colorful characters. While it may not be as good as "Death Rides the Ski-Tow," it is still an entertaining read.

3. Puzzle for Poppy :
Peter and Iris Duluth, a will, a worried guardian, and a pregnant St. Bernard are all connected in a murder plot. Iris will need to have a realization similar to a G.K. Chesterton story, and a little girl with a lisp will need to make a lucky shot to uncover the plan to harm someone unusual.

4. Death and the Rising Star :
When Peter Duluth's leading lady is unavailable and her replacement is falsely accused of murder, the Broadway producer must find the real killer to save his play and career. With no clue about the murderer's identity, Peter faces a race against time to clear his rising star's name.

The stories in this book are full of suspense, humor, and mystery. The couple is smart and determined as they deal with dangerous situations. The stories are fast-paced and include themes of lying and crime. If you like mysteries with interesting characters, you'll enjoy this book.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming, breezy stories of murder and the theatrical life. This volume’s stories are all good (especially “Puzzle for Poppy” and “Death Rides the Ski-Tow”), and as a plus you get a long reminiscence of Hugh Wheeler (half of Quentin) by his great-niece.

[Vallery Feldman]

This is another addition to the excellent short story collections published by Crippen and Landru. I subscribed early on and each time a book shows up in the mail it's like receiving a present. They publish current authors as well as Lost Classics. Plus with one exception these stories don't leave me feeling terrible. Most of them are of the gentler variety. Plus I have read authors I never heard of from previous eras. Recommend the whole series.

[Jeff Hobbs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Death Rides the Ski-tow--3
Puzzle for Poppy--3
Murder with Flowers--3
Death and the Rising Star--2