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John J. Malone #10
Knocked for a Loop
Chicago lawyer John J. Malone finds himself framed for the murder of anti-crime crusader Leonard Estapoole and implicated in the kidnapping of Estapoole's stepdaughter Alberta Commanday. While trying to find the real murderer, or at least clear his name, Malone is befriended by ex-chorus girl Tommie Storm and aided by crime boss Max Hook. Things get more complicated when Malone's old friend Jake Justus reports that his wife Helene has gone missing after rushing to Chicago to visit the Estapooles, an affable but complex combined family full of suspects. Malone's efforts to solve the case are further complicated by a kidnap victim who insists on staying kidnapped and a second murder. Along the way, he falls for a "thoroughly nice" girl and manages - barely - to keep himself and his friends out of jail.
- GenresMystery
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1957
17 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
About the author
Craig Rice
103 books56 followersPseudonym for Georgiana Ann Randolph Craig aka Daphne Sanders and Michael Venning.
Known for her hard-boiled mystery plots combined with screwball comedy, Georgiana 'Craig' Rice was the author of twenty-three novels, six of them posthumous, numerous short stories, and some true crime pieces. In the 1940s she rivaled Agatha Christie in sales and was featured on the cover of Time Magazine in 1946. However, over the past sixty years she has fallen into relative obscurity.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_Ri...
Known for her hard-boiled mystery plots combined with screwball comedy, Georgiana 'Craig' Rice was the author of twenty-three novels, six of them posthumous, numerous short stories, and some true crime pieces. In the 1940s she rivaled Agatha Christie in sales and was featured on the cover of Time Magazine in 1946. However, over the past sixty years she has fallen into relative obscurity.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_Ri...
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 24, 2024
John J. Malone Meets A Nice Girl
In this, the 10th of Rice’s John J. Malone mysteries, the Chicago lawyer meets yet another eccentric upper class family that’s involved in a murder (as well as a possible kidnapping). The result is another entertaining, if somewhat typical, Malone mystery. As he’s done in previous books, Malone meets a woman who strikes his fancy, this time because she’s nice, and he doesn’t meet a lot of “nice” girls. He also meets a woman of the type he usually dates and there seems to be a bit of a spark there as well. These potential relationships, however, take a back seat to solving the mystery and getting himself out of trouble. It’s a fun read, just not quite as much fun as some of the earlier books in the series.
In this, the 10th of Rice’s John J. Malone mysteries, the Chicago lawyer meets yet another eccentric upper class family that’s involved in a murder (as well as a possible kidnapping). The result is another entertaining, if somewhat typical, Malone mystery. As he’s done in previous books, Malone meets a woman who strikes his fancy, this time because she’s nice, and he doesn’t meet a lot of “nice” girls. He also meets a woman of the type he usually dates and there seems to be a bit of a spark there as well. These potential relationships, however, take a back seat to solving the mystery and getting himself out of trouble. It’s a fun read, just not quite as much fun as some of the earlier books in the series.
September 14, 2019
This book is "The Ransom of Red Chief" on steroids!
Children are conspicuously absent in the John J. Malone mysteries, but this one revolves around the kidnapping of little Alberta (Bertie) Commanday. The kidnappers have demanded an unusual ransom from Alberta’s wealthy step-father Leonard Estapoole and the crime is properly a matter for the police, but the family doesn’t think so. They’ve decided to use a go-between to negotiate with the kidnappers and the man they’ve chosen is lawyer John Malone.
Malone isn’t thrilled with the prospect, even after Chicago police Inspector Daniel von Flanagan waxes lyrical about the tragedy of the missing child with her blue-eyes and golden curls. Von Flanagan has heard rumors of the kidnapping and wants Malone to let the police department in on the action. Malone is less concerned with the kidnapping than the fact that Leonard Estapoole’s dead body is lying on Malone’s office floor and Malone is sure that he’s going to be Suspect #1 in the murder.
He’s right and before you know it, Malone has to go into hiding to avoid arrest. Fortunately, he thinks to contact his old friend Max Hook, a Chicago crime kingpin and a very resourceful man. Max is interested in the murder because Estapoole was a crusading crime fighter and is known to carry a large envelope with damaging evidence against every crime boss in Chicago. Must have been a BIG envelope.
That dangerous evidence is what the kidnappers have demanded for ransom, but it’s missing when the cops find the body. Naturally, Max Hook wants to know who has it and he arranges for Malone to have 24 hours to investigate. The clock is ticking.
Malone looks up the grieving widow, who's also the kidnapped child’s frantic mother, but beautiful Carmena Bordreau Commanday Estapoole seems to be holding up suspiciously well. Estapoole was her third husband and she’s ready to move on. She’s acquired a step-daughter from each of her first two husbands and a niece and nephew from Mr. Estapoole. All of them are financially dependent on the generosity of Uncle Leonard, but he’s not a man who inspires affection. To put it bluntly, he’s a boring, sanctimonious stuff-shirt and no one's sorry to see the end of him.
First one, then another of the Estapoole clan looks good for the murder. Then there’s a second murder and Malone is run off his feet trying to sort things out. To make matters worse, the kidnapped kid keeps changing hands like a hot potato. Turns out Miss Alberta isn’t the blonde-haired, blue-eyed angel of Flanagan's dreams, but a real pistol. She's one of the funniest characters in any of Rice's books and it's a shame she appears so briefly.
This is the last in Craig Rice’s John Malone series published before alcoholism killed her at the age of 50. It’s a fine mystery with twists and surprises and off-beat characters. Yes, there’s lots of Rice’s trademark wacky humor, but Malone puts in some solid detective work, as he always does. Never discount Craig Rice as a writer of detective stories just because she’s called the Queen of Screwball Mysteries. She was, but she was also a talented writer and her plots are above reproach. I only wish she had lived long enough to write more of them.
Children are conspicuously absent in the John J. Malone mysteries, but this one revolves around the kidnapping of little Alberta (Bertie) Commanday. The kidnappers have demanded an unusual ransom from Alberta’s wealthy step-father Leonard Estapoole and the crime is properly a matter for the police, but the family doesn’t think so. They’ve decided to use a go-between to negotiate with the kidnappers and the man they’ve chosen is lawyer John Malone.
Malone isn’t thrilled with the prospect, even after Chicago police Inspector Daniel von Flanagan waxes lyrical about the tragedy of the missing child with her blue-eyes and golden curls. Von Flanagan has heard rumors of the kidnapping and wants Malone to let the police department in on the action. Malone is less concerned with the kidnapping than the fact that Leonard Estapoole’s dead body is lying on Malone’s office floor and Malone is sure that he’s going to be Suspect #1 in the murder.
He’s right and before you know it, Malone has to go into hiding to avoid arrest. Fortunately, he thinks to contact his old friend Max Hook, a Chicago crime kingpin and a very resourceful man. Max is interested in the murder because Estapoole was a crusading crime fighter and is known to carry a large envelope with damaging evidence against every crime boss in Chicago. Must have been a BIG envelope.
That dangerous evidence is what the kidnappers have demanded for ransom, but it’s missing when the cops find the body. Naturally, Max Hook wants to know who has it and he arranges for Malone to have 24 hours to investigate. The clock is ticking.
Malone looks up the grieving widow, who's also the kidnapped child’s frantic mother, but beautiful Carmena Bordreau Commanday Estapoole seems to be holding up suspiciously well. Estapoole was her third husband and she’s ready to move on. She’s acquired a step-daughter from each of her first two husbands and a niece and nephew from Mr. Estapoole. All of them are financially dependent on the generosity of Uncle Leonard, but he’s not a man who inspires affection. To put it bluntly, he’s a boring, sanctimonious stuff-shirt and no one's sorry to see the end of him.
First one, then another of the Estapoole clan looks good for the murder. Then there’s a second murder and Malone is run off his feet trying to sort things out. To make matters worse, the kidnapped kid keeps changing hands like a hot potato. Turns out Miss Alberta isn’t the blonde-haired, blue-eyed angel of Flanagan's dreams, but a real pistol. She's one of the funniest characters in any of Rice's books and it's a shame she appears so briefly.
This is the last in Craig Rice’s John Malone series published before alcoholism killed her at the age of 50. It’s a fine mystery with twists and surprises and off-beat characters. Yes, there’s lots of Rice’s trademark wacky humor, but Malone puts in some solid detective work, as he always does. Never discount Craig Rice as a writer of detective stories just because she’s called the Queen of Screwball Mysteries. She was, but she was also a talented writer and her plots are above reproach. I only wish she had lived long enough to write more of them.
March 18, 2020
She is the best
Craig Rice is my most favourite mystery writer - her John Malone corpus is small - I have now read all of them - but there is nothing like it. I like her better than Agatha Christie.
Craig Rice is my most favourite mystery writer - her John Malone corpus is small - I have now read all of them - but there is nothing like it. I like her better than Agatha Christie.
February 6, 2020
Liked it. Liked the bratty little girl in it, too. Makes me want to read more by Craig Rice. But this is the only John J. Malone / Jake & Helene Justus book of hers that I've come across.
November 27, 2025
A light detective mystery with the advantage of some plays on language that were amusing.
October 7, 2025
Genuine 4, top notch
May 29, 2019
The usual non stop action of a Malone mystery.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews