The Bleeding Scissors

by Bruno Fischer

Un jeune ingénieur chimiste rentre un soir chez lui, au retour d'une partie de poker entre amis, pour trouver la maison vide. Sa femme, Judith, et Paula, sa belle-sœur, se sont mystérieusement envolées, par une nuit de tempête, de neige et de verglas. Et la maison vide dans laquelle, heure après heure, il attend leur retour, dégage une étrange impression de terreur... Fugue? Kidnapping? Accident de voiture? Son imagination se met en branle et, finalement, il part à leur recherche, dans la nuit, en compagnie de son voisin, bien convaincu qu'il va les retrouver...
Il ne sait pas encore qu'avant de revoir les deux sœurs, – Judith, plus grande et plus impulsive ; Paula, plus mince et plus réservée, mais toutes deux ravissantes – il devra accomplir bien des démarches, découvrir bien des mystères, aborder bien des périls...

Genres: Noir, Mystery

Paperback

First published December 1, 1955

About the author

Bruno Fischer was the author of 25 novels and more than 300 short stories, a contributor to "Black Mask" and "Manhunt" magazines, and the uncrowned king of the notorious 'weird menace' pulps. He wrote also as Russell Gray and Harrison Storm.

Reviews

[Carla Remy]

From 1948
This book takes place in Manhattan and Connecticut primarily in the nighttime, and is a self consciously surreal mystery with an astounding and spectacular ending. Character names include Florian Singleton and Kip Trojan.

11/2020

From 1948
This is one of the best things I've read. To start with, I adored the cut-in-the-middle-of-the-action ending. This is a perfect blend of noir mystery and soap opera melodrama with touches of gothic horror.

[Andy]

“The Bleeding Scissors” is the story of a man who comes home late at night after a snowstorm and discovers that his wife and her live-in sister have abandoned him without a word. Both women share a sordid showgirl past and may or may not have committed a murder at some point in the not-too-distant past. The mystery is not so much where they disappeared to but how well does the husband really know his wife. While the premise to the novel is ingenious the execution is on the sluggish side, but still worth a read.

XXXXXXX
So far everything I've read by Fischer is disappointing (The Lady Kills/ The Restless Hands) but hope springs eternal. This one sports an amazing cover and I'm going to give this one a go. I'll keep you informed as to whether Mr. Fischer came up with a good one. Otherwise, it's back to Ms. Highsmith.

[John Marr]

A superior mid century noir suspense novel. Protagonist Leo Aiken comes home from a late night poker game to find his wife and her sister missing. While he is out looking for them, someone enters their house and takes the women's clothes. However, because they are the notorious "Runyon girls" of this typically dreary small town/suburb, everyone except Leo assumes they are just off on another one of their mad-cap escapades.

In the hands of most, this would be but another tale of a hairy-chested breadwinner out to drag his wife home to restore the tedium. Luckily, Fischer gives the Runyon girls an interestingly sleazy background in low rent Broadway and burlesque and paints the town and Aiken's life as other than idyllic. Toss in nice pacing and several interesting twists and now I have another writer on my want list.

[AC]

4.5 rounded up. An early Fischer, 1948. And quite good.

[Ryan Croke]

A surprisingly good and fun noir mystery from the 40's. A nice cozy blanket.

[Laura Leilani]

A bit sluggish but worth a read