The Whispering Window

Ethel Thomas, Detective #1

by Cortland Fitzsimmons

The Whispering Window, first published in 1936, is the first in the series featuring amateur detective Ethel Thomas. The setting is a large department store plagued by missing products and, more seriously, four murders in a single day’s time.

From the dustjacket: Meet Miss Ethel Thomas! – the shrewdest spinster-sleuth that ever walked the pages of a mystery story. You’ve seldom encountered as lively a lady of her years (age 75), and it’s a treat to be taken along with her through the solution of what the newspapers called “The Bargain Day Murders.”

Cortland Fitzsimmons (1893-1949) wrote mysteries, often featuring a sports-theme, some of which were made into movies. He also worked as a screenwriter in Hollywood.

Genres: Mystery Thriller

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1936

About the author

Mystery writer and screenwriter Cortland Fitzsimmons was born on 19 June, 1893 in Richmond Hills, a middle class Long Island neighborhood located in the New York City borough of Queens. He was the only child of Mattie Greensword Fitzsimmons. By 1910 his mother was a widow and the two were living in Brooklyn with a boarder named Charles Williams. Interestingly, Williams was a book seller, the same profession Cortland would follow after college. Cortland received his higher education at New York University and City College. Before turning to writing full time in 1934, he had been a successful salesman for book distributor Baker and Taylor and the American News Co. and later sales manager for Viking Press.

Cortland is primarily remembered as a mystery writer. In 1946 he collaborated with his wife, the former Muriel Simpson, on a cookbook entitled "You Can Cook If You Can Read".

Cortland Fitzsimmons died in Los Angeles on 25 July, 1949 at the age of 56. He was survived by his widow Muriel, who would follow him in death in 1957 at the age of 63.

Reviews

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ethel Thomas is a wealthy and feisty 75 year old with decided views on many topics and hints of an interesting and unorthodox life.

Here, ownership of shares in a famous New York department store throws her into investigating a mystery which includes four murders and some attempted murder as well as financial and sexual "hanky-panky". There is a smattering of romance and some sharp dialogue.

Despite the short time frame, the plot is overly-drawn-out, hence 3.5 stars.

The novel was made into a film "The Longest Night"(1936) starring Robert Young. Unfortunately Ethel Thomas does not feature.

[Katherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

An intriguing narrator and an eye for description, but a little drawn-out. I will read this author again.