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Duncan Maclain Mystery #2
The Whistling Hangman
What seems like an unfortunate fall turns out to be far more disturbing, as a blind detective discovers, in this mystery from the author of The Last Express.
Following the loss of his sight in World War I, ex-intelligence officer Capt. Duncan Maclain honed his other senses and became one of the most successful and well-known private investigators in New York City . . .
Wealthy businessman Dryden Winslow spent over twenty years self-exiled in Australia, but he's recently returned to the United States. He's staying at Doncaster House, a luxury hotel in Manhattan, where he's rented out six suites for himself and his estranged family. Given Winslow's weakened heart has him on the verge of death, the hotel staff are on high alert, knowing he could drop at any moment. Of course, no one expects him to drop from his balcony . . .
Captain Maclain is playing chess with the hotel manager when a startled housekeeper reports her account of Winslow's accident, claiming she heard whistling before the fall. Stranger yet, when Maclain examines the body, he declares Winslow was hanged. Now, with his seeing eye dog at his side and a hotel full of secrets, Maclain sets out to prove his case. It's a lofty goal and, with a lunatic killer still roaming the hotel, a dangerous one too.
Baynard Kendrick was the first American to enlist in the Canadian Army during World War I. While in London, he met a blind English soldier whose observational skills inspired the character of Capt. Duncan Maclain. Kendrick was also a founding member of the Mystery Writers of America and winner of the organization's Grand Master Award.
Following the loss of his sight in World War I, ex-intelligence officer Capt. Duncan Maclain honed his other senses and became one of the most successful and well-known private investigators in New York City . . .
Wealthy businessman Dryden Winslow spent over twenty years self-exiled in Australia, but he's recently returned to the United States. He's staying at Doncaster House, a luxury hotel in Manhattan, where he's rented out six suites for himself and his estranged family. Given Winslow's weakened heart has him on the verge of death, the hotel staff are on high alert, knowing he could drop at any moment. Of course, no one expects him to drop from his balcony . . .
Captain Maclain is playing chess with the hotel manager when a startled housekeeper reports her account of Winslow's accident, claiming she heard whistling before the fall. Stranger yet, when Maclain examines the body, he declares Winslow was hanged. Now, with his seeing eye dog at his side and a hotel full of secrets, Maclain sets out to prove his case. It's a lofty goal and, with a lunatic killer still roaming the hotel, a dangerous one too.
Baynard Kendrick was the first American to enlist in the Canadian Army during World War I. While in London, he met a blind English soldier whose observational skills inspired the character of Capt. Duncan Maclain. Kendrick was also a founding member of the Mystery Writers of America and winner of the organization's Grand Master Award.
- GenresMystery
270 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 23, 2021
12 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
About the author
Baynard H. Kendrick
58 books11 followersAlso wrote under the pseudonym Richard Hayward
Kendrick was an American lawyer and executive who became a full-time writer in 1932. His first mystery novel, Blood on Lake Louisa was published in 1934.
In 1914 Kendrick was the first American to enlist in the Canadian Army, one hour after that country declared war.
He married Edythe Stevens in 1919 and Jean Morris in 1971, and became an executive and manager of hotels and publishing companies. Kendrick was the organizer and only sighted member of the Blinded Veterans Association.
He was also a founding member of the Mystery Writers of America and held membership #1. In the 1960s he retired to Florida.
Kendrick was an American lawyer and executive who became a full-time writer in 1932. His first mystery novel, Blood on Lake Louisa was published in 1934.
In 1914 Kendrick was the first American to enlist in the Canadian Army, one hour after that country declared war.
He married Edythe Stevens in 1919 and Jean Morris in 1971, and became an executive and manager of hotels and publishing companies. Kendrick was the organizer and only sighted member of the Blinded Veterans Association.
He was also a founding member of the Mystery Writers of America and held membership #1. In the 1960s he retired to Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 15, 2023
3.5 stars, rounded up.
I first came across Duncan Maclain in a collection of short stories, and was immediately intrigued: a blind WWI veteran turned detective? That's not a character you come across very often! I remember enjoying the story and wanting to read more about him. Cue excitement when, while searching the depths of hoopla, I found the novel series! I chose #2, and it did not disappoint.
The plot is as it says on the tin: a millionaire is coming home from Australia to die, and he wants to see his family one last time. Unfortunately, he falls off the balcony of his luxury hotel - and when his body is examined, it's found that he was hanged! With no rope or other such article in evidence, but plenty of family members - and others - swarming around, it is an interesting conundrum for the police and Duncan Maclain. How can a person die by hanging, yet fall off a building at the same time?
The how is quite ingenious. I figured out who via the clues liberally sprinkled throughout this quick-paced story, but couldn't quite put all the pieces together (because I was hung up on one other clue that seemingly dismissed the person from suspicion off the bat). There is a second crime going on that muddles up the murder investigation, but explains why a family member abruptly disappeared after the body was found - and ultimately goes a way to explaining the motive of the murder itself.
Maclain is an interesting character. He was blinded in the war, and uses a set of people and animals to assist him in moving around in a world not made for blind people. His intellect is all his own, though there is some hinting that it took a lot to pull him from the depths of despair after whatever event precluded his disability. He lives in a very modern, technically-sound penthouse apartment, and moves/works/interacts so well that people forget he can't actually see them.
Maclain is a cerebral detective, fitting clues together like a jigsaw puzzle, but it is fascinating to watch him use the senses he retains to great effect. He notices a lot of things others don't, but he doesn't necessarily withhold information from the police (or anyone else, for that matter). He is well-respected in his chosen profession, and is not afraid to place himself in danger to snare his targets.
The only downside of reading this particular version of this book is that the typos and missed punctuation were incredibly distracting (as were the randomly italicized words). I know at least one of these books has been re-issued under the American Mystery Classics banner, and I suspect they will be more carefully reviewed for errors.
I really enjoyed this, and look forward to more of Duncan Maclain's adventures.
I first came across Duncan Maclain in a collection of short stories, and was immediately intrigued: a blind WWI veteran turned detective? That's not a character you come across very often! I remember enjoying the story and wanting to read more about him. Cue excitement when, while searching the depths of hoopla, I found the novel series! I chose #2, and it did not disappoint.
The plot is as it says on the tin: a millionaire is coming home from Australia to die, and he wants to see his family one last time. Unfortunately, he falls off the balcony of his luxury hotel - and when his body is examined, it's found that he was hanged! With no rope or other such article in evidence, but plenty of family members - and others - swarming around, it is an interesting conundrum for the police and Duncan Maclain. How can a person die by hanging, yet fall off a building at the same time?
The how is quite ingenious. I figured out who via the clues liberally sprinkled throughout this quick-paced story, but couldn't quite put all the pieces together (because I was hung up on one other clue that seemingly dismissed the person from suspicion off the bat). There is a second crime going on that muddles up the murder investigation, but explains why a family member abruptly disappeared after the body was found - and ultimately goes a way to explaining the motive of the murder itself.
Maclain is an interesting character. He was blinded in the war, and uses a set of people and animals to assist him in moving around in a world not made for blind people. His intellect is all his own, though there is some hinting that it took a lot to pull him from the depths of despair after whatever event precluded his disability. He lives in a very modern, technically-sound penthouse apartment, and moves/works/interacts so well that people forget he can't actually see them.
Maclain is a cerebral detective, fitting clues together like a jigsaw puzzle, but it is fascinating to watch him use the senses he retains to great effect. He notices a lot of things others don't, but he doesn't necessarily withhold information from the police (or anyone else, for that matter). He is well-respected in his chosen profession, and is not afraid to place himself in danger to snare his targets.
The only downside of reading this particular version of this book is that the typos and missed punctuation were incredibly distracting (as were the randomly italicized words). I know at least one of these books has been re-issued under the American Mystery Classics banner, and I suspect they will be more carefully reviewed for errors.
I really enjoyed this, and look forward to more of Duncan Maclain's adventures.
August 8, 2023
Mrs Sands looked above her, searching without volition to locate the spot from where the two notes came. The lights of a window in 910 shone brightly in her eyes. Above the light, lost between it and the hotel top, she heard a crack which might have been a small-sized gun. It ricocheted from the terraced building, bouncing from wall to wall, to diminish into nothing. On its heels she heard a whistle, faint and sharp and vibrantly quick. Hideously soft, it merged with a strangled scream. Back she pressed against the terrace wall, groveling to dodge the misshapen mass that hurtled past the lighted windows of 910 to crash sickeningly on the terrace before her. Knuckles pressed violently against her teeth to stifle her screams, she stood too paralyzed to move, gazing at the battered, broken form of Dryden Winslow.
“With your permission,” said Duncan Maclain, “I’ll take the case, Inspector. I’m interested to find out why Dryden Winslow should send for a Gideon Bible, merely to tear it from its cover and put it back again—or perhaps the police would prefer to handle it alone? It might be rather interesting sport for you and the sergeant, Inspector, to start on the trail of a whistling hangman!”
“With your permission,” said Duncan Maclain, “I’ll take the case, Inspector. I’m interested to find out why Dryden Winslow should send for a Gideon Bible, merely to tear it from its cover and put it back again—or perhaps the police would prefer to handle it alone? It might be rather interesting sport for you and the sergeant, Inspector, to start on the trail of a whistling hangman!”
November 27, 2022
A couple of inexplicable murders in an exclusive Manhattan hotel - people apparently hanged in nigh on impossible circumstances to the accompaniment of some disquieting and equally mysterious sounds.
A pacy and enjoyable closed circle effort from Baynard Kendrick has his blind sleuth Captain Duncan MacLain sifting through blackmail and secrets buried in the past to snare a killer.
A pacy and enjoyable closed circle effort from Baynard Kendrick has his blind sleuth Captain Duncan MacLain sifting through blackmail and secrets buried in the past to snare a killer.
April 16, 2025
Excellent Duncan Maclain at his best. It is mandatory to keep on reading Maclain mysteries. Neat solution to a good story.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews