What do you think?
Rate this book
Ed & Am Hunter #2
The Dead Ringer
"An engaging pair of detectives" at a traveling carnival look to capture a heartless killer in this entry in the Edgar Award-winning series (The New York Times).
As a band of carnies moves through the Midwest putting on shows for the rubes, it seems a killer is traveling along with them. The first victim is one of the pint-size performers, and two more tragedies soon follow.
Fortunately, Ed Hunter and his uncle Ambrose are there--and they have some sleuthing experience in their recent past. So even though Ed's a little distracted by a fetching female, they intend to track down this midway murderer . . .
As a band of carnies moves through the Midwest putting on shows for the rubes, it seems a killer is traveling along with them. The first victim is one of the pint-size performers, and two more tragedies soon follow.
Fortunately, Ed Hunter and his uncle Ambrose are there--and they have some sleuthing experience in their recent past. So even though Ed's a little distracted by a fetching female, they intend to track down this midway murderer . . .
222 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 1948
13 people are currently reading
149 people want to read
About the author
Fredric Brown
808 books354 followersFredric Brown was an American science fiction and mystery writer. He was one of the boldest early writers in genre fiction in his use of narrative experimentation. While never in the front rank of popularity in his lifetime, Brown has developed a considerable cult following in the almost half century since he last wrote. His works have been periodically reprinted and he has a worldwide fan base, most notably in the U.S. and Europe, and especially in France, where there have been several recent movie adaptations of his work. He also remains popular in Japan.
Never financially secure, Brown - like many other pulp writers - often wrote at a furious pace in order to pay bills. This accounts, at least in part, for the uneven quality of his work. A newspaperman by profession, Brown was only able to devote 14 years of his life as a full-time fiction writer. Brown was also a heavy drinker, and this at times doubtless affected his productivity. A cultured man and omnivorous reader whose interests ranged far beyond those of most pulp writers, Brown had a lifelong interest in the flute, chess, poker, and the works of Lewis Carroll. Brown married twice and was the father of two sons.
Never financially secure, Brown - like many other pulp writers - often wrote at a furious pace in order to pay bills. This accounts, at least in part, for the uneven quality of his work. A newspaperman by profession, Brown was only able to devote 14 years of his life as a full-time fiction writer. Brown was also a heavy drinker, and this at times doubtless affected his productivity. A cultured man and omnivorous reader whose interests ranged far beyond those of most pulp writers, Brown had a lifelong interest in the flute, chess, poker, and the works of Lewis Carroll. Brown married twice and was the father of two sons.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
June 25, 2018
Carnival Pulp
The Dead Ringer is an enjoyable softboiled mystery which Brown places in a traveling carnival just like he does in Madball. Carnivals, hucksters, conmen, carneys were a big deal back in the fifties and the setting for quite a few stories. Here, Brown pairs the setting with the use of the young innocent as the lead character, innocent enough to fall head over heels for a blonde temptress even before the first kiss. The story has midgets, knife throwers, ball tosses, and all the other stuff you’d find on the carnival midway. This is the second book in Brown’s Ed and Am Hunter series.
The Dead Ringer is an enjoyable softboiled mystery which Brown places in a traveling carnival just like he does in Madball. Carnivals, hucksters, conmen, carneys were a big deal back in the fifties and the setting for quite a few stories. Here, Brown pairs the setting with the use of the young innocent as the lead character, innocent enough to fall head over heels for a blonde temptress even before the first kiss. The story has midgets, knife throwers, ball tosses, and all the other stuff you’d find on the carnival midway. This is the second book in Brown’s Ed and Am Hunter series.
November 5, 2015
Fredric Brown is long overdue for the kind of resurgence that Jim Thompson had in the 80s and 90s. In many ways more famous for his seminal short science fiction works, it's in his noir that Brown really seems to bloom.
This is the second of Brown's "Uncle Am and Ed" series about an Uncle and Nephew carny team that find themselves deep in the thick of deeply disturbing mysteries. Not quite as thoughtful as the first book, The Fabulous Clip Joint, which serves as a shocking "coming of age" story for poor Ed, this one does amp up the raciness. (In some ways, more literally than you might expect. Warning, there are racial slurs here. They are in character and disturbing.)
This is a smart book that exposes a bizarre and wonderful subculture and then shocks the hell out of it and the reader. By the end you'll be both stunned and giddy and you'll be thanking Fredric Brown "all the way to hell and back."
This is the second of Brown's "Uncle Am and Ed" series about an Uncle and Nephew carny team that find themselves deep in the thick of deeply disturbing mysteries. Not quite as thoughtful as the first book, The Fabulous Clip Joint, which serves as a shocking "coming of age" story for poor Ed, this one does amp up the raciness. (In some ways, more literally than you might expect. Warning, there are racial slurs here. They are in character and disturbing.)
This is a smart book that exposes a bizarre and wonderful subculture and then shocks the hell out of it and the reader. By the end you'll be both stunned and giddy and you'll be thanking Fredric Brown "all the way to hell and back."
May 11, 2016
Fredric Brown is a good writer. The Ed and Am crime novels are good fun with sly bits of humor and natural dialogue.
This is not my favorite Ed and Am. It was okay. The dialogue/Fredric Brown magic was there. The interest in the carney lifestyle. I had two problems. 1. The solution was more than a bit ridiculous. 2. The expected sexism was compounded with racism (par for the time) and heightism. Not unexpected, really, considering the time period, but it takes the shine off of any story when modern reader sees the word 'Jigaboo' or 'midget' multiple times.
In saying this, I didn't feel Brown was unsympathetic to those different characters. In general, life in the carney is about acceptance, but that acceptance did not have to mean respect or generosity. There's a great amount of noir loneliness for those on the outside, and even in the carney some characters are on the outside.
This is not my favorite Ed and Am. It was okay. The dialogue/Fredric Brown magic was there. The interest in the carney lifestyle. I had two problems. 1. The solution was more than a bit ridiculous. 2. The expected sexism was compounded with racism (par for the time) and heightism. Not unexpected, really, considering the time period, but it takes the shine off of any story when modern reader sees the word 'Jigaboo' or 'midget' multiple times.
In saying this, I didn't feel Brown was unsympathetic to those different characters. In general, life in the carney is about acceptance, but that acceptance did not have to mean respect or generosity. There's a great amount of noir loneliness for those on the outside, and even in the carney some characters are on the outside.
December 1, 2015
A really good little mystery from a nearly forgotten author who's probably best remembered for his Golden Age science fiction short stories.
July 29, 2016
A great carnival mystery from Fredric Brown, not quite as good as Madball, but the Ed And Am Hunter books are a must read,
August 19, 2019
The further adventures of Ed Hunter and his Uncle Am, this time at the carnival. Nicely paced, nicely plotted, and nicely stuck in the decade when it was written, this is a clever mystery and a reasonable development of young Ed's education in the ways of the world. People really smoked and drank a lot in those days.
October 16, 2024
An Improbable Mystery Weighed Down By Racism
This is the second of Brown’s Ed and Am Hunter mysteries and isn’t nearly as good as the first. The writing is good and the mystery moves along with interest, but the solution is both improbable and somewhat absurd. Another big problem is the blatant racism that runs through the book via the persistent use of derogatory terms for African Americans. They aren’t used with malice, but simply reflect the terms used to describe Black Americans when the book was published in the 1940s and in the context of the setting (a traveling carnival). That said, for the modern reader the use of these terms is both jarring and off putting. All in all, not one of Brown’s best works, and I’m hoping the next Ed and Am book is better. As a side note, the e-book version that I read was very poorly produced. It was rife with typos - misspelled words, missing punctuation, random capital letters (usually “He” for some reason), and so on. I don’t mind the occasional typo, but here the sheer quantity of them made reading the book a challenge at times. Again, I hope the next book in the series is better.
This is the second of Brown’s Ed and Am Hunter mysteries and isn’t nearly as good as the first. The writing is good and the mystery moves along with interest, but the solution is both improbable and somewhat absurd. Another big problem is the blatant racism that runs through the book via the persistent use of derogatory terms for African Americans. They aren’t used with malice, but simply reflect the terms used to describe Black Americans when the book was published in the 1940s and in the context of the setting (a traveling carnival). That said, for the modern reader the use of these terms is both jarring and off putting. All in all, not one of Brown’s best works, and I’m hoping the next Ed and Am book is better. As a side note, the e-book version that I read was very poorly produced. It was rife with typos - misspelled words, missing punctuation, random capital letters (usually “He” for some reason), and so on. I don’t mind the occasional typo, but here the sheer quantity of them made reading the book a challenge at times. Again, I hope the next book in the series is better.
August 19, 2018
Missed the Mark
Frederic Brown’s The Dead Ringer did not live up to my expectations after previously reading the first novel in the Ed and Am Hunter series. This is the second in the series and seems to have taken a long time to build up; I found myself more than halfway through before the plot became interesting. The story seemed a bit far-fetched and too full of coincidences to take seriously. Also, there were long passages that seemed unnecessary and irrelevant to the storyline.
There are, however, many redeeming factors. Written in the 1950’s, it is very refreshingly politically incorrect by today’s standards. Set in a traveling carnival, there are freak shows, sex lectures, posing shows, and a whole array of backstage life in that world. Character development is strong and there are some characters, for sure – a very colorful cast, most of whom are associated with the carnival. There is plenty of smoking, drinking, and gambling.
Overall, I rate this a three. It is worth reading if only to learn about the era and setting. I am still planning on reading others in the series.
Frederic Brown’s The Dead Ringer did not live up to my expectations after previously reading the first novel in the Ed and Am Hunter series. This is the second in the series and seems to have taken a long time to build up; I found myself more than halfway through before the plot became interesting. The story seemed a bit far-fetched and too full of coincidences to take seriously. Also, there were long passages that seemed unnecessary and irrelevant to the storyline.
There are, however, many redeeming factors. Written in the 1950’s, it is very refreshingly politically incorrect by today’s standards. Set in a traveling carnival, there are freak shows, sex lectures, posing shows, and a whole array of backstage life in that world. Character development is strong and there are some characters, for sure – a very colorful cast, most of whom are associated with the carnival. There is plenty of smoking, drinking, and gambling.
Overall, I rate this a three. It is worth reading if only to learn about the era and setting. I am still planning on reading others in the series.
September 11, 2007
The second Ed and Am Hunter mystery novel; it's excellent, but a little gory.
May 18, 2020
Segunda entrega de la saga de Ed y Am Hunter y listo, tiramos la casa por la ventana. Porque en apenas un año, Brown pasa de emular ejemplos evidentes del hard boiled contemporáneo (en su anterior novela de la dupla, La Trampa Fabulosa) para generar una impronta personal, única, y diversificar el propio género negro en dirección a sus más caros intereses: lo surreal, lo onírico, lo bufo y carnal. Ha pasado un año también para nuestros héroes y el joven Ed (19 años) vive ahora con Am, su tío, concentrado por completo en la vida de un feriante. Así es, la feria de atracciones y entretenimientos a la que ambos pertenecen -con un puesto de tiro al blanco con bolas- recorre el medio oeste estadounidense sin pausa y sin prisa, y Ed se encuentra cómodo y contento con su nuevo hogar, entorno y -ni que hablar- familia. Pero las cosas se ponen extrañas cuando aparece un enano asesinado en el predio -y no, no es el enano que viaja con la feria- al que nadie conoce pero que es la punta de la madeja de un oscurísimo misterio, uno al que no le faltarán cuotas de absurdo, las que casi lo llevan al límite de lo fantástico. Un policial redondisimo, donde Brown da rienda suelta a su prodigiosa imaginación, a su gran talento cómo creador de atmósferas y personajes. Una trama perfecta que sorprende y que tan sólo se ve algo disminuida por repetir algunas pautas -sobre todo el accionar de Am desde su lugar secundario- de la novela anterior (lo que resta algo de sorpresa). Otra relectura tremendamente feliz (complementada, además, por los inmensos artículos de Javier Coma que acompañan “La viva imagen”, cómo así está traducida mi edición, que cuenta con tapa de -nada menos- Jordi Bernet).
March 13, 2021
This book was rather far-fetched, bordering on absurd, in terms of believability but I got through it. Reading two Fredric Brown books in a row, I'd say that is perhaps his talent, penning prose that keeps pulling you forward, even though, as a reader, you get a sense he's asking you to swallow lot of nonsense. It is becuse there are meaningful moments to be sifted from the nonsense and enjoyed. Main character Ed has insights into solving crime but he also periodically able to see his own situation in life and the circumstances of others with clarity beyond his 18 or so years. Sour notes abound in this particular Ed and Am book where blacks, women and people with disabilities are concerned but taken in the context of time in which Brown was writing, they are forgivable, at least in my opinion. I've got an anthology of Brown's work out from the library right now and there are two more novels I could read. I think it's time for a break however, though I may very well return to more of the author's other works at a later date.
April 11, 2022
The Dead Ringer by Fredric Brown is the second in the Ed and Am Hunter series. I'm still feeling my way into the series. The first book Ed's father is killed and Ed goes to live with his uncle Am, his father's brother. Am runs a carny show and together they decide to find out who killed Ed's father. In the Dead Ringer they are comfortable living together in the carny.
Suddenly a midget is murdered and found naked in one of the tents at the carny. The midget is a stranger that has no connection to the carny. This is the beginning of this novel of murder and a mysterious kidnapping. In typical Fredric Brown fashion there are twists that no-one can see coming, yet make absolute sense. Fredric Brown is comfortable in the mystery field as he is in the science fiction field of the 40's and 50's. This novel is another showcase of his talent.
Suddenly a midget is murdered and found naked in one of the tents at the carny. The midget is a stranger that has no connection to the carny. This is the beginning of this novel of murder and a mysterious kidnapping. In typical Fredric Brown fashion there are twists that no-one can see coming, yet make absolute sense. Fredric Brown is comfortable in the mystery field as he is in the science fiction field of the 40's and 50's. This novel is another showcase of his talent.
July 4, 2022
Una tripleta de asesinatos son el eje rector de esta novela, sobre un joven Ed Hunter y su tío, Am, quienes trabajan en un circo.
La novela tiene más elementos de análisis (el desdoblamiento del autor en ambos personajes, viéndose reflejado en el jovenzuelo que debe enfrentar la llegada de la vida adulta, así como en el tío que aconseja y trata de mostrarle lo bueno del mundo; el aspecto simbólico del circo itinerante, como metáfora de la constante evolución del personaje principal) fuera de la solución del misterio de los homicidios: el descubrimiento del asesino no resulta tan sorpresivo, ni tiene un final impactante. Pero es una novela entretenida.
La novela tiene más elementos de análisis (el desdoblamiento del autor en ambos personajes, viéndose reflejado en el jovenzuelo que debe enfrentar la llegada de la vida adulta, así como en el tío que aconseja y trata de mostrarle lo bueno del mundo; el aspecto simbólico del circo itinerante, como metáfora de la constante evolución del personaje principal) fuera de la solución del misterio de los homicidios: el descubrimiento del asesino no resulta tan sorpresivo, ni tiene un final impactante. Pero es una novela entretenida.
September 13, 2025
I read this in a Kindle edition. There were an atrocious number of “typos”, misspellings, etc. I don’t know anything about how print books are converted to the ebook format, but in this case the process doesn’t seem to have worked very well.
Good book though, albeit not nearly as good as its predecessor The Fabulous Clipjoint.
Good book though, albeit not nearly as good as its predecessor The Fabulous Clipjoint.
December 6, 2023
a great old story.
But there were so many carney words I didn’t know. And if typos etc bother you don’t try it. They were in every paragraph…almost very sentence. But I enjoyed it. Fredric Brown is some writer!
But there were so many carney words I didn’t know. And if typos etc bother you don’t try it. They were in every paragraph…almost very sentence. But I enjoyed it. Fredric Brown is some writer!
May 7, 2018
Not one of Fred's best. It's his 48th best carny story.
Even at the short length, it feels padded. There is a lot of, "I did this, but I don't know why". Ugh.
If you want to read about people drinking booze, step up. As with every FB story there is an incredible amount of drinking alcohol. My favorite is when Ed thinks, as he drives, "the booze will wear off before I get there!" Ugh.
Still, FB can write a few pages that will rip your heart out, and he does that here from time to time. Ed is a terrific character. I'll push on in this series.
Even at the short length, it feels padded. There is a lot of, "I did this, but I don't know why". Ugh.
If you want to read about people drinking booze, step up. As with every FB story there is an incredible amount of drinking alcohol. My favorite is when Ed thinks, as he drives, "the booze will wear off before I get there!" Ugh.
Still, FB can write a few pages that will rip your heart out, and he does that here from time to time. Ed is a terrific character. I'll push on in this series.
September 11, 2020
Milton
September 14, 2023
Too many mistakes
I enjoyed the time period and the plot but there were so many mistakes and typos it made it unpleasant to read.
I enjoyed the time period and the plot but there were so many mistakes and typos it made it unpleasant to read.
October 2, 2023
Brown's second novel.
Interesting but doesn't have the punch of the first or the edginess of the later books.
Interesting but doesn't have the punch of the first or the edginess of the later books.
June 21, 2025
A murder mystery with carnaval workers as amateur investigators. An okay story.
January 21, 2009
Great book! A mystery inside a mystery and the writing was very well done. Hope to read more by same author soon!
March 13, 2020
A clever mystery with an interesting look at the carnie life. It is dated, particularly in its attitudes towards women, race and "midgets". I really like the relationship between Ed and Am.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews