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32 Caliber
A gripping thriller of love, betrayal, and murder, in which the declining marriage of one couple pulls everyone around them into the dark
Warren Thompson—Bupps to his closest friends—wants nothing more than for his law partner and best friend, Jim Felderson, to win his sister’s hand in marriage. Helen can be capricious, at times even outright cold, but the wedding moves ahead anyway. All appears to be fine, until one day, Helen announces that she’s leaving Jim for another man. Frank Woods, whose easy demeanor, wealth, and charm inspire unease on the part of every married man in town, has his sights set on Helen. And it’s only a matter of time before he gets exactly what he wants. Not one to go down without a fight, Jim vows to dig up dirt on Frank, but as his suspicions as to the source of Frank’s income grow, a heated domestic dispute becomes something much more deadly. Caught in the middle of a mounting disaster, Bupps will soon find himself not only the arbiter of a nasty divorce but the lead investigator of a harrowing death as well!
The narrator, a lawyer and amateur detective, is pulled into the complicated lives of his best friend, his friend's wife, and her war-profiteer lover, during their ensuing divorce.
Warren Thompson—Bupps to his closest friends—wants nothing more than for his law partner and best friend, Jim Felderson, to win his sister’s hand in marriage. Helen can be capricious, at times even outright cold, but the wedding moves ahead anyway. All appears to be fine, until one day, Helen announces that she’s leaving Jim for another man. Frank Woods, whose easy demeanor, wealth, and charm inspire unease on the part of every married man in town, has his sights set on Helen. And it’s only a matter of time before he gets exactly what he wants. Not one to go down without a fight, Jim vows to dig up dirt on Frank, but as his suspicions as to the source of Frank’s income grow, a heated domestic dispute becomes something much more deadly. Caught in the middle of a mounting disaster, Bupps will soon find himself not only the arbiter of a nasty divorce but the lead investigator of a harrowing death as well!
The narrator, a lawyer and amateur detective, is pulled into the complicated lives of his best friend, his friend's wife, and her war-profiteer lover, during their ensuing divorce.
140 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 23, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
July 27, 2015
Written almost a century ago, this mystery remains one hell of an exciting short suspense filled treat. The narrator’s sister is leaving her husband, the narrator’s friend and law partner and that starts it all.
But it seems as if her new romantic interest is in serious money trouble – borrowing money that doesn’t belong to him and perhaps only interested in his new woman for her cash. Yet he calls the husband to meet him at the country club and it seems they will have it out.
But on the way to the meeting, the husband is shot in the back of the neck – the car is wrecked and he is killed – who was riding in the back seat? His wife, ready to leave him, and now she is on death’s door.
That’s when the narrator begins playing detective though his suspect seems to have a perfect alibi – people claim he was at the country club all night.
So is his sister guilty? This short mystery is a real rush – sure it’s old time – but that’s part of the fun! It’s kind of like an old antique and a very fast moving one at that!
But it seems as if her new romantic interest is in serious money trouble – borrowing money that doesn’t belong to him and perhaps only interested in his new woman for her cash. Yet he calls the husband to meet him at the country club and it seems they will have it out.
But on the way to the meeting, the husband is shot in the back of the neck – the car is wrecked and he is killed – who was riding in the back seat? His wife, ready to leave him, and now she is on death’s door.
That’s when the narrator begins playing detective though his suspect seems to have a perfect alibi – people claim he was at the country club all night.
So is his sister guilty? This short mystery is a real rush – sure it’s old time – but that’s part of the fun! It’s kind of like an old antique and a very fast moving one at that!
June 28, 2016
This mystery is set post The War meaning The Great War (WW I). At first I was a bit confused wondering if this was a British novel. It was cleared up as being set in the USA. The nicknames reminded me somewhat of upper class Brits who I supposed did the same things as upper class East Coast Americans at the time. The main character is a lawyer who has heard a rumor that his sister is going to divorce her husband who just happens to be the partner in the same law firm that Bupps works at. It is true which causes all sots of uproar. What will society say? There is a suspicious "automobile smashup" which does not help things.
I was intrigued by the differences in terms used at the time. Hanging was the official method of execution. Ammonia (?) was given in hospitals to relieve stress. Automobiles had lamps instead of lights. Automobile bandits instead of car thieves as we call them today. Mechanics wee called mechanicians. It was fun to read an actual book from that time period instead of a modern writer writing it.
I was intrigued by the differences in terms used at the time. Hanging was the official method of execution. Ammonia (?) was given in hospitals to relieve stress. Automobiles had lamps instead of lights. Automobile bandits instead of car thieves as we call them today. Mechanics wee called mechanicians. It was fun to read an actual book from that time period instead of a modern writer writing it.
May 3, 2026
The story is written really cleverly. Even though you figure out who the killer is early on, you’re still completely gripped, waiting to see if they’ll actually be able to catch him. The tension keeps building and you just want to know how it will all play out. A very satisfying read for anyone who enjoys a good mystery.
February 13, 2017
One of classic mystery fiction novels. I found it on LibriVox , one of the audios that I enjoyed listening to (read by Dawn Larsen, a beautiful voice).
We hear Warren narrates the story of his sister; Helen and his best friend from childhood time; Jim who is married to Helen. They are having some difficulty in their marriage life and going through a bitter divorce till we hear that Jim is killed in a car accident. But Warren finds out that Jim was shot with a 32 caliber pistol. During the period of “divorce issue”, Helen falls for a local bad boy; Frank Woods who no one has a clue about neither his past nor what he does and when she asks Jim to finish their relationship so she can marry Frank, Jim doesn’t like to let Helen go.
The characters were not well developed; no history or background for any of them, if more details were given by the author it would make the story more interesting and more dramatic.
We hear Warren narrates the story of his sister; Helen and his best friend from childhood time; Jim who is married to Helen. They are having some difficulty in their marriage life and going through a bitter divorce till we hear that Jim is killed in a car accident. But Warren finds out that Jim was shot with a 32 caliber pistol. During the period of “divorce issue”, Helen falls for a local bad boy; Frank Woods who no one has a clue about neither his past nor what he does and when she asks Jim to finish their relationship so she can marry Frank, Jim doesn’t like to let Helen go.
The characters were not well developed; no history or background for any of them, if more details were given by the author it would make the story more interesting and more dramatic.
February 9, 2020
Pass this one up
Very dated dialogue, and it seemed forced trying to support a plot passed up by a 3d grader. Let it die unloved and not remembered.
Very dated dialogue, and it seemed forced trying to support a plot passed up by a 3d grader. Let it die unloved and not remembered.
September 2, 2020
Pretty interesting
Definitely different, I kinda enjoyed it. Probably not a full four stars but it really is a book different from other books. Good read but forgettable
Definitely different, I kinda enjoyed it. Probably not a full four stars but it really is a book different from other books. Good read but forgettable
September 3, 2025
If you’re looking for a compelling crime mystery with well written characters you should skip this one.
This was a random read mainly because it was short but also the blurb sounded intriguing. The mystery itself is barely there and I didn’t care about the characters enough for it to grab me. It is very by numbers almost as if this is a proto Who-done-it but there’s tons of crime fiction from this period that are way better than this.
I really didn’t like the narration as it was read without any emotion or voices. Just a woman flatly reading it straight.
This was a random read mainly because it was short but also the blurb sounded intriguing. The mystery itself is barely there and I didn’t care about the characters enough for it to grab me. It is very by numbers almost as if this is a proto Who-done-it but there’s tons of crime fiction from this period that are way better than this.
I really didn’t like the narration as it was read without any emotion or voices. Just a woman flatly reading it straight.
December 31, 2025
Dec. 2025 - narrated on LibriVox by Dawn Larsen
This is a "neither fish nor fowl" novel that combines a classic Golden Age locked room mystery with the tropes of a roaring 20s thriller. It's just as campy as that sounds. There's a car crash, amnesia, Bolsheviks, and a culminating chase, all related by a character stuck deep in the friendzone, constantly distracted by romance. Dawn Larsen does a lovely job narrating, but I suspect this audiobook is not for everyone. Luckily, it hit the spot for me.
This is a "neither fish nor fowl" novel that combines a classic Golden Age locked room mystery with the tropes of a roaring 20s thriller. It's just as campy as that sounds. There's a car crash, amnesia, Bolsheviks, and a culminating chase, all related by a character stuck deep in the friendzone, constantly distracted by romance. Dawn Larsen does a lovely job narrating, but I suspect this audiobook is not for everyone. Luckily, it hit the spot for me.
March 28, 2019
The narrator of the audiobook was absolutely fine, but the book itself...
So much misogyny. (Did you know the way to get a woman who doesn't love you and has only married you because her brother badgered her into it to really fall for you is to treat her badly? At least, that's the advice the narrator of this novel gives his friend.)
So much misogyny. (Did you know the way to get a woman who doesn't love you and has only married you because her brother badgered her into it to really fall for you is to treat her badly? At least, that's the advice the narrator of this novel gives his friend.)
December 14, 2023
This is quite a story a husband & wife on the verge of divorce over the wife's affair with another man
When the the husband turns up dead the brother in law who is a lawyer looks into the case
The plot was certainly good especially for early 20th
century writing however it is certainly a product of its time some racial stereotypes, the dialogue, and descriptiveness are very apparent
When the the husband turns up dead the brother in law who is a lawyer looks into the case
The plot was certainly good especially for early 20th
century writing however it is certainly a product of its time some racial stereotypes, the dialogue, and descriptiveness are very apparent
August 16, 2017
Pleasant and classic mystery/thriller. Well narrated. Free on Librivox.org recommended for the "tired of reading that modern trash" readers.
December 22, 2017
A super quick read and interesting from a historical point of view. However, the narrator was annoyingly over-emotional.
November 16, 2018
abandoned due to bordem
May 2, 2020
I enjoyed the book. Different era different values.
July 14, 2020
Meh.
Paper thin plot and idiotic ending. At least it was short. This sentence only serves to meet minimum word count.
Paper thin plot and idiotic ending. At least it was short. This sentence only serves to meet minimum word count.
September 12, 2020
buen libro
August 3, 2021
Total fun! Great easy summer read that keeps you riveted until the end. Highly recommended!
May 1, 2023
I liked it, I just didn't realize it would end up being part romance. I loved how dramatic it was. Over all I really enjoyed reading this book.
August 28, 2025
Excellent book. Very exciting and mind bogglingly good
March 30, 2021
Fairly short and there’s not time for it to be drawn out in the middle like some books
June 7, 2011
Really rather silly. Very 1920's. Ordinary couple get involved in intrigue and solve the crime. Trouble is, this couple isn't as appealing as the Thin Man pair.
October 21, 2011
Good old fashioned crime mystery...
January 20, 2012
Oh, my! The scandal...lol; awesome first person pov and dialogue.
January 13, 2014
An okay read.You can read my review at:
http://vikasnainwal.blogspot.in/2014/...
http://vikasnainwal.blogspot.in/2014/...
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews