The Criminal C. O. D.

by Phoebe Atwood Taylor

Book Overview

Something must have scared the wits out of Jane Lennox to make her run right in front of Asey Mayo in his brand new Porter Sixteen. Could that something have been the sight of a corpse? And could it have been the body of politically ambitious Henry Slocum? The answer would have to wait, for the corpse in the old salt loft had vanished from sight. This one would prove to be a real challenge for the Codfish Sherlock as further sinister and hilarious...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0881501069
• ISBN13: 9780881501063
• Release Date: June 2007
• Publisher: Countryman Press
• Length: 290 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.3" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

Asey Goes It Alone

While I've never yet read an Atwood Taylor that I'd give less than 5 stars, this is one of my least favorites. Usually Asey has a quasi-Watston who is a middle-aged woman than accompanies him on his detecting, asks questions, and listens to his ideas. Most of the women in these stories are portrayed as sensible, even courageous. The story is also often told from their point of view. In this book, the opening introduces a spoiled little rich girl who Asey nearly runs over. She's known for playing tricks, so he hardly believes her when she claims to have stumbled on a corpse. Her mother is a woman who "takes up" a new interest from time to time and now she's taken up politics to the point of spending so much time with a younger politician that it has caused gossip. Minor female characters are Jenny, Asey's housekeeper and an aunt of the first victim. Aside from no admirable women, it's still a good mystery with a first victim to wonder about within the first few pages. The body is later delivered to the Dr. as a large C.O.D. package wrapped in dry ice. With some minor help from cousin Syd, Asey investigates on his own, even gets knocked on the head with a fry pan. And, of course, he figures it all out and exposes a surprise perpetrator at the end. I recommend this book for it's credible mystery.