THE BLACK IRIS (A Rue Morgue Vintage Mystery)

Boulder, CO, U.S.A.: Rue Morgue Press, 2007. 1st prtg. Oversize trade paperback, fine in decorated wraps. First published in 1953, The Black Iris was the twentieth of twenty-one screwball mysteries by the incomparable Little sisters. The Little sisters were the reigning queens of the cozy screwball mystery from the 1930's to the 1950's. Combining the the charm and laughs of a Frank Capra movie with the eccentric characters of a George S. Kaufmann play. "The two elderly aunts liked a glass of sherry, a plate of cookies.. .and a nice little game of Russian roulette. But someone else was playing an even deadlier game. Miss Ivy and Miss Violet quarreled about everything, especially about who would get their money when they were gone: their nephew Richard or the glamorous Broadway actress Ada Terry, related to them by marriage. It got to the point that the only way they could settle the dispute, or so they thought, was to play Russian roulette with one another. The wishes of whichever sister survived would prevail. Richard was upset when he learned about their little game and began substituting blanks for the live cartridges they used. He also thought he'd come up with the perfect scheme to end the quarrel by telling them he intended to marry Ada. But the last thing he expected was for Ada to set a date for the wedding and announce it to the whole town. His plan was turning into a total disaster when the two old ladies, still quarreling, disappeared. Searching for the missing sisters, Richard, Ada and the police uncover a game even more dangerous than the one Ivy and Violet enjoyed." -- publisher . 1st Prtg. Pictorial Wrappers. Fine. Illus. by Pudim, Rob. Trade Paperback.