“Any way you look at it, murder is out!”
I’ve been keeping an eye out for Bart House mysteries ever since reading The Devil Drives. These vintage war time novels are fine quality physical specimen, as good as the best from Avon, Pocket Books, and Dell. Of course, a nice cover and quality paper doesn’t make a good story. My last Bart House gamble was the unredeemable John Smith Hears Death Walking, but I haven’t given up the optimism that I’ll stumble upon an unknown gem. It’s this hope that led me to Murder is Out by Lee Thayer.
I’ve never noticed the name Lee Thayer kicking around the GAD community, and that seems a bit strange given that the author was responsible for five dozen mysteries. Thayer was a graphic artist who took to writing in 1919 and carried through until 1966 – an impressive run that calls to mind the likes of Christie, Queen, and Carr, although “forgotten” authors such as Christopher Bush and Brian Flynn had equally vast catalogues.
The Green Capsule 