A murder in the mountains is the latest case for the Manhattan detective famed for his тАЬhighbrow manner and parade of encyclopedic learningтАЭ (The New York Times).
Wealthy and worldly-wise detective Philo Vance has been asked to keep watch at a house party in the snowy Berkshires of western Massachusetts, where he encounters an assortment of guests ranging from a treasure hunter to a race car driver. The owner of the house doesnтАЩt quite trust his sonтАЩs friendsтАФand is worried about the security of his precious emeralds. Sure enough, a guard is soon killed, the jewels are stolen, and then another guest dies, leaving Vance to make some cold calculations about who turned this gathering from festive to fatal┬а.┬а.┬а.
тАЬMr. Van DineтАЩs amateur detective is the most gentlemanly, and probably the most scholarly snooper in literature.тАЭ тАФChicago Daily Tribune
тАЬThe best of the American mystery men.тАЭ тАФThe Globe
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