Although Yates does sometimes go out to ill-advised, mysterious midnight rendezvous, she is emphatically not an HIBK-style character and most emphatically not one of those tiresomely helpless Mignon Eberhart limp dishrag ingenues.
Rather, Yates is part of a sleuthing couple with assistant district attorney Lyle Curtis--and rather the better half when it comes to the sleuthing. Part of the fun of these books is following the development of Yates' relationship with Curtis, who is a most sensible male, not at all threatened by Yates' career and sleuthing capabilities.
I am pleased to say these books, out-of-print for over seventy years, will soon be out in stylish new editions. And that issue of CADS will be out next month too. I'll be sure to keep you informed!
P.S. Hope to have a long book review up on Sunday! Now that the CADS piece is done, I should be getting more reviews posted.
The only detective novel I've read about the fashion world was MURDER IN SHINBONE ALLEY by Helen Reilly. Never heard of Fetta and never seen any of her books in my decades of bookhunting. These sound like the kind of book I just read by Zelda Popkin about her department store detective Mary Carner. Smart women with verve and sass, excellent characters of varying ethnic and social backgrounds, and use of distinctive voices inthe dialogue, plus a lot of quality detail in the world of department stores and the prevention of shoplifting in the late 1930s.
ReplyDeleteZelda Popkin was very well-received. Unfortunately her book rights were given about a dozen years ago to a publisher who doesn't seem to have done much with them.
DeleteNever heard of these, but as my blog features Clothes in Books and a lot of detective stories they could be made for me! Will be looking out for your subsequent posts and the books themselves, thanks for the headsup.
ReplyDeleteClothes in Books, I would say these would definitely be your fit! I won't be saying too much more about the author or the books specifically, as that's in the CADS essay, but I will let everyone know when that and the books themselves are out.
DeleteExciting news indeed Curt - thanks chum, can't wait (I hope they are also available on paper?)
ReplyDeleteSergio --My guess is that the Fetta reissues are coming from Coachwhip Publications.
DeleteJohn, is right of course! It's definitely nice to get some more old mysteries reprinted, and I think these are somewhat out of the ordinary for the period.
DeleteFor John -- a good mystery about the fashion industry is "Death in High Heels", Christianna Brand's first mystery. The fashion designer character Mr. Cecil recurs in her superb "Tour de Force" where fashion is merely a sub-plot. There's also Lucy Cores's "Painted for the Kill" which I think is more about the "beauty" industry than fashions in clothing, but it's not really worth your time.
ReplyDeleteIf there is such a thing as a mystery about men's fashion, I don't know of it.
I've always liked Brand's book, though it's far from her bets as a mystery plot.
DeleteI've just tracked down a 1950s film production of the book, which is interesting but not very well-done (I think they're called "quota quickies", apparently rushed into production upon the success of "Green for Danger"). But I agree, it's far from her best (although not as awful as "Heads You Lose", the ending of which made me want to throw the book across the room). I always thought it was amusing that she got her start as a mystery writer by coming up with ways to kill a hated co-worker -- if that held true, there would be millions of mystery writers today!
DeleteThey sound rather fun
ReplyDeleteNot as well written as Allingham, of course, Julia, but thankfully no Alan Dell and the marriage proposal from Hell!
DeleteInteresting find. As much as I hate to play into the stereotypes of my gender, I'm fascinated by fashion. This sounds really fun.
ReplyDelete