IMPRESSIVE IMPRINTS - Dutton Clue Mysteries

The first of E. P. Dutton's mystery and detective fiction imprints was relatively short-lived. Begun in 1930 it lasted a mere six years. Like all mystery imprints competing with one another Dutton developed a gimmick along the lines of the Harper Sealed Mystery novels. They included a two color insert that was affixed to the top of a page late in the book challenging the reader to come up with the solution to the mystery. Below is one of the inserts found in my copy of The Matilda Hunter Murder (1931) by Harry Stephen Keeler.

Very few of these still exist since the inserts were loosely glued to the very top edge of the page allowing the reader to either remove it or flip it up to read the text on the page beneath. I own one book were the insert was still attached to the top edge when I bought it but very shortly afterward became loose and fell off. Many of the still existing inserts were laid into the book at the page where it was originally glued or placed in the front or back of the book. In my collection I have only three of these inserts still in the book.

The inserts were soon abandoned in favor of a page that was bound as part of the book (see an example below). The ghoul in the robe still appeared as did the large typeface command "Stop!" These pages appeared between 1932 and 1935 until they too were abandoned. The last few Dutton Clue Mysteries were noted as such only on the front flap of the DJ and the title page with the signature of the imprint -- the handprint logo.

I have very few Dutton Clue DJs in my collection, though I have many books without them.  The majority of the DJs shown in the photos below are taken from online bookselling sites. I did find one DJ (The Perjured Alibi by Walter S Masterman) that was in the best condition and show both front and back panels of that one.

Mystery of the East Wind (1930)

Rear panel used in 1930 only

Murder in the News Room (1931)

An End to Mirth (1931)

Ben Ames Williams is best known for Leave Her To Heaven which was adapted for the movies starring Gene Tierney as the murderous protagonist.

The Murder of a Midget (1931)

Cakes to Kill (1932)

The Flying Beast (1932)

The Man with the Paper Skull (1932)

Murder by Magic (1932)

The Sword in the Pool (1932)

The Face of the Man from Saturn (1933)

Murder in the Opera House (1934)

Still Dead (1934)

Death of a First Mate (1935) Logo & imprint not used on DJ front panel

Use of logo appears on front board only by 1935 Still appears on the DJ flaps & rear panel

The Perjured Alibi (1935) Logo present but imprint name missing

Example of rear panel from 1932-1935

One last bit of trivia: Dutton emulated the Harper Sealed Mystery in at least one title. The final pages of The Marceau Case (1936) by Harry Stephen Keeler were sealed (photo on right below). In my copy not only are those pages sealed but also the previous eight and the four following blank pages were uncut proving that the previous owner either never read the book or gave up on its mammoth length of 472 pages just before the end. I've been able to sneak a peek at the final pages and they really are just an advertisement for Keeler's next book X. Jones - Of Scotland Yard (1936) which continues the Marceau Case saga and comes up with an entirely different solution to the mystery of killed mystery writer Andre Marceau.