The Curiosity of Mr. Treadgold - Valentine Williams

Horace Bowl Treadgold, third generation tailor in a family owned Savile Row clothing business, has two hobbies: philately and criminology. People with problems that should be police matters seek out Treadgold because they don't wish for police intrusion which is usually all about preserving their reputation and avoiding bad publicity. The Curiosity of Mr. Treadgold (1937) is a collection of nine short stories and one novella with the plots involving theft, disappearances, blackmail and murder. Previously in William's output Treadgold made his debut in the novel Dead Man Manor (1936) set in Quebec. He also appears in a later book, The Skeleton in the Cupboard.

Treadgold is yet another private inquiry agent in a long lone of characters modeled after Sherlcok Holmes.  Nearly all of the stories involve the kind of inductive reasoning Conan Doyle made famous with his iconic detective.  Not many of Williams' stories, however, are at all innovative or unique. The most original aspects are Treadgold's unusual profession and clientele which take him out of England to North America on occasion and his equally unusual habit of frequently quoting his favorite work of fiction -- Tristam Shandy, the 18th century picaresque novel by Laurence Sterne, a work that no one to my knowledge reads anymore or is even familiar with. Tristam Shandy is the Bible of H.B. (as he prefers to be called). George Duckett, H.B.'s lawyer and the narrator of all the stories, is rightly irritated each time another Sterne quote pops out of the Tailor's mouth.  And they happen in every story, often more than once. By the time a reader has finished the collection he may feel that he has read Tristam Shandy in its entirety.

A brief rundown of the stories follows.

"The Red Bearded Killer" - The title character is attacking women with a knife. Most are just frightened, one is murdered. A survivor of the attacks tells H. B. that in addition to his vibrant red beard the assailant wore a strangely colored overcoat in a pattern of green and brown plaid on a mustard background. H.B. uses his knowledge of clothing construction to explain the odd disguise and easily finds the knife-wielding maniac. The crime's motive is blasé.

"The Singing Kettle" - A strange sound is heard prior to death of a woman's wealthy uncle. he appears to have died of natural causes but the niece suspects the sinister servants in his household did him in. Daily delivery of ice cream to household is the major clue to how the death was in fact a cruelly executed murder.  Reminiscent of a similar clue in a John Dickson Carr novel published in 1941 and an American mystery writer's debut published in 1940.  Cannot reveal the title of either book without spoiling the surprise murder method. Unsure if Williams actually beat these two writers at using this method as I have yet to encounter any earlier instances prior to 1937. This may genuinely be an original idea for 1937.

"The Blue Ushabti" - the requisite Egyptology story of the collection. I think every crime short story collection had to have a tale that involved mummies of artifacts form ancient Egypt. Blame Christie and Van Dine. This was a dull story about the title object. A theft and switcheroo occurs during a blackout and  I couldn't help but think of a similar incident that occurs in the classic French Legion adventure novel, Beau Geste (1924). Despite the Egyptology background this is a prosaic unimaginative story.

"The Dot-and-Carry Case" - title refers to a nightclub. First truly interesting story in the collection. H.B. questions a police case listed as a murder/suicide and almost closed as such. Married found shot in his car and a vulgar showgirl is shot in her temple. Police say she killed her lover then herself. But the man's wife doesn't buy any of it. She loved her devoted husband and cannot believe that he would betray her by having an affair with a lowly showgirl, especially this particular showgirl known for her loose and flirtatious manner with a string of lovers. Leila Trent is described as a guttersnipe (!). She also ran with a drug using crowd and was a dealer herself. Story involves stolen identity and masquerade. The whole story is rather well done if a bit rushed in the finale.  I liked the scenes with Leila's roommate, Edna, a well drawn example of a uneducated entertainer who nevertheless has a good understanding of human nature.

"The Case of the Black F" - Mangled body of man found at foot of a train bridge cannot be identified because if s face is crushed. Excellent detection in this one once again using H.B.'s profession of tailoring.  He does a through examination of the man's clothes, especially in the trouser turn-ups, or cuffs as he tells the police they are called in America. Despite all markings having been removed H.B. determines where the suit was made and comes up with an idea of the kind of man who would purchase such clothing.  He immediately notices that the clothes do not fit the corpse? Is this man really Axel Roth as his personal effects seem to indicate? Some knowledge of Portuguese and German will aid the reader as they do H.B. when he realizes cryptic notations in the man's diary are not in English. First story in the book about spies and espionage which were the primary interest of Valentine Williams.

"The Strange Disappearance of Miss Edith Marless" - Blackmail of a woman addicted to gambling. H.B. consulted by the husband to spare them embarrassment and ruinous publicity. Involves rather obvious masquerade which I spotted instantly. Somewhat innovative but another extremely rushed finale. The story is all incident with all the clues delivered in the hastily delivered two page ending. Most of the stories in the book fit into this formula. Williams cannot maintain suspense in the short story form.

"Donna Laura's Diamond" - Missing princess, cursed diamond ring, decapitations. H.B. searches for Gemma Malatesta who was most likely kidnapped by professional crooks who want the diamond as ransom. Very action oriented, like an American pulp magazine story. Another slapdash ending with multiple car wrecks and slaughter of the villains.

"The Murder of Blanche Medloe" - Flighty Mrs. Medloe checks into Hardmore MAnsions wiiht Frank Barkley.  She doesn't check out. Maid finds Mrs. M strangled on a couch in her hotel room. Barkely is gone, but his luggage is left behind. Third story in which H.B.'s profession comes into play. Lots of Holmesian induction based solely on where the clothes came from and their wear and tear. Another Holmes touch is H. B.'s knowledge of exotic tobacco and he notes that the tobacco "silt" he finds in the luggage and clothes indicate a Boer brand from South America. This story is well plotted with an outlandish coincidence incorprated into the story as an example of how true detection can often go astray when the improbable and unpredictable occurs. A luggage thief steals the case of the murder victim's ex-husband! Very enjoyable and unusual story.  Perhaps my favorite of the book.

"The Man with Two Left Feet". This is the story which inspired the illustration on the cover of the US first edition (shown at top of this post). A Russian scholar is bludgeoned in his study and money is robbed from a safe. Young translator Christopher "Kit" Kendrick who was working with the professor is arrested. His girlfriend, another Russian translator and secretary to the professor, believes Kendrick is innocent.  Much circumstantial evidence does not work in Ki'ts favor. H.B. investigates with permission of police. He finds two left footprints, at scene of crime outdoor near a brick wall.  Also finss the murder weapon - a French bayonet belonging to Kendrick who has a collection of war memorabilia.  Uh-oh! Things do not look good for Kit Kendrick. Clearly someone wants him to take the blame. Nicely done story with some extremely unusual business involving war veterans and amputees. My second favorite tale in the book for the relationship between Kit and his girlfrined and the innovative portion involving the search for the title character.

The final story, Murder Stalked at Sea Nest, although at novella length sadly is the most formulaic of the lot. There are two deaths but the plot is overloaded with cliché bits like footprints, a tennis shoe lace, a hastily burned note with partially legible writing and some business with a phonograph record. One of the victims is a blackmailer.  The only interesting thing really is that George Duckett, the narrator/lawyer, takes part in the action much more as a sidekick detective rather than simply observing and reporting what took place.

Interestingly, this is not as hard to find as I thought it would be. My copy is currently for sale in my eBay listings and it's the one of five available with a DJ, also the cheapest copy offered for sale online with a DJ. If you are interested in reading this book, there are a handful of affordable unjacketed copies out there in both the US and UK editions. The UK edition, by the way, is titled Mr. Treadgold Cuts In.