Mystery and Crime Chambers, Dana: The Blonde Died First (1941); v1; 12 July 2021

[Pulpmeister]

Dana Chambers was the pen-name of Albert Leffingwell, 1895-1946. This light mystery features Jim Steele, who appeared in several of his novels. Much of the action is on a cruise liner bound from Miami to Bermuda, later on a private yacht.

Jim Steele, running a message for millionairess Brenda Carroll as she is about to board The Empress for Bermuda, discovers in her apartment two corpses with their throats cut. And Steele, who can't resist a mystery, wangles himself and his wife Lisa aboard The Empress and finds himself dodging bullets.

Pulp fun, more literate than many.

The book had no chapters, but rather many un-numbered and un-named sections, and runs to 55,000 words. The cover artist is unidentified. I have modified the cover by cropping out some damaged edges and removing some superfluous text.

It appeared in a monthly magazine called Detective Book Magazine for Fall, 1941. This magazine featured a 50,000 or so word novel plus two short stories each month. Good value for 20 cents.

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