Piper & Quinn - Deadly Nightcap

I was sort of lukewarm on Death Counts Three, a 1954 British novel authored by Leopold Horace Ognall, primarily known by his pseudonyms Harry Carmichael and Hartley Howard. That book starred an insurance investigator named John Piper. Despite the amazing cover, promising double-barreled action, the narrative was a cozy, dry whodunit that paid homage to the Golden Age of Detective-Fiction. Knowing what to expect, I took another chance on the John Piper character and read the 1953 installment Deadly Nightcap. Did the reading experience improve?

In researching the series a little more, I realize that this really could be considered the Piper & Quinn series. I edited my original review for Death Counts Three to note the change in the series from John Piper to simply Piper & Quinn. The reason is that Piper's investigative contact, a whimsical journalist named Quinn, appears throughout the series as a main character, sharing the spotlight with Piper. The Thrilling Detective site lists four books starring John Piper solely, three Quinn novels and a multitude of Piper & Quinn novels. The easiest way for a simpleton like me to organize this mess is to simply throw it all under the same series title, thus Piper & Quinn it is. Honestly, I don't even know if anyone even reads these reviews or cares one iota about my thoughts of an obscure 1950s British whodunit. But the rock must be pushed up the hill, so Sisyphus, I will remain.

John Piper, a freelance investigator, is hired by the Anglo-Continental Insurance Company to look into the poisoning death of Esther Payne, the wife of a bestselling author named Christopher. The company stands to lose ten thousand pounds if the death is ruled a homicide. However, if the rich spouse offed herself, the benefit claim can be rejected using the suicide clause. Simple, right? Not so fast.

Piper and Quinn dig into the couple's lifestyles – their friends, lovers, servants, and doctors. That last one is the key to the whole thing – a mysterious Dr. Falkenheim. His medical ethics come under fire when he's frequently questioned about his improper relationship with the victim. There are hints that the good doctor and Esther were doing the nasty, which may have led to the doctor attempting to poison Christopher, but accidentally killing his lover. But, there are layers, including a woman named Lynne who is linked to Christopher romantically. Could she have killed Esther in an attempt to control Christopher? When another similar death occurs, there's cause for alarm. 

Deadly Nightcap was a drastic improvement from Death Counts Three. Sky level, this seems like a simple whodunit with the typical flair for skeletons in the closet, scorned lovers, jealous wives, and the use of the 'ole deadly medicine cabinet. However, the author is a little too clever to fall victim to the standard formula. He injects an interesting locked-room mystery as a second competing plot to the original investigation. 

Piper's tenacity, determination, and ability to rule out the most obvious police conclusions are great improvements to the characterization. His seriousness – steadfast, smart, honest, polite – is balanced by Quinn, a rather unruly newspaper reporter who's fond of cutting corners, a little dishonesty, and a penchant for finding humor in every aspect of the investigation. It's a great tandem that makes the duo lively and entertaining while not sacrificing the importance of the investigation.

Deadly Nightcap is an absolute winner and has injected a great deal of confidence that this series shouldn't be ignored. I'm on board for more Piper & Quinn, and you should be as well. Get the book HERE.