Helen Reilly (1) (1891–1962)

A Dell mapback

The story opens with a man dying of bullets in the back in a show-window of a New York clothing store.I know I have read another story with the same opening, but I can't recall where. This one however quickly shifts to the homes of a well-to-do family outside the city. it appears the dead man was tying to meet the head of that family before he died.

A dubious playboy is murdered leaving a mysterious entry in his diary. Apparentyl his death is linked to a small elite social circle at an upstate resort, so McKee leaves Manhattan to investigate.

Ace Double back to back --The Canvas Dagger --an artist falls from his studio window --it is ruled suicide, but one witness saw a shadow behind him . Not Me Inspector --a dead man was supposedly seen several times well after the day the medical evidence says he died. Both cases are investigated by Inspector McKee of the Manhattan Homicide Squad, an intelligent no-nonsense policeman.