Cat Of Many Tails (Ellery Queen Detective, Book 20)
Ellery Queen
Language: English
Pages: 199
ISBN: 0930330943
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
New York City is terrorized by a serial killer, and only Ellery Queen can stop the panic
In the dog days of August, it is no surprise to see New Yorkers perspire. But this summer, a killer called the Cat gives the city a new reason to sweat. He selects his victims seemingly at random and strangles them, then escapes without leaving a clue. As the death toll climbs, and the press whips the public into horrified frenzy, Gotham teeters on the edge of anarchy.
Ellery Queen, the brilliant amateur sleuth, has gone into retirement when the Cat begins to kill. As his father, a seasoned homicide detective, leads the investigation into the murder, Ellery tries to avoid getting involved. But as the body count rises, he can no longer resist the urge to hunt. The Queens are known for their curiosity—and everyone knows how curiosity can affect a cat.
been packed away forever without benefit of mothballs. Do I convey meaning? Have I made myself utterly clear?” He felt himself seized, and held, by the eyes. “Sit down, mein Herr. It is a strain on my back to be forced to look up at you in this way.” Ellery heard the fellow mutter an apology and the next thing he knew he was in the chair, staring at the corpses of innumerable cups of coffee. “I do not know this Van Horn that you mention, Mr. Queen, but it is apparent that his death has upset
an encouraging sound in his throat. “I’ll bet the seismograph at Fordham is going crazy,” said Jimmy. “Where do you sphinxes want it from?” “Anywhere?” “Well,” said Jimmy, admiring his glass in the light, “the story of Edward Cazalis is kind of lopsided. I couldn’t find out much about his family background and boyhood, just a few details. Seems he got away from home early—” “Born in Ohio, wasn’t he?” said the Inspector. He was measuring three fingers of Irish whiskey with care. “Ironton,
up on the Soames girl, granted. Spotted something Thursday, maybe. Or figured she was too tough. Or this might be a trick to put us off guard, if he suspects something. After all, we don’t know how much he knows. We don’t know anything!… If he doesn’t suspect, this mean he’s gone on to somebody else—” “Somebody who he found out is vacationing in Florida,” nodded Inspector Queen. Jimmy said, “New York papers please copy. Dateline Miami, Palm Beach, or Sarasota. Cat Hits Florida.” “It could be,”
out through his window, they had landed on an Arctic ice field; his very corpuscles were frozen. He nudged his companion, a U.S. Army officer. “Tell me, Colonel. Is our destination Fridtjof Nansen Land?” “This is France. Where you going?” “Vienna.” The colonel pushed out his lips and shook his head. Ellery doggedly began to work his glaciated toes. Just as the first motor exploded, the co-pilot tapped his shoulder. “Sorry, sir. Your space is required.” “What!” “Orders, sir. Three
enforced professional absences from Mrs. Cazalis—frequently at night. “The fear spreads like cancer. It gets out of control. Cazalis becomes violently suspicious of his wife’s relationships with other men, no matter how slight, no matter how innocent—especially of her relationships with younger men. “And soon this fear grows into an obsession. “Professor Seligmann.” Ellery eyed the old Viennese. “Was Edward Cazalis obsessively jealous of his wife during the first four years of their marriage?”