The Dishonest Murderer

The Dishonest Murderer, first published in 1949 and book no. 13 in the Mr. and Mrs. North series, finds the couple attempting to solve the case of a murdered U.S. senator, a case which may involve members of the senator’s own family.

This Mr. & Mrs. North mystery has the couple involved in solving the case of a murdered senator, a case which may (or may not) involve members of his family. John Michalski provides subtle vocal characterizations for most characters; police and villains are given various New York accents. Conversations are well paced and convey the emotions of the moment, a plus since much of the action is detailed through dialogue. Thanks to a few references to the decade and Michalski’s brisk and often wry narration, this plays well today for fans of gentler, less graphic murder mysteries.