Murder at Bayside

Murder at Bayside, first published in 1933, is a fast-paced Crime Fiction by Raymond Robins (1873-1954), a noted expert on weaponry (especially pistols) and ballistics, major themes in solving the book’s mystery. From the dust-jacket: “In a large country estate in Maryland several ugly rumors are afloat. One is to the effect that the place is a rendezvous for rum-runners, another deals with the unsavory reputation of the sons of the owner. The latter, who has a better reputation, suddenly meets his death from a bullet fired by a Colt .45. All the available weapons are checked, but none seems to have fired the fatal shot. While the investigation is going on at the hands of local police and the family lawyers, a series of inexplicable events occur, culminating with another death – and still the wielder of the deadly weapon goes unrecognized. The book’s action moves along smoothly and consistently to a close which will surprise even the most expert solvers of mystery problems and cases.”