The Roman Hat Mystery (Ellery Queen Detective, #1)

A fine silk custom-made top hat is missing. Its owner was a crooked lawyer who was poisoned in New York's Roman theater at the close of the second act of the smash Broadway hit, "Gunplay". At about 9:55 pm.

Inspector Richard Queen - a snuff-sneezing, multi-faced, small and thin "Old Man", and the Inspector's large son, writer Ellery Queen, a constant cigarette puffer, investigate. They start with maps of the theater and the victim's bedroom, plus a list of names appended with flavorful commentary. The finder of the body is "cranially a brachycephalic", and Dolly "a lady of reputation".

You'll enjoy the flavor of 1929 costume and culture, with evening attire de rigeur, and hip flasks full of bootleg liquor.

Welcome to the first Ellery Queen mystery!