There’s a curse on David Corbin. In 1634, his ancestor killed Mishe-mokwas, chief of the local Pequot Indians. On the centennial of that event, his ghostly visage will return to kill the head of the Corbins. It happened in 1734, in 1834, and now it’s 1934 and David is just a touch worried. A glowing spectral Indian has been seen stalking the mountain near the house. Fleming Stone, on somewhat of a vacation in the small Connecticut town, agrees to look into it. Regardless, towards the end of August, David Corbin is found dead with an arrow sticking out of his heart.
I had the culprit down before the murder. Of the fairly limited cast, who wasn’t present during the ghost sightings? That is, who was play acting the ghost? David was an avid stamp collector and had a very valuable hoard. Who else was interested in stamps? Yes, it’s the same person. The night of his death, David left the others on the veranda to go inside and listen to a stamp lecture on the radio. Who had to leave at that moment, too? That’s right, the same person.
Now, the motive was a little less clear. Had it been any of the other men, you might say they did it for love of Camilla, David’s long-suffering wife, but they all lacked the means or the opportunity or both. The fellow with those never had much interest in Camilla. The stamps, then. How would David’s death obtain them? They were willed to neighbor Hildegarde Tenney, an avid stamp collector herself. Unfortunately, she contracted rabies and died not long after David. Our suspicious fellow raises dogs. And who would you know stands to get the stamps at her death? One guess.
Inscriptions: A plate pasted to the inside front cover reads “Howe Library, Hanover, New Hampshire”. It’s rather decorative, with a view of the Connecticut River and a large house that presumably is or contains Howe Library.
Random Book Synopses, or Something 