Meat for Murder by Lange Lewis: A Review

Earl Falconer is a stage set designer in Hollywood. He  built for himself a large house in the Los Angeles area in the form of a castle with a moat. He lives here with two bodyguards, three dogs, a very religious housekeeper, and a small, retiring French mathematician, Andre Viaud, who is recovering from a nervous breakdown. Falconer is a vegetarian, does not drink alcohol or smoke, and he exercises frequently.  He and his two bodyguards sleep outside on cots.

Falconer hires Laurel Byrd, a recently graduated English major, and her friend Jeff Prince, also an English major, to assist him in writing a play. Woody Cornell, apparently a world traveler, is also hired to assist in the writing.  The writers are under a contract which says that they will live in Falconer's house until the play is completed, and that they will not be paid until Falconer is satisfied with the play.

There are also some women in Falconer's life. There is Denise Morissey, a blond, who seems to be fond of Falconer and expects him to marry her. Other well-to-do and aimless friends include Ruth de Lisle, and Rita Callendar. One evening when all the occupants of the house and these friends are together, Denise Morissey is apparently poisoned with arsenic in a tablet which was supposed to be phenobarbital. Luckily for her, a doctor in her apartment building saves her from death. The next day Falconer is also poisoned with arsenic and dies.

Enter the police. There is Detective Tuck  who is a large man who takes a realistic approach to the crime although he does apply a bit of psychology. He is assisted by Brigit Estees who is five foot eight and really enjoys her police work.

This book seemed to me to be ready for a typical 1930's movie treatment. The Hollywood location helped. The characters are eccentric, the setting speaks of money, and the women definitely seem the Hollywood type. Laurel Byrd is the ingenue and Denise Morissey the older attractive wealthy blonde. Peter Lorre definitely would be cast as Andre Viaud. The dialogue is witty in a movie sort of way.

Lange Lewis is the pseudonym Jane Lewis Brandt (1915 - 2003) who lived in Los Angeles, and who was married to writer Mal Bissell.  The Golden Age of Detection web site lists five mysteries written by her. This book was published in 1943, and is currently out of print.