The Mystery of the Cape Cod Tavern: An Asey Mayo Classic

If you're reading Ms. Taylor's 1930s-1940s mysteries in chronological order, then you'll recognize her formula by the time you reach this volume. The pattern is this: A rich middle-aged woman from Boston finds a reason to vacation on Cape Cod. (She also narrates the book.) Soon after her arrival, she discovers the body of someone who has been murdered. Local handyman and amateur detective Asey Mayo shows up; and with the woman's help, he eventually lands on the identity of the proper suspect. It's a nasty piece of business that ironically takes place in one of the most peaceful, most beautiful, and most visited regions on the East coast. In this episode, Elspeth "Kay" Adams (of the "coffee Adamses") is called to the Cape by her nephew Mark. Seems Mark is defying his father's wishes by courting Anne Bradford, and he'd like at least his aunt's approval. Both young people are staying at Prence's Tavern, a famous writer's retreat. And their celebrity hostess Eve Prence is paranoid, claiming that someone wants to kill her. She makes no bones about suspecting Anne, who as her sister is also her heir. Eve manages to have a few minor scrapes that support her theory, and no one gives them much consideration ... until she is later found stabbed to death. The crime occurs as Eve and a young blind writer named Norris Dean are alone in his room, listening to a favorite musical radio show. Norris is therefore a witness to the deed, but certainly not an eye-witness. Anne appears in the hallway after the discovery of the body, and she's holding a freshly-washed knife. Almost immediately, she's taken away and locked up by the local police. But Kay is convinced of the young woman's innocence. Where were all the other tavern guests and employees at the time of the murder? Who else in the neighborhood might have had a reason to seek revenge on Eve? How can Asey and Kay prove that someone else was to blame? In previous Asey Mayo encounters, he has had the benefit of full cooperation with the local authorities. But a nasty contingent has just entered office, and the new lawmen are best described as "a crowd of jowled hogs." Asey and Kay must find ways to circumvent the clamp those bullies have thrown around them in order to solve the crime. Of course, Asey has his own methods of investigation: "First off ... you take all the pos'bil'ties, n'en you take the most prob'ble pos'bil'ty, an' then you add what common ord'nary hoss sense God give you, an' then you stir well. Only flaw is that usually the spoon gets taken away from you 'fore you get a chance to stir, an' then you got to go start all over again." And that's what he and Kay encounter as they gather information, interview individuals, and come to some conclusions. I had my own suspicions, but I didn't make quite enough connections to identify the killer before Asey did. As usual, this book will provide entertaining reading for most mystery lovers, especially those with a fondness for