Customer Reviews

Fourth Postman

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For its January 28, 1946 issue, Time magazine selected writer Craig Rice for a cover feature on the mystery genre. Craig Rice writes in a light, breezy style. Her energy and humor are not too far from the tone set by Erle Stanley Gardner when writing as A.A. Fair. Rice's plots are not as well crafted as Gardner's, but she is a funnier writer.

The book's lead character, a short, Irish lawyer named John J. Malone, is a cleaver and persistent problem solver, even when lacking a client. Like Rice herself, her detective is always enjoying a drink (or several) while navigating through the difficulties presented by the case. Malone's sidekicks and drinking buddies are a husband and wife team of amateur detectives, Jake and Helene Justus.

Rice does not pay too much attention to her plot, which is rather modest and secondary to the alcohol-related antics of her story. In this book, there is an OK solution to a series of murders. But, you are unlikely to get sucked into the plot or care greatly about the mystery or its characters. This is more like a good Magnum PI TV episode than a suspenseful Hitchcock movie.

Rice successfully combines mystery and comedy. The book does not have a thrilling plot that creates a sense of immediate danger. However, I am confident that this book will delight readers who appreciate older entertainment in a quick, fun read.