Having Wonderful Crime by Craig Rice

John J. Malone has joined Jake and Helene Justus on a trip to New York. They are having a night of drinking and pick up a fourth man. They found him blind drunk in the lobby of their hotel. When they wake up in the morning, they discover the man is on his honeymoon. Shortly after that they find out the man's wife has been murdered in their bedroom. Helene immediately decides the man must be innocent and tries to get Malone interested. He is not. He wants to go back to Chicago. Too bad he's not going to get his wish.

Jake is also wanting to solve the mystery but for his own sake. He's trying to sell a mystery novel but the publisher in New York, unaware of his entanglements with such things back in the Midwest, aren't impressed. His strange behavior is making Helene wonder exactly what is going on.

With the usual banter and pratfalls, this book is a delight. The vague homophobia and other stereotypes are not as egregious as some books of the time but nonetheless are jarring in the present day.

Four stars

This book came out in 1943

Follows Big Midget Murders

Followed by Lucky Stiff

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own