The Riddles of Hildegarde Withers: Stories by Stuart Palmer

The Riddle of the Lady from Dubuque

A girl is engaged to be married to a plastic surgeon. But another young woman was just killed in his office. The young woman had claimed she and the surgeon were in love.

The Riddle of the Yellow Canary

It is a songbird that leads HildegardeWIthers to finding the murderer of a young songstress. 

The Riddle of the Blue Fingerprint

A heavy mahogany wardrobe goes up for sale. But it's weight is added to by the dead body inside. A man that someone had hired Hildegarde to look for.

The Riddle of the Doctor's Double

Hildegarde and the Inspector are wandering around Manhattan when suddenly a window flies open and someone calls for the police. It's Miss Emmy Marvin, housekeeper to Mr. Wurtz who initially appears to be dead. His doctor, Peter French, is called immediately and Miss Withers rounds up the other occupants of the house, Wurtz's niece, Maida, and nephew, Franzel. While there, the doctor reveals that he believes someone is tring to poison Johan Wurtzand lets them know that he will be doing an autopsy if the man dies. The next day, Miss Marvin opens the door to a heavily mufflered doctor... who then comes in again fifteen minutes later. Johan Wurtz is found dead. But who could have murdered him?

The Riddle of the Twelve Amethysts

A former pupil reaches out to Hildegarde for help. He was married to a young woman who divorced him while he was in the Air Force and then married someone else. He had been writing about the exploits of Miss Withers and she is wondering if Miss Withers can do some investigating for her. It seems the new husband is receiving an amethyst on the first of each month and it's driving her to distraction because she doesn't know why.

The Riddle of the Black Museum

A man died in a locked museum full of exhibits, instruments used to kill other people. Two men are left and each accuses the other. Hildegarde Withers is up to her old tricks to figure out what really happened.

The Riddle of the Green Ice

Someone keeps breaking store windows and stealing jewels. The New York police department is being mocked left and right. Miss Hildegarde Withers is on the spot since she is looking for an apartment in the neighborhood.

The Riddle of the Snafu Murder

When there's a fight, a young woman gives her name as Hildegarde Withers. The FBI would like to know who that young woman is. Is it a former student? Miss Withers is on the case.

Four stars

This book was republished February 8, 2022

Borrowed as ebook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

The Penguin Pool Murder by Stuart Palmer

TW: Casual racism

I enjoyed some of the later Hildegarde Withers books and though I might as well start at the beginning. While she is sort of scattershot in figuring out who the killer is,  Ms. Withers does eventually win out in the end. And the final solve is also a little convoluted but it was an okay book to listen to while I drove to and from town.

Miss Withers is a teacher who has moved from Iowa to New York City. She has her class on a trip to the aquarium when a man is killed. With her hat pin, no less. For a spinster teacher, this is more than a little excitement. The police are quick to arrest the man's wife's lover. The wife remains free but is under heavy suspicion. Miss Withers is determined to find the murderer and the inspector on the case is surprisingly willing to let her.

Three stars

This book came out in 1931

Followed by Murder on Wheels

Listened to audibook I bought on Audible

Opinions are my own