The Pleasant Assassin and Other Cases of Dr. Basil Willing

Dr. Basil Willing #14

by Helen McCloy, B.A. Pike

"Remarkable, Highly Imaginative, Fiercely Independent" With these words, B. A. Pike in Detective The Collector’s Guide described the extraordinary novels and short stories of Helen McCloy (1904-1993). Beginning with Dance of Death (1938), her first novel about psychiatrist-detective Dr. Basil Willing, McCloy experimented with daringly imaginative concepts within the framework of the formal, fairplay detective story. Her short stories, for example, include "The Singing Diamonds," which combines death, detection, and apparently genuine sightings of flying saucers (in the shape of diamonds), and in her classic "Through a Glass, Darkly," McCloy deals with the issue of the doppelganger or the unknown double that we all (supposedly) have. The Pleasant Assassin, the ninth volume in "Crippen & Landru Lost Classics," assembles in one volume all ten short stories about Basil Willing, including eight previously uncollected tales. The reader will soon discover why Helen McCloy was one of the finest authors of the Golden Age of Detective Stories. New introduction by B. A. Pike. Cover illustration by Gail Cross. Lost Classics cover design by Deborah Miller.

Genres: Mystery

Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Helen McCloy, born as Helen Worrell Clarkson McCloy (she also published as Helen Clarkson), was an American mystery writer, whose series character Dr. Basil Willing debuted in Dance of Death (1938). Willing believes that "every criminal leaves psychic fingerprints, and he can't wear gloves to hide them." He appeared in 13 of McCloy's novels and in several of her short stories. McCloy often used the theme of doppelganger, but in the end of the story she showed a psychological or realistic explanation for the seemingly supernatural events.

Reviews

[Riju Ganguly · Rating 5 out of 5]

These eleven tales, some almost novella-length and some short, are brilliant examples of 'classic' mysteries. Here detection was preceded by superlative world-building, vibrant characterisations, and a deceptive lucidity that created a claustrophobic atmosphere. Then came the action, followed by solution that resulted from observations, analysis, and knowledge of human psychology. They are grim, dark, remorseless, and yet written without judgement or prejudice.
These are unmissable gems for lovers of mystery.
Highly recommended.

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of short detective stories, where the clues are mostly the mistakes a person makes subconsciously, which a psychiatrist detective would note. Clever, but the endings sometimes felt rushed or anticlimactic.

[Jeff Hobbs · Rating 2 out of 5]

Through a glass, darkly --3
The singing diamonds --2
The case of the duplicate door (aka Into thin air)--2
Thy brother death (aka Shock tactics)--3
Murder stops the music (aka The silent informer)--3
The pleasant assassin --2
Murder ad lib (aka The quick and the dead)--2
A case of innocent eavesdropping --3
Murphy's law --2
That bug that's going around--2

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

These short stories feature McCloy's best-known detective, psychiatrist Basil Willing, often a consultant for the New York district attorney. Willing finds the hidden clues left by a criminal's subconscious mind, and often some arcane knowledge, to find the murderer.