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Queen's Ransom: The Roman Hat Mystery; Calamity Town; Cat of Many Tails
A satisfying collection of three compelling mysteries by Ellery Queen, the pen name used by the writing team of Frederic Dannay (1905-1982) and Manfred Lee (1905-1971). You will enjoy this trio from the Lost Classics Omnibus series.
- GenresMystery
728 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2005
About the author
Ellery Queen
1,778 books511 followersaka Barnaby Ross.
(Pseudonym of Frederic Dannay and Manfred Bennington Lee)
"Ellery Queen" was a pen name created and shared by two cousins, Frederic Dannay (1905-1982) and Manfred B. Lee (1905-1971), as well as the name of their most famous detective. Born in Brooklyn, they spent forty two years writing, editing, and anthologizing under the name, gaining a reputation as the foremost American authors of the Golden Age "fair play" mystery.
Although eventually famous on television and radio, Queen's first appearance came in 1928 when the cousins won a mystery-writing contest with the book that would eventually be published as The Roman Hat Mystery. Their character was an amateur detective who used his spare time to assist his police inspector father in solving baffling crimes. Besides writing the Queen novels, Dannay and Lee cofounded Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, one of the most influential crime publications of all time. Although Dannay outlived his cousin by nine years, he retired Queen upon Lee's death.
Several of the later "Ellery Queen" books were written by other authors, including Jack Vance, Avram Davidson, and Theodore Sturgeon.
(Pseudonym of Frederic Dannay and Manfred Bennington Lee)
"Ellery Queen" was a pen name created and shared by two cousins, Frederic Dannay (1905-1982) and Manfred B. Lee (1905-1971), as well as the name of their most famous detective. Born in Brooklyn, they spent forty two years writing, editing, and anthologizing under the name, gaining a reputation as the foremost American authors of the Golden Age "fair play" mystery.
Although eventually famous on television and radio, Queen's first appearance came in 1928 when the cousins won a mystery-writing contest with the book that would eventually be published as The Roman Hat Mystery. Their character was an amateur detective who used his spare time to assist his police inspector father in solving baffling crimes. Besides writing the Queen novels, Dannay and Lee cofounded Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, one of the most influential crime publications of all time. Although Dannay outlived his cousin by nine years, he retired Queen upon Lee's death.
Several of the later "Ellery Queen" books were written by other authors, including Jack Vance, Avram Davidson, and Theodore Sturgeon.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 19, 2024
I found a re-issue of Ellery Queen's "Cat of Many Tails" recently and decided I'd investigate. When I was a teen, I read a few of Queens short stories...This one was quite long and complex. Drove me a bit nuts.
February 26, 2026
Three excellent mysteries each one with a different hook and spin.
March 30, 2008
This was a quick murder mystery read. It is an Ellery Queen book about apparently random murders that cause NYC to almost lose its collective head. Page-turning and plot-twisting to the very end! [I only read "Cat of Many Tails"]
March 7, 2011
vintageellery Queen. slow
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews