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Lieutenant Luis Mendoza #25
Crime File
Book by Dell Shannon
- GenresMystery
218 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1974
17 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
About the author
Dell Shannon
157 books24 followersPseudonym of Elizabeth Linington.
Barbara "Elizabeth" Linington (March 11, 1921 – April 5, 1988) was an American novelist. She was awarded runner-up scrolls for best first mystery novel from the Mystery Writers of America for her 1960 novel, Case Pending, which introduced her most popular series character, LAPD Homicide Lieutenant Luis Mendoza. Her 1961 book, Nightmare, and her 1962 novel, Knave of Hearts, another entry in the Mendoza series, were both nominated for Edgars in the Best Novel category. Regarded as the "Queen of the Procedurals," she was one of the first women to write police procedurals — a male-dominated genre of police-story writing.
Besides crime, Linington also took interest in archaeology, the occult, gemstones, antique weapons and languages. Linington was also a conservative political activist who was an active member of the John Birch Society
Barbara "Elizabeth" Linington (March 11, 1921 – April 5, 1988) was an American novelist. She was awarded runner-up scrolls for best first mystery novel from the Mystery Writers of America for her 1960 novel, Case Pending, which introduced her most popular series character, LAPD Homicide Lieutenant Luis Mendoza. Her 1961 book, Nightmare, and her 1962 novel, Knave of Hearts, another entry in the Mendoza series, were both nominated for Edgars in the Best Novel category. Regarded as the "Queen of the Procedurals," she was one of the first women to write police procedurals — a male-dominated genre of police-story writing.
Besides crime, Linington also took interest in archaeology, the occult, gemstones, antique weapons and languages. Linington was also a conservative political activist who was an active member of the John Birch Society
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 15, 2023
As usual, the book is packed with different cases, but Shannon is placing an emphasis on crimes committed by teens and young adults.
There are, in the books, repeated references to marijuana: "Ah, it'll be legal any day now...." Fifty years later, it is, more or less. I'm curious about references Shannon makes to certain studies that were apparently made--concerning chromosomal damage that had previously been ascribed to LSD, and now was found to be from marijuana. Was she referring to actual studies? If so, what happened with them? Were they found to be in error, or was the damage caused by massive doses, like feeding rats with huge amounts of saccharine, and then saying that it caused cancer? I'm wondering why they would ever have made it legal, if it was dangerous.
Landers and Conway are now on the day shift, with Glasser and Shogart moving to the night shift with Galeano and Schenke. Conway is a little irked that he has, so far, had little chance to work with Mendoza.
Among the major cases they deal with: Mrs. Moffat, an "acommodating" woman in her fifties found beaten to death in her apartment. There's an amusing sideline here in that all the the neighboring women have little to say about the victim, although they imply that she got what she deserved. It's from one of the husbands that the Homicide men learn what sort of a character she was. When asked why she had not been asked to leave the premises, the husband pointed out that, without her, they would have nothing juicy to gossip about!
A pair of heisters has discovered a good M.O: hit the quality restaurants right at closing time, after the patrons and most of the staff have left, but before the management head for the night-drop at the bank with the day's receipts. No one had considered just how much money a good restaurant can make in a day.
There's an elderly lady, Harriet Branch, a permanent resident at a formerly good hotel that's going slowly to seed, found beaten to death in her room, with a set of love beads and an ankh pendant found under the body. This is a considerable puzzler, because the lady had a bolt on her door and was very cautious about strangers. All the staff of the hotel have good reputations. Also, the hotel is locked at night, and one would need a key to get out. So how did the killer get in and out?
There's a rather horrifying case involving the death of a "hippie" couple. It's not so much the man and woman, but their baby. Everyone is appalled to find that the baby had been given doses of marijuana in its bottles of milk. We never do learn just how much damage was caused.
There's an old gentleman found dead shortly after he had sold his house and given the proceeds to the home that was to care for him the rest of his life. It takes a while to find the solution, which is one of those head-bangingly stupid motives.
Another ugly one involves a young girl who, with her less attractive friend, had tried the latest trend: calling a phone number written in a school textbook to make a date. The less attractive girl had been left on the sidewalk, while her pretty friend, taken off in a bright yellow car, was found some time later, raped and dead.
The men are facing the tedious job of finding and searching all the relevant textbooks, some of which may not become available. They are given a shortcut by an intrepid young man with a photographic memory.
The most heartbreaking of the cases is also one of the most mysterious--a four-year-old vanishes inside an apartment house. Outside witnesses will swear that she never left the building--but an intensive search finds nothing. When she is found, as everyone feared, her body looks oddly...flat.
In this case, it's Hackett who unexpectedly gets hit with the hunch.
On the personal side: Glasser, who had lost his car in the recent earthquake, now has his hastily purchased used car lie down and die on the freeway, and faces either expensive repairs or expensive payments on a new car. He's been showing interest in Wanda, and takes her to a horse show. Wanda is crazy about Morgan horses, "the only American breed". Someone needs to tell Wanda about Appaloosas, also an American breed. Palliser is getting antsy; enough time has passed since he rescued Madge Borman's show dog, Azrael, that the puppies he was due to sire should be about ready for their new homes, and Palliser is pretty sure that Madge Borman will not forget her promise.... After 3 frantic months, Piggot and Prudence have managed to raise about 73 baby tetras (Shannon seems to have forgotten that they were down to 70 tetras after the first two weeks.) Their whole apartment is loaded with screened dishpans filled with cannibalistic babies, and poor Prudence has been spending most of her time catching and shifting the babies around so that they won't eat each other. Tom Landers, who is getting a little tired of double-dating with Rich Conway--he wants Phil to himself--proposes for about the third time. The ambiance is rather appropriate for a couple of cops--the restaurant heisters hit yet again as they are sitting in the parking lot!
A patrolman, Bill Moss, gets run down by a couple teenage heisters. He survives, and will become a semi-permanent background character in later books. While in the hospital, he comments disparagingly about the nurses' refusal to let him smoke, referring to a recent study that says there is no correlation between smoking and lung cancer. Who wants to bet that that study was funded by the tobacco companies?
For a change, Tom Landers is sent off an a trip rather than Palliser, fetching back a suspect. Maybe Palliser had made a complaint.
Another fun, fast-paced book.
There are, in the books, repeated references to marijuana: "Ah, it'll be legal any day now...." Fifty years later, it is, more or less. I'm curious about references Shannon makes to certain studies that were apparently made--concerning chromosomal damage that had previously been ascribed to LSD, and now was found to be from marijuana. Was she referring to actual studies? If so, what happened with them? Were they found to be in error, or was the damage caused by massive doses, like feeding rats with huge amounts of saccharine, and then saying that it caused cancer? I'm wondering why they would ever have made it legal, if it was dangerous.
Landers and Conway are now on the day shift, with Glasser and Shogart moving to the night shift with Galeano and Schenke. Conway is a little irked that he has, so far, had little chance to work with Mendoza.
Among the major cases they deal with: Mrs. Moffat, an "acommodating" woman in her fifties found beaten to death in her apartment. There's an amusing sideline here in that all the the neighboring women have little to say about the victim, although they imply that she got what she deserved. It's from one of the husbands that the Homicide men learn what sort of a character she was. When asked why she had not been asked to leave the premises, the husband pointed out that, without her, they would have nothing juicy to gossip about!
A pair of heisters has discovered a good M.O: hit the quality restaurants right at closing time, after the patrons and most of the staff have left, but before the management head for the night-drop at the bank with the day's receipts. No one had considered just how much money a good restaurant can make in a day.
There's an elderly lady, Harriet Branch, a permanent resident at a formerly good hotel that's going slowly to seed, found beaten to death in her room, with a set of love beads and an ankh pendant found under the body. This is a considerable puzzler, because the lady had a bolt on her door and was very cautious about strangers. All the staff of the hotel have good reputations. Also, the hotel is locked at night, and one would need a key to get out. So how did the killer get in and out?
There's a rather horrifying case involving the death of a "hippie" couple. It's not so much the man and woman, but their baby. Everyone is appalled to find that the baby had been given doses of marijuana in its bottles of milk. We never do learn just how much damage was caused.
There's an old gentleman found dead shortly after he had sold his house and given the proceeds to the home that was to care for him the rest of his life. It takes a while to find the solution, which is one of those head-bangingly stupid motives.
Another ugly one involves a young girl who, with her less attractive friend, had tried the latest trend: calling a phone number written in a school textbook to make a date. The less attractive girl had been left on the sidewalk, while her pretty friend, taken off in a bright yellow car, was found some time later, raped and dead.
The men are facing the tedious job of finding and searching all the relevant textbooks, some of which may not become available. They are given a shortcut by an intrepid young man with a photographic memory.
The most heartbreaking of the cases is also one of the most mysterious--a four-year-old vanishes inside an apartment house. Outside witnesses will swear that she never left the building--but an intensive search finds nothing. When she is found, as everyone feared, her body looks oddly...flat.
In this case, it's Hackett who unexpectedly gets hit with the hunch.
On the personal side: Glasser, who had lost his car in the recent earthquake, now has his hastily purchased used car lie down and die on the freeway, and faces either expensive repairs or expensive payments on a new car. He's been showing interest in Wanda, and takes her to a horse show. Wanda is crazy about Morgan horses, "the only American breed". Someone needs to tell Wanda about Appaloosas, also an American breed. Palliser is getting antsy; enough time has passed since he rescued Madge Borman's show dog, Azrael, that the puppies he was due to sire should be about ready for their new homes, and Palliser is pretty sure that Madge Borman will not forget her promise.... After 3 frantic months, Piggot and Prudence have managed to raise about 73 baby tetras (Shannon seems to have forgotten that they were down to 70 tetras after the first two weeks.) Their whole apartment is loaded with screened dishpans filled with cannibalistic babies, and poor Prudence has been spending most of her time catching and shifting the babies around so that they won't eat each other. Tom Landers, who is getting a little tired of double-dating with Rich Conway--he wants Phil to himself--proposes for about the third time. The ambiance is rather appropriate for a couple of cops--the restaurant heisters hit yet again as they are sitting in the parking lot!
A patrolman, Bill Moss, gets run down by a couple teenage heisters. He survives, and will become a semi-permanent background character in later books. While in the hospital, he comments disparagingly about the nurses' refusal to let him smoke, referring to a recent study that says there is no correlation between smoking and lung cancer. Who wants to bet that that study was funded by the tobacco companies?
For a change, Tom Landers is sent off an a trip rather than Palliser, fetching back a suspect. Maybe Palliser had made a complaint.
Another fun, fast-paced book.
March 15, 2026
When my brother moved in with us he had all of these books by Dell Shannon , fictional stories about the homicide division of the LA police force based on actual happenings. They are fascinating to read.
June 17, 2008
An enjoyable read with good characterizations.
Merged review:
An enjoyable read.
Merged review:
An enjoyable read.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews