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Lieutenant Luis Mendoza #34
Exploit of Death
F
- GenresMystery
221 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1983
17 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
Dell Shannon
154 books23 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 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 30, 2021
Luis and Alison Mendoza return from vacationing abroad and later their airplane seatmate is found dead in a cheap rooming-house but with a different name. A dying cancer patient is suffocated with a pillow -- in his hospital bed! Lieutenant Mendoza goes to France to search for clues. Additionally this book contains the usual heists, muggings, etc. but some with a twist -- a body found in the trunk of a car, a polite young man "helping" old ladies with their groceries only to rob them at home, and a big movie star from the 1920's who is now down on her luck gets mugged.
August 9, 2023
Another enjoyable book, but this one troubled me as it troubles Mendoza himself. It's fiction, of course, but I felt so outraged on Juliette's behalf.
On their way home from a five-week vacation in England and Scotland (with Mendoza risking high blood pressure from driving on the wrong side of the road) Luis and Alison meet a charming young French girl (American on her mother's side) who is on her very first airplane trip to meet her grandfather, who had been estranged ever since her mother had taken a trip to France, fallen in love, and married. Grandfather had ignored the news of a granddaughter, but when Juliette dutifully informed him of the deaths of her parents in a car accident, a friendly correspondence developed, ending with him sending her money for the plane trip. Alison is sincerely interested, but also exhausted, and drifts off to sleep in the middle of the conversation. Friendly farewells at the end of the trip, and they separate to take up their separate lives.
Several days later, in the midst of fielding the normal influx of heists, bank robberies, muggings, etc, Mendoza is called to the scene of a young woman's suicide. Everything so very expected, very ordinary, with a couple of letters sketching out the probably motivation for suicide. He glances at the body of this Ruth Hoffman...and recognizes Juliette Martin. Alison also identifies the body (I actually wish that Shannon had specified that Mendoza refrained from telling her who the body was, which would have been the sensible thing to do). He KNOWS that this is not suicide, he KNOWS that the building manager, his wife, and a neighbor across the hall have been primed with a story, but it is very difficult to prove it, especially when his own men keep asking, "Are you sure....?"
After inquiries to the Surete get nowhere, Mendoza makes the decision to travel to France, and meets with his French counterpart, the delightful Inspecteur Rambeau. The Inspecteur arranges for some of his men to clear away the tedious "spadework". In the meantime, Alison, convinced that she had heard something important that she cannot remember, asks Art Hackett to recommend a hypnotist, and does indeed learn some valuable information. They find Juliette's employer, learn her address (and find her apartment suspiciously clean and lacking in letters, address books, anything!) then follow Alison's information to Evreux, where they locate a family friend who tells them of Juliette's fiance. After a few moments of reflection, the Inspecteur recalls that the fiance, Paul, had been recently found murdered. Someone seems to have gone to an incredible amount of time, effort, and money to get rid of an inoffensive young girl, as well as the one person who would never have given up searching for her.
I found similarities between this case and that of Rebecca Dantry in WITH INTENT TO KILL. Both victims were modest, respectable young ladies who inexplicably fell among "el mundo malo". The evil ones. Mendoza took a personal interest in both cases. And in both cases, the motivation behind the deaths were based on completely unwarranted assumptions. And in both cases, I felt a sadness at the utter waste, and a deep satisfaction when Mendoza nails the evil ones.
Another note on the changes since Shannon began her series: Patrolman Dave Turner reflects on the fact that the police force no longer has enough manpower for two-man patrol cars
On the personal front, the Graces finally managed to enter the baby stakes for themselves--Virginia's doctor puts them on to the private adoption of a three-day-old boy, born to a young woman of a respectable family who got "into trouble". Of course, they rush out and begin buying baby supplies for little Adam John. It's also mentioned that Jase bought a Polaroid camera, which leads me to wonder if he wore out his original camera with all the pictures he took of Celia Ann!
Tom and Phil are preparing to move to their new house in Azuza, and Tom is already having second thoughts on the matter. An odd point that will come up in a later book--Tom observes that Phil's car is eight years old (later they will say it's on it's "last legs".) Oh, really? By my calculation, Phil's car is almost exactly as old as their relationship. I know that they had a fairly lengthy courtship, but they certainly haven't known each other for eight years!
There is the usual assortment of other cases--some exciting, some sordid, some frightful, some poignant, some oh-so-stupid--woven in to make this another satisfying read.
On their way home from a five-week vacation in England and Scotland (with Mendoza risking high blood pressure from driving on the wrong side of the road) Luis and Alison meet a charming young French girl (American on her mother's side) who is on her very first airplane trip to meet her grandfather, who had been estranged ever since her mother had taken a trip to France, fallen in love, and married. Grandfather had ignored the news of a granddaughter, but when Juliette dutifully informed him of the deaths of her parents in a car accident, a friendly correspondence developed, ending with him sending her money for the plane trip. Alison is sincerely interested, but also exhausted, and drifts off to sleep in the middle of the conversation. Friendly farewells at the end of the trip, and they separate to take up their separate lives.
Several days later, in the midst of fielding the normal influx of heists, bank robberies, muggings, etc, Mendoza is called to the scene of a young woman's suicide. Everything so very expected, very ordinary, with a couple of letters sketching out the probably motivation for suicide. He glances at the body of this Ruth Hoffman...and recognizes Juliette Martin. Alison also identifies the body (I actually wish that Shannon had specified that Mendoza refrained from telling her who the body was, which would have been the sensible thing to do). He KNOWS that this is not suicide, he KNOWS that the building manager, his wife, and a neighbor across the hall have been primed with a story, but it is very difficult to prove it, especially when his own men keep asking, "Are you sure....?"
After inquiries to the Surete get nowhere, Mendoza makes the decision to travel to France, and meets with his French counterpart, the delightful Inspecteur Rambeau. The Inspecteur arranges for some of his men to clear away the tedious "spadework". In the meantime, Alison, convinced that she had heard something important that she cannot remember, asks Art Hackett to recommend a hypnotist, and does indeed learn some valuable information. They find Juliette's employer, learn her address (and find her apartment suspiciously clean and lacking in letters, address books, anything!) then follow Alison's information to Evreux, where they locate a family friend who tells them of Juliette's fiance. After a few moments of reflection, the Inspecteur recalls that the fiance, Paul, had been recently found murdered. Someone seems to have gone to an incredible amount of time, effort, and money to get rid of an inoffensive young girl, as well as the one person who would never have given up searching for her.
I found similarities between this case and that of Rebecca Dantry in WITH INTENT TO KILL. Both victims were modest, respectable young ladies who inexplicably fell among "el mundo malo". The evil ones. Mendoza took a personal interest in both cases. And in both cases, the motivation behind the deaths were based on completely unwarranted assumptions. And in both cases, I felt a sadness at the utter waste, and a deep satisfaction when Mendoza nails the evil ones.
Another note on the changes since Shannon began her series: Patrolman Dave Turner reflects on the fact that the police force no longer has enough manpower for two-man patrol cars
On the personal front, the Graces finally managed to enter the baby stakes for themselves--Virginia's doctor puts them on to the private adoption of a three-day-old boy, born to a young woman of a respectable family who got "into trouble". Of course, they rush out and begin buying baby supplies for little Adam John. It's also mentioned that Jase bought a Polaroid camera, which leads me to wonder if he wore out his original camera with all the pictures he took of Celia Ann!
Tom and Phil are preparing to move to their new house in Azuza, and Tom is already having second thoughts on the matter. An odd point that will come up in a later book--Tom observes that Phil's car is eight years old (later they will say it's on it's "last legs".) Oh, really? By my calculation, Phil's car is almost exactly as old as their relationship. I know that they had a fairly lengthy courtship, but they certainly haven't known each other for eight years!
There is the usual assortment of other cases--some exciting, some sordid, some frightful, some poignant, some oh-so-stupid--woven in to make this another satisfying read.
December 2, 2018
Exploit of Death by Dell Shannon is the 34th book in the Luis Mendoza police procedural mystery series set in late-20th-century Los Angeles. Luis Mendoza is the head of the Robbery / Homicide division in Los Angeles Police Department. He and his colleagues struggle in the intense late summer heat to solve their cases: murders disguised as suicides, muggings, store hold-ups and robberies. Atypical of police procedurals, each detective is portrayed as a caring individual with a family (or hopes to start one) and strong loyalty to his fellow officers. Luis and several colleagues solve cases by careful attention to the evidence provided in interviews and by lab results, and also by following up on intuitive hunches based on years of experience with the neighborhoods they protect.
Luck plays its part as well. If Luis had not recently flown back from Europe seated near a young woman, and if he had not been called to the crime scene, her apparent suicide would have gone into the records as an unsolved case. But he knew the story told by the landlord could not be correct, and so he stubbornly persisted on her case, flying to France to dig out the truth.
Meanwhile fellow officers solve other murders, committed by young felons with no respect for human life, just greedy for quick cash.
This series started my decades-long enjoyment of reading police procedurals.
Luck plays its part as well. If Luis had not recently flown back from Europe seated near a young woman, and if he had not been called to the crime scene, her apparent suicide would have gone into the records as an unsolved case. But he knew the story told by the landlord could not be correct, and so he stubbornly persisted on her case, flying to France to dig out the truth.
Meanwhile fellow officers solve other murders, committed by young felons with no respect for human life, just greedy for quick cash.
This series started my decades-long enjoyment of reading police procedurals.
November 7, 2018
Another good one, with one really fascinating case among the the 'normal' robbery/homicides. Returning from vacation, the Mendozas sit with a young French girl on the plane - she says she is coming to LA to visit her grandfather. Several cases later, Mendoza happens to go out on a supposed suicide, and recognizes that girl - only everything says she is someone else! He is very suspicious, and keeps digging, even to the extent finally of flying to Paris to work with the French police. It is still stinking hot in LA, and the crime rate keeps rising.... I gobbled this one up so fast, I may have to read it again tomorrow to see what I missed!
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November 18, 2022Justice for poor Juliette!
May 18, 2009
I love Del Shannon's Luis Mendoza mysteries. I'm sure I read this one years ago, but it's been so long I'd forgotten most of it. I like how the detectives are always stretched to cover a multitude of cases in every book. It does make it a little confusing sometimes to remember exactly which victim of which crime is being spoken of, but it also makes it more realistic.
The main mystery here involves a misidentified corpse of a young girl. Mendoza and his wife had met her only a few days before and knew she was a French visitor to LA, so he is positive she is NOT Ruth Hoffman from Chicago but he must fit a number of pieces together to prove it.
I picked this one up at a used bookstore in the Raleigh NC airport at 6:00 a.m.! Buy one, get two free. What a deal.
The main mystery here involves a misidentified corpse of a young girl. Mendoza and his wife had met her only a few days before and knew she was a French visitor to LA, so he is positive she is NOT Ruth Hoffman from Chicago but he must fit a number of pieces together to prove it.
I picked this one up at a used bookstore in the Raleigh NC airport at 6:00 a.m.! Buy one, get two free. What a deal.
October 17, 2014
Lt. Luis Mendoza of the LAPD breaks a cardinal rule of police work and becomes emotional involved with the death of a young French woman that he and his wife met on a trip to France. Other murders also grab his attention.
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April 14, 2008Mystery
June 30, 2008
Luis Mendoza looks down at the corpse and knows that she is not who they say she is. And he's going to prove it.
An enjoyable police procedural starring the LAPD Homicide division.
An enjoyable police procedural starring the LAPD Homicide division.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews