Practice to Deceive

Ivor Maddox #6

by Elizabeth Linington

Sergeant Ivor Maddox of the Wilcox Street precinct has more crime on his hands than even he is accustomed to: murders, con-men, a dismembered corpse, runaway teenagers and a multiple rapist. To catch the rapist, whose victims are always attractive and respectable women, Maddox persuades his true love, policewoman Sue Carstairs, to bait the trap . . .

Genres: Mystery

Hardcover

First published June 1, 1971

About the author

Linington wrote under several monikers, including Anne Blaisdell, Lesley Egan, Egan O'Neill and Dell Shannon.

Barbara "Elizabeth" Linington (March 11, 1921–April 5, 1988) was a prolific 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 tome, 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.

She was born in Aurora, Kane County, Illinois; and died on April 5, 1988 in Arroyo Grande, San Luis Obispo County, California. During much of her career she was represented by literary agent Barthold Fles.

Besides crime, Linington also took interest in archaeology, the occult, gemstones, antique weapons and languages.