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Eight Faces at Three (The John J. Malone Mysteries) Kindle Edition

by Craig Rice (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.1 out of 5 stars 144 ratings
“The grand dame of mystery mixed with screwball comedy” introduces her popular, sharp-witted Chicago lawyer/sleuth (Ed Gorman, Ellery Queen Award–winning author).
 
John J. Malone, defender of the guilty, is notorious for getting his culpable clients off. It’s the innocent ones who are problems. Like Holly Inglehart, accused of piercing the black heart of her well-heeled and tyrannical aunt Alexandria with a lovely Florentine paper cutter. No one who knew the old battle-ax liked her, but Holly’s prints were found on the murder weapon. Plus, she had a motive: She was about to be disinherited for marrying a common bandleader.
 
With each new lurid headline, Holly’s friends and supporters start to rally. There’s North Shore debutante Helene Brand; Holly’s groom’s press agent, Jake Justus; the madam of a local brothel, and Alexandria’s hand-wringing servants. But not one of them can explain the queerest bent to the crime: At the time of the murder, every clock in the Inglehart mansion stopped dead. And that’s only the first twist in a baffling case of “aunty-cide”—because Alexandria won’t be the last to die.
 
Making his debut in this fun and funny novel, Craig Rice’s one-of-a-kind Chicago attorney is “an inspired creation . . . an unapologetic champion of the defense bar . . . a defender of the guilty whose contempt for society outstrips his contempt for criminals” (Jon L. Breen, Edgar Award–winning author).
 
Eight Faces at Three is the 1st book in the John J. Malone Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.
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  1. Book 1 of 14
    The John J. Malone Mysteries
  2. Print length
    277 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    MysteriousPress.com/Open Road
  5. Publication date
    March 20, 2018
  6. File size
    5.1 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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 See full series
There are 14 books in this series.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Sharp blend of humor and fair-play"
― Publishers Weekly

"There never was anyone else like Craig Rice."
― New York Times

About the Author

Craig Rice (1908–1957), born Georgiana Ann Randolph Craig, was an American author of mystery novels and short stories described as “the Dorothy Parker of detective fiction.” In 1946, she became the first mystery writer to appear on the cover of Time magazine. Best known for her character John J. Malone, a rumpled Chicago lawyer, Rice’s writing style was both gritty and humorous. She also collaborated with mystery writer Stuart Palmer on screenplays and short stories, as well as with Ed McBain on the novel The April Robin Murders.
 

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B079GLQR2P
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ MysteriousPress.com/Open Road (March 20, 2018)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 20, 2018
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 5.1 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 277 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 out of 5 stars 144 ratings

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Craig Rice

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Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
144 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book's mystery compelling, with one review noting its humorous elements and nice twist at the end. Moreover, the characters are captivating, and the book maintains a fast pace throughout.

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8 customers mention "Mystery quality"8 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the mystery elements of the book, finding it compelling and funny, with one customer noting the nice twist at the end.

"I throughly enjoyed this book.I love that they have resurrected these old mysteries.Nice twist at the end.Great characters and very well written...." Read more

"...Interesting characters, better than average plot. Mystery with a dash of humor...." Read more

"...And the mystery at the heart of the story was actually much more interesting and captivating than I have read in similar type books from Rex Stout..." Read more

"This is a pure farce, delightful and fast-paced...." Read more

5 customers mention "Enjoyment"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book to be a great read, with one describing it as captivating.

"I throughly enjoyed this book.I love that they have resurrected these old mysteries.Nice twist at the end.Great characters and very well written...." Read more

"...at the heart of the story was actually much more interesting and captivating than I have read in similar type books from Rex Stout and Agatha..." Read more

"This is a pure farce, delightful and fast-paced...." Read more

"Fun and funny..." Read more

4 customers mention "Character development"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book.

"...Nice twist at the end.Great characters and very well written.I would recommend this book.Please enjoy." Read more

"...Interesting characters, better than average plot. Mystery with a dash of humor...." Read more

"...The characters were as captivating as they were soaked in alcohol...." Read more

"The characters are fun and funny, the mystery is compelling and (ha, ha) mystifying." Read more

3 customers mention "Pacing"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the pacing of the book.

"This is a pure farce, delightful and fast-paced...." Read more

"Reminiscent of the "Thin Man" series. Fast-paced, humor at every corner. Kept me guessing with well-executed twists till the last pop age." Read more

"A Fast And Sometimes Funny 1930’s Mystery..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • barry h. kidd
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great mystery
    Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I throughly enjoyed this book.I love that they have resurrected these old mysteries.Nice twist at the end.Great characters and very well written.I would recommend this book.Please enjoy.
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  • R. Jones
    4.0 out of 5 stars A Fast And Sometimes Funny 1930’s Mystery
    Reviewed in the United States on February 29, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    If you like mysteries that move at a breakneck pace and are filled with high society types who drink a lot, you’ll enjoy this book. It doesn’t take itself or its characters too seriously, and there are a few laugh-out-loud moments. The characters are straight out of a 1930’s screwball comedy, which is fine because you can easily picture them. This is the first of Craig Rice’s books that feature lawyer John J. Malone, and I look forward to reading more of them.
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  • Orionboc
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very good mystery by almost forgotten author
    Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Eight Faces At Three is probably a 4.5 star novel, but I'd rather round it up to 5 than down to 4. Interesting characters, better than average plot. Mystery with a dash of humor. I wish American Mystery Classics would reprint more Craig Rice novels. I'd buy 'em.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • roundheadslovene
    3.0 out of 5 stars Fun, alcoholic, '30's Chicago romp
    Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2021
    Rice has been getting a bit of attention as of late. This is my introduction to her, and her Chicago lawyer main character, John J. Malone. This is the first of a series, and while he solves the crime, more time is spent here on his later supporting characters, Jake and Helene.
    Chicago is a bit 2-dimensional, although I do like the cakes of ice along the lakeshore.
    When they go on a group bender, I wonder if the places named were recognizable in 1939.
    Lots of characters, so it did take me the first 40 pp or so to get who's who and what's what straight.
    After that it just sped along - short chapters and short sentences. A litte too much of characters wondering aloud if this might have happened, or that, how about this?
    LOADS of drinking. No, sex, but lots of flirting and implied scanty outfits. This would have made a fun Pre-Code movie! As is, it is compared to screwball comedies, and especially to "The Thin Man" series. Quick, witty - drunk.
    I do prefer mysteries where we the reader can maybe figure out Who Dun It - but here there is some information not revealed until the very end (everybody in the librry/bedroom for the, "This Is How It Was Done" scene).
    Read as a Kindle Unlimited ebook, some typos. BTW, listed as @250 pp - really it is 215, with the rest being taken up by chapters from the second volume in the series, and some info on the series reprinter, The Mysterious Press.
    I've got one other in the series as an ebook already, so I'll get to it some day.
    Nice Intro, and there is some question whether Rice was the ghostwrier for Gypsy Rose Lee - whose "The G-String Murders" I have an ebook copy of as well.
    Great story of Rice later in life (she died fairly young), when she was known to use ghostwriters herself. She called up her editor and asked, "I sent you my latest, have you read it yet?" His reply was, "I have - have you?"
    Fun romp.
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  • Kevin Jones
    4.0 out of 5 stars A Mad-cap Murder Mystery!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I was unfamiliar with the work of Craig Rice before this week and am glad that I fixed that. This book was an excellent murder mystery combined with a comedy of manners. The characters were as captivating as they were soaked in alcohol. And the mystery at the heart of the story was actually much more interesting and captivating than I have read in similar type books from Rex Stout and Agatha Christie. I am definitely going to make a point to read more Craig Rice!
    2 people found this helpful
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  • John F Parsons
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great farce
    Reviewed in the United States on February 29, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    This is a pure farce, delightful and fast-paced. There's probably too much emphasis put on "having a drink", but that just reflects the author's life. She was a lush herself and died way too soon, probably from cirrhosis of the liver.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Joann Kay
    4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting
    Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I didn't find the characters all that likeable but the mystery was very good. I liked her book The Man Who Slept All Day more.
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  • Little Nettie
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fun and funny
    Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    The characters are fun and funny, the mystery is compelling and (ha, ha) mystifying.
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