THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES

Tales of great women detectives and great women criminals, in a collection with an unusual angle. Feminine sleuths and lawbreakers are rather rare in this field, so the variety offered is amazing. From old files and new, from magazines and books, from authors of established renown and a few newcomers, Ellery Queen has drawn his material. Eberhart, Rinehart, Frankao, Christic, Orczy, Wallace -- these are to be expected. Miss Marple, Susan Dare, Hildegards Withers, Solange -- these are among the familiars. He goes back to John Kendrick Bangs for a story of Mrs. Raffles; to Edgar Wallace for Four Square Jane; to Roy Vickers for Fidelity Dove. Twenty one tales in all -- a good collection, for a wide range of moods.