The Benson Murder Case

Originally published in 1926, Van Dine’s dated first Philo Vance novel finds the immensely rich and erudite know-it-all breakfasting with his personal lawyer and dogsbody, S.S. Van Dine, at his Manhattan apartment when District Attorney John F.X. Markham comes to call. Markham invites the duo to accompany him to a murder scene. Stockbroker Alvin Benson, “a member of New York’s wealthy bohemian social set,” has been found dead at his home. That the victim is not sporting his false teeth or beautifully crafted toupee excites Vance’s interest, and he decides to help Markham resolve the murder. As he tells the D.A., “The only real clues are psychological—not material. Just as a sculptor... can accurately supply any missing integral part of a statue, so can the psychologist who understands the human mind supply any missing factor in a given human action.” Students of literary anthropology will enjoy the archaic and rather arch language, as well as the exhilaratingly absurd lengths the author goes to in order to establish Vance as “a man of unusual culture and brilliance.” A bestseller in its day, this reissue will have limited appeal to contemporary readers. (Dec.)