The Ear in the Wall

Some of the stories by Arthur B. Reeve seem more plausible today than to some skeptical readers back in the early twentieth century. The primary character, University Professor Craig Kennedy, used forensic methods before such criminalistics were commonplace. These include DNA analysis as well as studies of such topics as fingerprints, blood stain patterns, tool marks, and toxicology (poisons used alone or administered in non-lethal potions).

If this is your first exposure to the phenomenal Kennedy, you may want to check the Blackstone Publishing audiobook titles The Silent Bullet and The Dream Doctor. They include Kennedy’s usual co-worker, young newspaper reporter Walter Jameson. In famous Sherlock Holmes stories, he would often ask, “Well, Watson, what do you make of it?” In this and the other Reeve tales, that could easily be, “Well, Walter, what do you make of it?” These two were college chums and continued the relationship. Both have skills of observation and deductive reasoning without always seeing eye-to-eye. You’ll discover the Scientific Detective often gets all suspects together at story end and reveals the culprit’s identity in his final speech. They are all short stories that blend into one another.

If you’re a sports fan, check World Series Classics, historic re-enactments of 1945 Cubs-Tigers, 1946 Cardinals-Red Sox, and 1956 Yankees-Brooklyn Dodgers. Each is nine hours long with every play of every game. Great for baseball fans, especially as gifts for friends and relations.