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The Riddle of the Black Spade - Stuart Palmer

By Stuart Palmer

Release Date: 2026-02-28

Genre: Mysteries & Thrillers

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The Riddle of the Black Spade by Stuart Palmer is a brisk, witty, and cleverly engineered mystery featuring one of Golden Age crime fiction’s most unconventional sleuths — the irrepressible schoolteacher Hildegarde Withers. With her sharp tongue, sharper mind, and talent for stumbling into trouble, Miss Withers once again proves that common sense and keen observation can outmatch official procedure. What begins as an ordinary social occasion quickly turns sinister when a strange symbol — the black spade — becomes linked to a baffling death. The circumstances seem contradictory, the suspects all have secrets to hide, and every clue appears to point in a different direction. As the puzzle deepens, Inspector Piper struggles to impose order, while Miss Withers pursues her own unconventional line of inquiry, asking awkward questions and noticing details others overlook. Palmer blends suspense with humor, creating a light yet tightly plotted whodunit filled with sparkling dialogue, eccentric characters, and deft misdirection. Beneath the playful tone lies a carefully constructed fair-play mystery that challenges readers to match wits with the detective. Entertaining, ingenious, and full of charm, The Riddle of the Black Spade is a delightful example of classic American detective fiction — a smart puzzle mystery where intellect, intuition, and a touch of mischief lead to the truth.

The Riddle of the Black Spade - Stuart Palmer

By Stuart Palmer

Release Date: 2026-02-28

Genre: Mysteries & Thrillers

(0 ratings)
Read Download
The Riddle of the Black Spade by Stuart Palmer is a brisk, witty, and cleverly engineered mystery featuring one of Golden Age crime fiction’s most unconventional sleuths — the irrepressible schoolteacher Hildegarde Withers. With her sharp tongue, sharper mind, and talent for stumbling into trouble, Miss Withers once again proves that common sense and keen observation can outmatch official procedure. What begins as an ordinary social occasion quickly turns sinister when a strange symbol — the black spade — becomes linked to a baffling death. The circumstances seem contradictory, the suspects all have secrets to hide, and every clue appears to point in a different direction. As the puzzle deepens, Inspector Piper struggles to impose order, while Miss Withers pursues her own unconventional line of inquiry, asking awkward questions and noticing details others overlook. Palmer blends suspense with humor, creating a light yet tightly plotted whodunit filled with sparkling dialogue, eccentric characters, and deft misdirection. Beneath the playful tone lies a carefully constructed fair-play mystery that challenges readers to match wits with the detective. Entertaining, ingenious, and full of charm, The Riddle of the Black Spade is a delightful example of classic American detective fiction — a smart puzzle mystery where intellect, intuition, and a touch of mischief lead to the truth.

More by Stuart Palmer

Murder on Wheels

The Puzzle of the Silver Persian

Murder on the Blackboard

The Penguin Pool Murder

Four Lost Ladies

Cold Poison

The Puzzle of the Pepper Tree

The Puzzle of the Blue Banderilla

The Cases of Hildegarde Withers

Miss Withers Regrets

The Green Ace

The Puzzle of the Red Stallion

The Puzzle of the Happy Hooligan

Nipped in the Bud

Hildegarde Withers in The Riddle of the Blueblood Murders

Hildegarde Withers Makes the Scene

Omit Flowers

A Choice of Murders

The Riddles of Hildegarde Withers

Hildegarde Withers in The Riddle of the Blueblood Murders

Four Lost Ladies

Unhappy Hooligan

Murder on Wheels

Rook Takes Knight

Hildegarde Withers in The Riddle of the Blueblood Murders

Once Aboard the Lugger

Four Lost Ladies. Hildegarde Withers Mysteries. Illustrated

Murder on Wheels. Hildegarde Withers Mysteries. Illustrated

The Riddle of the Black Spade

The Detective Stories Library (26 Books). Illustrated

Un Oscar per Hildegarde (Il Giallo Mondadori)

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