Dead Babes in the Wood (Enrollment Cancelled; 1952) by D. B. Olsen (Dolores Hitchens)
Professor A. Pennyfeather, who has five previous mysteries under his belt, finds himself involved with serial killer on the Clarendon College campus. Someone has taken it upon themselves to permanently cancel the enrollment of students perceived to be immoral. The first young woman liked to play with young men's hearts--well, any man's heart. She's got a professor or two in her field of admirers as well. The second young woman was a petty thief; taking nice things because she'd grown up poor. When each stabbed body is found, there is an enrollment card attached stamped boldly with "Enrollment Cancelled." But is there more to the pattern than just immorality? Both women were carrying limited circulation books when they were attacked. Is there a connection? And why are the women missing their shoes? Professor Pennyfeather works with Captain Beems of the police to figure it all out. When a male student (who thinks he knows who the culprit is) is also attacked, the detectives have to adjust their ideas.
So...I'm in two minds about this one. On the one hand, I love me an academic mystery. And I love finding a new academic sleuth. I've read several of Olsen's Rachel Murdock series and enjoyed them, but this is the first of the Pennyfeather books that I've managed to get my hands on. Pennyfeather is a nice, cozy amateur detective who fits right in with my academic sleuth collection. I enjoyed Pennyfeather and his interactions with Captain Breems very much. But the mystery is a bit darker and dangerous than the Murdock series tends to run. Then there is the fact that the culprit just seems too obvious. There's a bit of an effort to throw suspicion in a couple of other directions but, honestly, once a certain scene happens with the culprit I couldn't see anyone else in the role of chief suspect. But even with that I found it difficult to buy the motive ascribed. I can think of a couple of ways that immorality could have been tied to what was given as the actual motive which would have made it more believable.
SPOILER AHEAD
Just one other small complaint: while we're given some reasoning on the whole limited circulation book thing and how it connects with the murders, we don't really get a clear explanation about the shoes. The shoes tell us why the third victim thought he knew who the culprit is--but Olsen never explains how the shoes fit in. We're never told whether the person the young man thought was the killer (spoiler that person isn't) came moseying along and saw shoes that he could add to his little fetish collection (and incidentally didn't report the murders he stumbled upon) OR if the actual killer had a reason to run off with the shoes. We wait for the other shoe to drop...and it never does.
END SPOILER
Overall, I enjoyed meeting a new academic sleuth and hope to find more of the Pennyfeather books. This was quick read (finished last week--just couldn't find the time to review before now) and a good first experience with the series. ★★★
First line: She came into the warmth of the library, out of the windy twilight, her eyes sharp and sparkling under the smooth black brows.
Last line: "Thank you," said Mr. Pennyfeather
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Deaths = 3 (two stabbed; one warfare)