I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. I found the subject matter really interesting. The book was well written and easy to understand. I highly recommend this book.

Deftly Drawn…
The first of the John J Malone series featuring the Chicago lawyer finds him with a mystery and a perplexing puzzle. With a deftly drawn and colourful cast of characters, a somewhat comedic but well crafted protagonist and a solid mystery at its’ heart, this is an enjoyable and entertaining outing. A worthy Golden Age romp.

This has a lot to like, and I get why the series was so popular. Not as "witty" as promised, but still a fair amount of snappy and dry humor and throwaway lines. Decent mystery that doesn't break any new ground, but serves well as a frame for the action. Sort of Chandler/Hammett lite, and there's nothing at all wrong with that.

Eight Faces at Three is a reformat and re-release of the first book featuring John J. Malone written by Craig Rice. Originally published in 1939, this edition was released 3rd August 2021 as part of the American Mystery Classics series. It's 288 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats in this edition. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a relentlessly lighthearted banter filled alcohol and cigarette-soaked mystery and the first book to feature Rice's lawyer sleuth John Malone. It's definitely a product of its time period and hearkens back to the days of witty repartee drawing room comedies of the stage. I honestly found much of the dialogue forced and found myself (after a while) reading the lines as if they were read by actors in a play which lent a frenetic quality to the banter, but did nothing for the narrative as a whole.

The mysteries, resolution, and denouement are pretty well constructed and satisfying. It's the dialogue and relentlessly, almost frenetically, witty writing which are somewhat wearying.

I would recommend the series as a whole to fans of period mysteries and republishing in new matching formats certainly saves readers (like me) from having to hope that they serendipitously find an old dogeared paperback copy circa 1940 which escaped being recycled in the WW2 paper drives, but this book in particular won't be for all readers.

Three and a half stars. It's good to see these lesser known gems from the American mystery golden age being dusted off and reprinted for new generations of readers.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Holly Inglehart has woken up at 3.00am. But why? And as she is concerned she checks on the other occupants of the house. Only to find all the clocks have stopped at 3.00 am and the only other person in the house is her dead aunt, stabbed three times. Because she has a motive Fleck, Maple Park's Chief of Police arrests her. Who can come to her aid. It is friends Helen Brand, and Jake Dayton, with the help of lawyer John J. Malone that help her. But does the amount of alcohol they drink help or hinder them.
An entertaining historical mystery, a good start to the series.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Originally published in 1939

Wow! I just loved this book, part of a series republishing classic American crime novels. This book, Rice's first novel, introduces her sleuth, John J Malone, in a wonderful mash-up of screwball comedy and mystery. The crime is puzzling, the characters quirky, and the Chicago setting wonderful. I loved It & want to find more of these mysteries.

A fun introduction to the John J Malone series…

I had read a few of the John J Malone books by Craig Rice, a long time ago, in tattered paperbacks from the used bookstore, and liked them. So I was pleased to have a chance to review a new e-book version of the first in the series, Eight Faces at Three. Oddly enough, in spite of the fact that it’s the first in the series, I hadn’t read this title before – I guess none of the used bookstores I used to haunt ever had a copy! And I found I really enjoyed seeing the series characters in the “early days” - especially watching as Jake Justus meets Helene, and also seeing the early Malone.

As Eight Faces opens, Holly Inglehart awakens from a troubled sleep to find everyone gone from her Aunt Alex’s house, except herself and Aunt Alex – but Aunt Alex is dead. Oh, and all of the clocks in the house are stopped at 3 o’clock. Unfortunately, Holly herself has the best motive to kill her aunt, but her fiancé, bandleader Dick Dayton, and his agent, Jake Justus, don’t think she did it. Luckily for Holly, Justus is friends with John J Malone, and brings him in on Holly’s side. What follows is a wild ride through arrests, escapes, hide-outs, clues, red herrings, assaulted DAs, and mysterious little men, before Malone finally figures out what happened. But figure it out he does. And, of course, as mentioned above, this is the book where Helene Brand, who is probably my favorite character in this series, makes her entrance.

Rice’s books have always felt to me like British Golden Age mysteries, amped up with some American jazz-age flavor, a big dose of humor, and a lot of alcohol. (Which latter I now understand better, having read the excellent introduction to Eight Faces written by Lisa Lutz.) Like all of Rice’s books (the ones I’ve read, at least), you have to suspend disbelief a little bit to enjoy the ride and the humor, but I’ve always thought that was worth the trade, and the same is true for Eight Faces as well. If you try to take it too seriously, you’ll sort of miss the point, but if you’re looking for a quick, fun, light-hearted mystery, Eight Faces at Three will fill the bill. And finally, my thanks to American Mystery Classics/Penzler Publishers and NetGalley for the advance review copy.

I start with the appreciative acknowledgment: on August 3, Otto Penzler returns to print another mystery from detective fiction’s Golden Age. Craig Rice’s first book, 1939’s Eight Faces at Three, will be available as part of Penzler’s American Mystery Classics series. The very busy story presents the murder of an elderly aunt just before she has a chance to change her will. Newlywed Holly Inglehart finds herself in the clifftop house in the middle of the night with all of the clocks stopped at 3:00 am, the men of the family out on a wild goose chase, and a knife in the chest of Aunt Alexandria, her body parked in front of an open window. Holly had just married band leader Dick Dayton, but their honeymoon is postponed when the bride is arrested for murder.

This is my first Craig Rice read, courtesy of an advance reading copy through NetGalley. It is not uncommon for an otherwise entertaining mystery to disappoint with a weak puzzle; it is less common, as I found it here, for a strong (if unbelievable) puzzle plot to be undermined by a prose style and characterization that alienated instead of entertained. My reaction is due in large part to an artificiality – in the banter, in the emotions, in the constant consumption of alcohol as a charming social quirk – that I couldn’t surmount. It is as if Rice, a pseudonym for the hard-drinking journalist Georgiana Ann Randolph Craig, tried to reproduce the chemistry of The Thin Man’s boozy socialites Nick and Nora Charles but only succeeded in building a hollow Hollywood imitation. (Craig was also a screenwriter.) I had little interest in or affection for Helene Brandt and Jake Justus, with the former cracking wise and the latter talking tough but carrying a torch for his Belle Helene. It is possible that other readers may find them charming, or at least less irritating. It is also possible that the couple may become more well-rounded and less relentlessly Hollywood screwball as the series progresses.

A few details or caveats, as the case may be: Helene and Jake drink a lot, rye mostly, but they’re not too picky. Helene calls for a new bottle after she finishes her current one while driving on icy Chicago streets. They arrive at Dick’s nightclub mid-bender with Helene in a fur coat and blue silk pyjamas. And upon waking, to clear their heads, one’s hand reaches for the rest of the rye, naturally. My criticism may sound prudish – lots of male PIs hug their whisky bottles – but Rice turns inebriation into an idée fixe. I want to believe it’s a misguided attempt at parody, yet the author struggled with alcoholism, which factored in her death at 49. Her characters’ obsession with booze may have been more amusing 90 years ago; observed today, it’s hard not to feel at least a little censorious.

This is also the book that introduces the author’s crafty lawyer, John J. Malone, a figure who fares better in part because Rice doesn’t enforce endless witty dialogue upon him. The plot and its attendant clues are engaging, and the lovers’ plight and Jake and Helene’s attempts to help them give the story some forward momentum. In spirit, Eight Faces at Three could easily be envisioned as a B-picture, banter and clifftop climax and all. And there are worse ways to spend a Saturday matinee.

Eight Faces at Three is a republished classic American mystery caper from 1939. The murder mystery is convoluted, but the sleuths are great fun, zooming around drinking huge amounts of alcohol and getting into scrapes, but ultimately solving the crime and ensuring the guilty get their just desserts.

This is the first novel in Craig Rice’s John J Malone series and I’ll definitely be looking out for subsequent titles becoming available.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for honest feedback.

Craig Rice has been dubbed the"Queen of the Comic Caper Mystery" or, more subtly, the "Queen of the Surreal Comedy Mystery", and this,her first novel, originally published in 1939, certainly would fit her for both titles.

The mystery can be stated simply. "Who murdered Miss Alex Inglehart". The police arrest her niece, Holly, but Holly's husband Dick, and her friends Jake Justus and Helene Brand, as well as lawyer, John J Malone, are not convinced.

There are lots of odd details and peculiar happenings to be unravelled and explained before Malone works it all out in front of the classic gathering of all those involved.

Industrial quantities of alcohol are consumed on the way, which helps to explain why crucial questions are not asked and answered timeously. There was rather too much of this for my liking:-
"He (Jake) thought of a question he had meant to ask Malone. If he had asked it, the Inglehart murder might have been settled a day sooner, and at least one life might have been saved.".

This slightly lazy plotting extends to a finale which results in one of my least favourite outcomes for the murderer. It must also be said that, if the reader ignores all the obfuscating oddities, it is relatively easy to narrow the field to two, and even one, well before Malone does a crucial piece of research.

I did greatly enjoy the capers and ploys, and the writing whirled me along to the finish in a flurry of smart chat and cutting observations. I will certainly seek out more.

This edition also features an Introduction by mystery writer, Lisa Lutz.

Thank you to NetGalley, WW Norton, and Penzler Publications for the digital review copy.

I love the mystery genre in books yet had never heard of this author, so thank you NetGalley for letting me read this lovely book. The first in a series which has made me check the others out following on from this. Very classic Murder mystery set in the golden age. Very enjoyable and has made me read more

I really enjoyed this book. I always try to pick up any classic books, as they are usually picked for a reason. They are classics. This book had great characters, and great pacing. Wanted to just keep reading until I was done. Will need to find other books by Craig Rice. #EightFacesatThree #NetGalley

Written decades ago by Craig Rice (pseudonym), this witty book is chock full of secrets and mystery. Though I have read hundreds of mysteries written in this era this is my first book by this author. It was originally published in 1939. Not only are there many twists but also snippets of romance.

Following the discovery of a very dead body, some are convinced that Holly is the murderer. Her twin brother Glen, along with an unlikely legal team including Hyme Mendel, Andy Ahearn and Joe Malone are baffled. As the characters investigate...and drink copious amounts of alcohol...they wade through haze, lies and truths to find answers. And to add to perplexity is the matter of the meaning of "three". What is someone trying to impart?! Why?

My favourite parts of this book are the excellent writing and wit, sometimes causing me chuckle to myself. The significance of "three" is interesting, as is the title. However, the excessive drinking is a bit much and detracted somewhat.

My sincere thank you to Penzler Publishers and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this book...how wondrous it is to discover new-to-me authors! Kudos to you for re-publishing this Golden Age book.

Fabulous page-turner! Shocked by how much I truly enjoyed the characters, the arch, the entire story. Well thought out and written this one is a book club hit.

This was quite an amusing book, but don't try to keep up with the drinking! The plot was good and pacy and the characters crdible.

I didn't like this as much as I thought I would, but thought it was OK. I didn't really like the characters, but found the mystery to be good, and liked the story overall. For those seeking a light mystery, this might be a fit.

Thanks very much for the ARC for review!!

A great, page turning read. Craig Rice is becoming one of my new favourites. The emphasis is more on characterisation and period detail - and the character of Helene Brand is brilliantly drawn, as a hard drinking, bold and troubled woman who manages to get a lot of things done in very unexpected ways, mostly wearing blue satin house pyjamas, a fur coat and galoshes while she's doing it. Really enjoyed this.

Loved it, loved it - a very enjoyable mystery from an author that I hadn't read before. A wonderful book written in the golden age of American mysteries, by a women with a fabulous sense of style, humour and red herrings. This book takes us on a merry road of mystery, with charismatic characters, intriguing murder and icy roads to a surprise ending. Starting off with a woman found dead in her bed with all the clocks stopped at 3.00 ending in............. sorry you will need to read it. You'll enjoy it.
Oh there is a fabulous introduction and bio by Liz Lutz.

I would like to thank Netgalley and W. W. Norton & Company for a review copy of Eight Faces at Three, the first novel to feature Chicago lawyer John J. Malone, originally published in 1939.

When Holly Inglehart is found next to the body of her murdered aunt and her fingerprints are the only ones on the knife that killed her she is promptly arrested for murder. Her neighbour and friend, Helene Brand, and her husband’s manager, Jake Justus, believe her pleas of innocence and engage John J. Malone to represent her. Together they investigate other potential suspects and other puzzles, like why all the clocks in the house stopped at three.

I enjoyed Eight Faces at Three which has a good mystery, several puzzles and a satisfactory resolution where all is explained. Obviously it is a novel of its time as many of the situations wouldn’t fly in modern times with its technology and forensics, but it’s a pleasant change to step back into an era where brain power solves cases and science is a bit of a dirty word.

The novel certainly gives the reader plenty to think about, notably who, when and why, and there are plenty of anomalies, like the clocks, to puzzle over. Some are easier to guess than others, but basically I didn’t have a clue until the most salient facts are revealed in the denouement. I would call it cheating but there are hints throughout the novel and I disregarded them, due to the distraction of Helene and Jake’s antics.

Omg, can those two drink. Initially their partying and repartee is amusing but it gets wearing as the novel progresses. Apparently Jake does his best thinking when drunk, as if. The series is named after the lawyer John J. Malone and while he pulls it all together at the end he doesn’t take star billing as the novel is told from Jake Justus’s point of view.

I found Eight Faces at Three an interesting read that held my attention with the puzzles it poses.

I had fun reading this book, I guess. I am still unsure because it felt like I was reading every other book that was similar to it. The author really tried to imitate a lot from say Dorothy Sayers or Agatha Christie. Lots of drinking which is fine but I didn't enjoy reading it in such great detail. The mystery was not the point - but it was more about the time and the clothes and the alcohol! Unsure if I would read from this author again.