The Butler Did It, Again

Written by Tim Kelly, this is a much requested follow-up to the ever-popular The Butler Did It. Publisher and socialite, indomitable Miss Maple rents a plantation house, complete with menacing alligator, in the frightening swap land of Louisiana. She wants to introduce her latest literary discovery, Ruth Dice, who has written a first novel entitled Conversations with a Ghoul. Ruth has only contempt for the guests. Classic detective prototypes like tough Chandler Marlow, chic Manhattan couple Rick and Laura Carlyle, westerner Tony Tallchief. She dismisses Louie Fan (“Telephone like corpse. Both dead.”) and gentle Father White (“Tea and biscuits, anyone?”) as has-been hacks. Naturally, she’s the perfect candidate for murder. However, it’s the bizarre owner of the house of secrets, Jasper Van Dine, who’s discovered in the parlor with a scalpel once belonging to Jack the Ripper in his back! WHODUNNIT!? It’s up to the flakey detective writers to unravel the puzzle.