Mr. Fortune's Practice (1923)
My review:
The second Mr. Fortune collection, the stories in this collection include:
The Ascot Tragedy: Despite Barzun & Taylor's rave review, this is not one of the best Reggie Fortune stories. While exciting enough--the book opens at Ascot with the death of an illustrious diplomat, and concludes with the attack on Reggie Fortune by a Young Turk--the solution is not exactly fair.
The President of San Jacinto: Again, the solution is not quite fair, as the reader should have been given the medical details. That said, this story of an unpleasant squire murdered at his manor is thoroughly entertaining, with Reggie and Supt. Bell locked in the cellar by the murderer while making his escape.
The Young Doctor: A first-class story, in which Reggie Fortune interests himself in the case of a budding Harley Street physician falsely accused of theft, his career ruined, placed in prison. Despite the officials (Lomas), Reggie believes the doctor to be innocent, and brings the case to a successful conclusion.
The Magic Stone: An intriguing tale of archaeology and kidnapping, with plenty of good clues and an exciting raid on the house where the intended victim is to be murdered. One of Bailey's best.
The Snowball Burglary: Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of this offering. Despite some excellent dialogue, as direct and neatly turned as in a play, the solution is weak, the reader having little chance of solving it.
The Leading Lady: Another weak one, in which everybody rushes around like a fool for fifty pages. Not to be read by Bailey fans.
The Unknown Murderer: "My dear Fortune, you are not as plausible as usual. "It isn't plausible... I know that. It's too dam' wicked... Abnormal. Of course the essence of the thing is that it is abnormal." One of Bailey's masterpieces in the short story genre, this thoroughly original story of the truly fiendish villain who kills in order to feel their victims' pain (possibly the greatest murderer in detective fiction), is perfection throughout: Reggie (soon to be engaged to Joan Amber) in great form as he entertains the children at the orphanage Christmas party, diagnoses arsenical poisoning following another party, and successfully-not to say dramatically--ends the career in crime of one of Bailey's most memorable creations. The atmosphere of fear and malaise is, this being a speciality of Bailey's, is fine. While Mr. Fortune does not explain how he reached the conclusion that he did, all the clues are there: who was the intrusive "comforter"? Who had access to the surgical knife used to kill Dr. Hall? And Mr. Fortune's own attitude indicates guilt.