The Sunday Pigeon Murders: Craig Rice

Georgiana Ann Randolph Craig (1908-1957), was an American mystery writer. You can get this e-book for free here. I finished it today. My mother died in April, so we have been looking around her apartment; since she didn't read English, my siblings thought the book was mine. I really do not remember buying it; the place I grew up is almost downtown Mexico City, there are more used book bookstores than you can really visit. I did like to walk around home looking for bargains. Since Mexicans are Spanish speaking, you get only a few books in English in those joints.

I guess I bought it, but by now I completely forgot. In the States it came out in 1942, and the edition I have cost then $0.25, that is right, one quarter. I don't remember how much I paid for it, it must've been less than ten Mexican pesos, that is around $0.80.

Anyways you can get it for free in the link above. I do like my old ``real paper'' copy. It is kind of falling apart, but it lasted until I finished it today.

I was wondering who sold something like that in Mexico, I was thinking of this expatriate, maybe a beautiful woman, maybe an adventurous young man. I guess European bookstores may be even more mysterious, or Middle Eastern ones. There you could find books from Gutenberg's time.

Something else to wonder is, why did she named herself Craig Rice, at first I thought it was a man, but then reading the back cover I found otherwise. Just a few pages, 204, and 71, 567 words. I didn't count them; I guess since now it is digital, it is easy to count words.

I liked it; but then again I like many things; after more than ten years I finally read something I must've bought. My siblings would have not bought it. Yes it must have been me.

I won't spoiled it for you, if you have a few reading summer hours to spare, I do recommend it.

There are references to La Paz, Bolivia, and Simón Bolívar. whose complete name was: Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios. There is a character named Rinaldo Juan Pablo Simon Bolivar Tinaja, in the book.

I liked the end: the author does not tell you which boy the girl chooses. I go for Bingo.

``"Oh, sure," Handsome said.

Bingo picked infinitesimal specks of dust from his suit, while Handsome brushed his hair and retied his tie. Then they went down the stairs, side by side, and knocked at her door.

It was Baby who opened the door, her face freshly made up, her black hair tied up with a bright-red ribbon. From the look on her face, Bingo realized that she knew why they were there. She'd probably already made up her mind and chosen between them.

Only, he didn't know which one of them it was. In another minute now, she'd tell.
Then both of them went in and shut the door.

THE END''

One takeaway point for me, is that even if you want to jump ahead of everybody and get money in crooked ways, it is human decency that really gets you ahead. At least in the book.

You can find a link to a biography of Ms. Rice here.