The Casino Murder Case — S.S. Van Dine

Bet on this Golden Age mystery from the author of The Dragon Murder Case. “One is tempted to say that this is the best of the Philo Vance stories.” -- The New York Times

The “tremendous popularity” of the Philo Vance series stems in part from author S. S. Van Dine's preference for ripping his plots from the headlines of the day (The New York Times). By the early '30s, when Casino came around, those headlines included some creepy chemical discoveries and scandalous doings at secret Manhattan gambling dens, where rich folks knocked back cocktails and played roulette, snickering at both the Depression and the Volsted Act. Philo, of course, is no stranger to cocktails or to snickering, and he knows more about creepy chemicals than the management at Dow. This comes in handy when the owners of a secret Manhattan gambling den are poisoned, perhaps by some new and creepy chemical. As deliciously, irritatingly erudite as ever, Philo is in his element here, solving what one reviewer called an “uncommonly subtle” crime.

Praise for the Philo Vance series

“With his highbrow manner and his parade of encyclopedic learning, Philo Vance is not only a detective; he is a god out of the machine.” -- The New York Times

“The Philo Vance novels were well-crafted puzzlers that captivated readers . . . the works of S.S. Van Dine serve to transport the reader back to a long-gone era of society and style of writing.” -- Mystery Scene

“Outrageous cleverness . . . among the finest fruits of the Golden Age.” -- Bloody Murder