Any number of people would be glad to put a slug into Leo Murray and what’s more, they were perfectly willing to admit it. Leo was a genius and he knew it; his shows were the envy of all the other producers for they not only made money but they seemed invariably to win Pulitzer Prizes as well. But Leo’s genius and success didn’t prevent him from being the lowest, meanest and most ruthless showman on Broadway. That was what made Bill Benedict’s job so tough when the murderer struck. How can you pick the guilty man when everyone who ever had anything to do with the corpse has a motive? Especially, when they are the hard sort of babies who keep the show business going? It meant a lot of hot spots for Benedict and it means a breathless mystery for the reader, taking him behind the scenes to show him the inside workings of the theatrical racket, blaring with the spotlight and wisecracks of the Great White Way.

Show Business was published in 1939 as a Red Badge Detective novel.

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