I read "Arson Plus" (BLACK MASK, 1 October 1923) and and
"Slippery Fingers" (BLACK MASK, 15 October 1923) (both
originally under the Peter Collinson monicker). These are the
first two Op stories. "Arson Plus" is a sort of American
descendant of the Sherlock Holmes story "The Adventure of the
Norwood Builder."
One interesting thing about these stories is how closely the
Continental Detective Agency works with the police. The Op is
treated as their equal: he questions the suspects with them
and cues them on how to act, he gives orders, he goes out
with them chasing down clues. I knew the Pinkertons were a
big agency, but I hadn't thought of them as working so
intimately with the police. This is quite a different
arrangement than loner private eyes a few years later. Spade
and Hammer and the boys always battle the police and are
treated by them with contempt (except for the standard one
friend on the force who does favours, but complains).
Bill
-- William Denton : Toronto, Canada : http://www.miskatonic.org/ : Caveat lector.
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