Blind Man's Night

Maryland fried chicken and cream gravy, asparagus on toast, telephone peas, hearts of lettuce with French dressing, cream cheese balls, and meringue with whipped cream, all freshly prepared by Mrs. Lee, the new manager of the Montenera Inn - an old tavern with native stone and grumbly walls and an evil reputation.  Needless to say, the indomitable Mrs. Lee is not interested in nonsense of that sort.

Recently widowed, Mrs. Lee and her spunky daughter, Ann, and young son, Buck, are country folk through and through and know all there is to know about hard work and keeping house ― and with spit and polish and unbounding determination, they soon find the inn filling up with an assortment of guests including a tall, handsome artist with sucked-in cheeks and hot brown eyes (who never seems to paint) and a blind man wearing black goggles and accompanied by a huge, menacing dog.  In spite of the Lee family resolve, it isn't long before hard luck sets in ― the dog bites the artist, lights go out, stairs creak, trapdoors open, and a hoard of cash found in a secret room mysteriously disappears.

Fine but simple fare, expertly seasoned, cooked and served.  As timeless and satisfying as a game of Clue –   Professor Plum did it with the wrench in the library ― readers who enjoy mysteries of the 1930's will love every shiver.