Keeper of the Keys: Original Text

By Earl Derr Biggers

Book Overview

The train had left Sacramento some distance behind, and was now bravely beginning the long climb that led to the high Sierras and the town of Truckee. Little patches of snow sparkled in the late afternoon sun along the way, and far ahead snow-capped peaks suddenly stood out against the pale sky of a reluctant spring.Two conductors, traveling together as though for safety, came down the aisle and paused at section seven. "Tickets on at Sacramento," demanded the leader. The occupant of the section, a pretty blonde girl who seemed no more than twenty, handed him the small green slips. He glanced at them, then passed one to his companion. "Seat in Seven," he said loudly. "Reno." "Reno," echoed the Pullman conductor, in an even louder tone.They passed on, leaving the blonde girl staring about the car with an air that was a mixture of timidity and defiance. This was the first time, since she had left home the day before, that she had been so openly tagged with the name of her destination. All up and down the car, strange faces turned and looked at her with casual curiosity. Some smiled knowingly; others were merely cold and aloof. The general public in one of its ruder moments.One passenger only showed no interest. Across the aisle, in section eight, the girl noted the broad shoulders and back of a man in a dark suit. He was sitting close to the window, staring out, and even from this rear view it was apparent that he was deeply engrossed with his own affairs. The young woman who was bound for Reno felt somehow rather grateful toward him.Presently he turned, and the girl understood, for she saw that he was a Chinese. A race that minds its own business. An admirable race. This member of it was plump and middle-aged. His little black eyes were shining as from some inner excitement; his lips were parted in a smile that seemed to indicate a sudden immense delight. Without so much as a glance toward number seven, he rose and walked rapidly down the car.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B087L1VXC4
• ISBN13: 9798636639541
• Release Date: April 2020
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 206 Pages
• Weight: 0.68 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

A must for detective fiction fans

I have read all the books written by Biggers' narrating Charlie's adventures and I am posting this review to all of them in general.Biggers' writing style is unique and easily distinguishable,his characters amusing and very realistic and his star detective (Charlie Chan) one of the most balanced individuals in crime fiction;this guy will make you laugh and he will make you think harder on the values of life,he will praise patience yet he will deliver justice swiftly and effectively,he will be kind and he will be cunning.Having read contemporary as well as older works of crime fiction,I recommend every single one of this books hands down.Just read it!Thank you for reading this review.

The sensational sixth

The sixth and last Charlie Chan mystery by Earl Derr Biggers is an unmitigated delight. The plot unfolds with an intriguing scenario. Wealthy and hospitible Dudley Ward gathers together all the ex-husbands of his ex-wife, opera singer Ellen Landini, at his home on Lake Tahoe. Ward is trying to discover the whereabouts of a son he never knew he had until now, kept hidden from him by the capricious star. He thinks the husbands might know something. Charlie Chan has also been invited to help Ward with the inquiry. There are four ex-husbands, including Ward, all of them angry with Landini, who is about to marry a fifth husband, also present, with his sister, at this bizarre gathering. Landini herself arrives on the scene to complete the madness, and is promptly murdered. This book is rich in fun characters, half of them suspects. The French maid is jealous of Landini, who has seduced her husband in the past. The ancient Chinese family servant is always turning up under foot and never knows anything. The handsome young sheriff promptly falls in love with one of the suspects, the sister of the once-future husband. It's all wonderfully complicated, and suspicion shifts with every chapter. Charlie Chan's wise sayings flow generously from the pen of Earl Derr Biggers and are always amusing. I'm very sorry to be finished with the series, and recommend it highly. Earl derr Biggers has created an unforgettable, totally original detective in Charlie Chan, and the books now have a vintage flavor that only increases the reader's pleasure. The new paperback editions by Academy Chicago Publishers are very nicely produced.