An astounding crime was committed at Woodlawn Amusement Park in Philadelphia. On a hot, busy Sunday in August, a beautiful young girl sat huddled in one of the cars of the 'Thrills in the Dark' scenic railway roller coaster. When the guard tried to collect her fare he saw that she was dead-stabbed through the heart
From the slight clues that were available on the scene, homicide detective Tommy Rankin starts the investigation of this unheard of crime-an investigation that led him in devious ways to the pursuit of an unknown criminal across half the continent and the solution of an amazing mystery.
The Strange Disappearance of Mary Young, published in 1929, was the first mystery by Philadelphia author Milton M. Propper.