What do you think?
Rate this book
Mike Shayne #35
Murder Takes No Holiday
The mild little guy was nervous when he walked into the U.S. Customs Office at Miami. He cheered up when he heard that informers didn't have to testify in court. He said they'd be hearing from him soon. But they never did. A few days later his body was found in Saint Albans, British West Indies, stabbed to death.
Was there big money involved? Michael Shayne thought so when he took over the case for the customs' men during his "holiday" in Saint Albans. The trail introduced him to as fascinating a set of characters as he had ever met -- Vivienne Larousse, Parisian dancer, cynical sultry, ready to do anything for an American visa; Paul Slater, trying desperately to conceal his affair with Vivienne from his hard-working wife, Martha; Luis Alvarez, alias the Camel, who was suspected of everything, but who had never been convicted of anything; and Cecil Powys, who claimed he was in Saint Albans to get material for a PhD thesis in anthropology, but who seemed to know a lot more about the usefulness of a straight left to the jaw.
Michael Shayne has to be fast on his feet and faster in his thinking to unravel this ingenious tangle of intrigue and passion in a story that moves with jet-speed from one dramatic action to the next and ends with a typical Shayne twist as logical as it is unexpected.
Was there big money involved? Michael Shayne thought so when he took over the case for the customs' men during his "holiday" in Saint Albans. The trail introduced him to as fascinating a set of characters as he had ever met -- Vivienne Larousse, Parisian dancer, cynical sultry, ready to do anything for an American visa; Paul Slater, trying desperately to conceal his affair with Vivienne from his hard-working wife, Martha; Luis Alvarez, alias the Camel, who was suspected of everything, but who had never been convicted of anything; and Cecil Powys, who claimed he was in Saint Albans to get material for a PhD thesis in anthropology, but who seemed to know a lot more about the usefulness of a straight left to the jaw.
Michael Shayne has to be fast on his feet and faster in his thinking to unravel this ingenious tangle of intrigue and passion in a story that moves with jet-speed from one dramatic action to the next and ends with a typical Shayne twist as logical as it is unexpected.
- GenresMysteryMystery Thriller
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1960
5 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
About the author
Brett Halliday
526 books64 followersAKA David Dresser
Excerpt from Wikipedia:
Brett Halliday (July 31, 1904 - February 4, 1977), primary pen name of Davis Dresser, was an American mystery writer, best known for the long-lived series of Mike Shayne novels he wrote, and later commissioned others to write. Dresser wrote non-series mysteries, westerns and romances under the names
Asa Baker, Matthew Blood, Kathryn Culver, Don Davis, Hal Debrett, Anthony Scott, Peter Field, and Anderson Wayne.
Excerpt from Wikipedia:
Brett Halliday (July 31, 1904 - February 4, 1977), primary pen name of Davis Dresser, was an American mystery writer, best known for the long-lived series of Mike Shayne novels he wrote, and later commissioned others to write. Dresser wrote non-series mysteries, westerns and romances under the names
Asa Baker, Matthew Blood, Kathryn Culver, Don Davis, Hal Debrett, Anthony Scott, Peter Field, and Anderson Wayne.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 24, 2024
Mike Shayne‘s last case left him hospitalized. It’s time for a vacation. He is sitting in Miami airport on his way to a three-week trip in the Caribbean. He is sitting in the Calypso bar with his secretary, Lucy Hamilton.
He gets to his seat on the plane and finds a retired Miami cop, Jack Malloy, in it. Malloy asks him to help with a smuggling operation. He says the reward is upwards of $50,000. A man named Watts reported that a Paul Slater was a smuggler. But when customs went through Slater’s luggage on his most recent trip, they found nothing of value. Then Watts is killed. Mike agrees to do some sleuthing during his vacation.
He gets the idea that maybe it would look good and help him to infiltrate the smugglers if it looked like he was wanted by the police. So, he suggests that Malloy doctor up a wanted poster
When he arrives, he stays at a resort, and meets one of the other guests, a guy named Cecil Powys. Shayne talks to the widow and neighbors. When he hears the poster is now in the Caribbean, he goes to Luis Alvarez’ bar. He asks Luis to get him out of the country.
They agree on a price, then Luis demands his help in collecting some contraband.
Later, Luis demands that he help kidnap Martha Slater. It turns out Shayne her known for a long time. They have a very long conversation. Then Luis arrives and they have a long conversation. Luis ties Mike up and leaves with Martha.
The police arrive and arrest Mike. Officer Brannon and Mike have an exceedingly long conversation, and Mike finally tells them who he is and then a fight ensues. Cecil reappears and helps Mike escape from the police. They have a long conversation.
There are a number of very long conversations in this book. Shayne even has a very long conversation wit the smuggler and killer after this person has an accident.
In order to claim the reward, he must uncover the smuggling method and retrieve the contraband.
For all of the conversations I have no clue as to Shayne’s personality, other than that he can take a beating.
He gets to his seat on the plane and finds a retired Miami cop, Jack Malloy, in it. Malloy asks him to help with a smuggling operation. He says the reward is upwards of $50,000. A man named Watts reported that a Paul Slater was a smuggler. But when customs went through Slater’s luggage on his most recent trip, they found nothing of value. Then Watts is killed. Mike agrees to do some sleuthing during his vacation.
He gets the idea that maybe it would look good and help him to infiltrate the smugglers if it looked like he was wanted by the police. So, he suggests that Malloy doctor up a wanted poster
When he arrives, he stays at a resort, and meets one of the other guests, a guy named Cecil Powys. Shayne talks to the widow and neighbors. When he hears the poster is now in the Caribbean, he goes to Luis Alvarez’ bar. He asks Luis to get him out of the country.
They agree on a price, then Luis demands his help in collecting some contraband.
Later, Luis demands that he help kidnap Martha Slater. It turns out Shayne her known for a long time. They have a very long conversation. Then Luis arrives and they have a long conversation. Luis ties Mike up and leaves with Martha.
The police arrive and arrest Mike. Officer Brannon and Mike have an exceedingly long conversation, and Mike finally tells them who he is and then a fight ensues. Cecil reappears and helps Mike escape from the police. They have a long conversation.
There are a number of very long conversations in this book. Shayne even has a very long conversation wit the smuggler and killer after this person has an accident.
In order to claim the reward, he must uncover the smuggling method and retrieve the contraband.
For all of the conversations I have no clue as to Shayne’s personality, other than that he can take a beating.
July 9, 2020
Some Vacation
Mike Shayne had been injured in a car accident, so his doctor ordered him to take a vacation, and heal. But before his plane can take off, he is asked to investigate a smuggling ring, a case that has already cost one man his life. Can Mike solve the case? Or will he be the next to die? Or will Licy Hamilton kill him when she finds out he wasn't on vacation at all? Read it, and find out. You'll be glad you did!
Mike Shayne had been injured in a car accident, so his doctor ordered him to take a vacation, and heal. But before his plane can take off, he is asked to investigate a smuggling ring, a case that has already cost one man his life. Can Mike solve the case? Or will he be the next to die? Or will Licy Hamilton kill him when she finds out he wasn't on vacation at all? Read it, and find out. You'll be glad you did!
August 21, 2018
Very, very sixties unsurprising since it was published 1960. Fast-paced, optimistic, with a surprising end.
July 14, 2017
This particular novel takes place in St. Albans in the Caribbean, where a smuggling operation has resulted in a death. Obstensibly on vacation, Shayne goes sort of undercover and tangles with nightclub singers, smuggling kingpins, bartenders, and the local authorities. Although the rationale for Shayne getting involved in this case is sort of convoluted, it is a worthwhile read and, particularly the second half of the book, is filled with lots of action.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews