Here's a real treat for fans of older mysteries. Under her male pseudonym, Georgiana Craig Rice (1908-57) wrote an extremely popular series of stories about John J. Malone, the "little lawyer" who likes blondes and hates losing a case. Rice is all but forgotten these days, and this collection of 12 little-known tales (they were chosen by Marks, the book's editor and Rice's biographer) is a genuine delight. Like Jim Thompson, Rice went in for snappy dialogue, short paragraphs composed of short sentences, and plenty of wry wit. She may not have been as aggressively twisted as Thompson, but Rice knew how to raise her readers' eyebrows with a few well-chosen phrases. Watching Malone finesse his way through all manner of investigation, all the while keeping his eye on the ladies, is enormously fun. This is the second volume of what (mystery fans can only hope) will be a lengthy series of stories rescued from obscurity. As a reintroduction to this crafty and original storyteller, it is near perfection. David Pitt

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