Charles J. Dutton
Personal Information
Description
Charles Judson Dutton was an American mystery writer (1888-1964) who was educated at Brown University, Albany Law School and Defiance Theological Seminary. Among his many professions he counted clergyman, newspaper columnist and novelist. He contributed fiction to numerous U.S. and British magazines. After living much of his life in New England (where many of his books are set) he later settled in Des Moines, Iowa, around 1930 where he lived out his remaining years as a minister for the First Unitarian Church while frequently contributing articles to Reader's Digest.
Books
The Underwood Mystery
This book chronicles the early exploits of famous detective John Bartley, including the notorious Underwood case: a locked-room murder that bewilders the police. Bartley is called in to investigate and soon realizes that this case is more complex than it seems. The victim, John Underwood, was a wealthy industrialist with a secret life, and the list of suspects grows as Bartley unravels a tangled web of family intrigue, illicit relationships, and hidden motivations. As Bartley delves deeper into his investigation, he encounters hardened criminals, gambling dens, stolen pearls, and a life insurance policy with a suspicious clause.
The shadow on the glass
The second John Bartley novel, a locked room mystery where the victim is a collector of rare books.