One of the reasons for writing this blog is to highlight books I can find no information on, and there may be other people who are interested in this book. Besides finding out this was called Prelude To A Killing in the UK, and that it is still available online, I know nothing about Nicholas Ashe except Danger Aft, another title of his, is also available. Some books fall off the radar into obscurity...
Preface To A Killing is a light crime novel from 1937, that begins with a beautiful woman sitting on the rooftop terrace of a New York nightclub, an automatic pistol in her hand to kill the man when he appears at the window opening.
Marie met Tony when she was sharing a room in London and getting by selling at a market stall. He was an up-and-comer in the club business, which means backroom bars and gambling. One step ahead of the police, he manages to woo Marie into marriage and set up his own restaurant club. Her part was to wander the streets and bring the men who picked her up in for an expensive meal, after which she disappeared. It was scams like this, and the sudden murder of Tony's competitor, that led to a police raid. To cool off, they sailed for New York on the Aquitania.
Living in a penthouse, hobnobbing with high society and club owners, Tony gets the idea to open another club. He is often gone for long stretches and she is at home with their new daughter. Both are unaware they are being tailed by detectives investigating Tony's dealings. When Marie's daughter is kidnapped, the house of cards falls and Marie, along with the police, discover what a life of lies Tony has been weaving.
Told from Marie's perspective, it's certainly not a hard-boiled crime novel. She spends a lot of time worrying about when her life will crash in on itself - with good reason. For the time, the writing is quite frank, the violence serious, and it was interesting throughout.
Nicholas Ashe, says the cover blurb, 'is one of those authors who, almost literally, has seen everything and done everything (!). He has trodden curious paths, met curious people, lived in curious environments...Preface To A Killing is a fine work, and will be liked by both men and women.'
1937 / Hardcover / 310 pages
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