A mystery novel by Anthony Boucher (originally published as a hardback by Duell, Sloan & Pearce and as a paperback by Phantom Mystery in 1942 under his H. H. Holmes pseudonym), in which members of an SF writer's organization play a major role. The organization (and the writers) are thinly disguised versions of the Mañana Literary Society and several of its members, including Robert A. Heinlein, Jack Williamson, L. Ron Hubbard, John W. Campbell, Jack Parsons, and Edmond Hamilton. The book was dedicated: "For the Mañana Literary Society and in particular for Robert Heinlein and Cleve Cartmill"
The People Behind the Characters:
- Anthony Boucher — Anthony Boucher!
- Austin Carter — Robert A. Heinlein
- Hugo Chantrelle — Jack Parsons
- Matt Duncan — composite of Cleve Cartmill and Henry Kuttner
- M. Halstead Phynn — Julius Schwartz
- Joe Henderson — composite of Jack Williamson and Edmond Hamilton
- Anson Macdonald — Robert A. Heinlein
- Lyle Monroe — Robert A. Heinlein
- William Runcible — T. Bruce Yerke
- Don Stuart — John W. Campbell
- Arthur Waring — Tom Wright
- D. Vance Wimpole — L. Ron Hubbard
Note that several of these names (Anthony Boucher, Anson Macdonald, Lyle Monroe, Don Stuart) are actual pseudonyms of the people in question.
There is an interesting review of the book by Harry Warner in Focal Point V2.1.
See http://www.heinleinsociety.org/rah/works/articles/murdersuspect.html (http://www.heinleinsociety.org/rah/works/articles/murdersuspect.html IA) [See http://www.heinleinsociety.org/rah/works/articles/murdersuspect.html Extended description of the novel]
