"Where'd I Get the Idea There Was a String Hanging from That Ceiling Light?"

"Danse Macabre."

By Helen O. Lamont (?-?).

First appearance: Liberty, August 26, 1933.

Illustrator unknown.

Short short short story (1 page).

Online at SFFaudio (HERE).

   "The murderer had climbed the porch roof, gone in a window, strangled the lady in bed, and departed by the front door."

WHEN people speak of enlightenment they are often talking metaphorically, but for a retired policeman the light is altogether a physical reality as well as a clue to solving a murder . . .

Principal characters:

~ Chief Dugan, Fat McFadden, Ritzi Kitzi, Ramon da Silva, and Finnigan.

References:

- "these here crimes passionelles" (HERE; Wikipedia).

- "in Flatbush" (HERE; Wikipedia).

- "a Palm Beach dress suit" (HERE; George Glazer Gallery).

- "His white shoes, gloves, shirt, and hat are phosphorescent" (HERE; Wikipedia).

- "what they call a danse macabre" (HERE; Wikipedia).

- "perhaps you read palms?" (HERE; Wikipedia).

- "the color of Roquefort cheese" (HERE; Wikipedia).

- "little glass radium balls" (HERE; Wikipedia).

Resources:

- This is the only story listing for Helen O. Lamont in FictionMags.

- No doubt you remember the occasion when Sherlock Holmes had to deal with phosphorescence (book HERE; Standard Ebooks). Related ONTOS postings: 

(HERE), (HERE), (HERE), (HERE), (HERE), and (HERE).

The bottom line:

Unless otherwise noted, all bibliographical data are derived from The FictionMags Index created by William G. Contento & edited by Phil Stephensen-Payne.

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