Tight, clean, flat, square, sharp and crisp book in lightly wrinkled DJ. Marks on the FFEP may be a thrift store price. This is a Doubldeay Book Club Omnibus.
Good mysteries are a-plenty in any given year, the ones that stand shoulders above the average entertainments..But the truly outstanding mystery novel is rare, the sort you have in Dell Shannon's CASE PENDING. This book belongs with the specials." --Dorothy B. Hughes — "A smash climax, a bang-up solution and plenty of suspense." -San Francisco Chronicle
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The Ace of Spades continues the case histories of Mendoza, the Mexican detective of the Los Angeles Police Department. Lt. Mendoza specializes in homicides … he has brains, uncanny flair, wealth, a passion for justice and Abyssinian cats. He has a weakness for poker and Alison Weir, the central female character in his life.
Mendoza’s new case enters Homicide through the back door of Stolen Property … in this instance the old fashioned jalopy, belonging to the redhead Alison Weir.
The story fast becomes entrangled with importers, museums, and a mysterious Madam K.
A chance scrap of paper begins as exciting, detective chain of events, quickly leading to high tension as Mendoza realizes that the life of the woman he loves is in danger.
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Instinct prompts Lt. Luis Mendoza of the Los Angeles Police Department to investigate the connection between a murdered con man and the death of a local patrolman
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Bad enough was Luis' violent quarrel with redheaded Alison Weir, the only woman who had ever given him the remotest thought of settling down. But also on his hands was the case of a rapist murderer who was terrorizing Los Angeles, one of whose crimes had probably already sent an innocent man to the gas chamber.
Alison, meanwhile, through such well meaning friends as Sgt. Hackett and his bride, was subjected to a parade of suitors well meaning, no doubt, but such pallid fare after Luis ....
Then one of Mendoza's famous "hunches" points the way toward a solution to the case but it points too close to home with none other than Alison herself heading inexorably toward disaster.