The Lucky Stiff

By Craig Rice

Wrongly convicted of murder, a death-row chorus girl lives for revenge, in this novel from "the grand dame of mystery mixed with screwball comedy" (Ed Gorman).   Anna Marie St. Clair was a normal Wisconsin-farm-girl-turned-mistress when she was framed for the murder of her racketeer boyfriend, one of Chicago's sleaziest politicians. Sentenced to death, and only hours from getting fried, a lucky hitch sets Anna Marie free, but she blackmails the corrupt warden into informing the tabloids that she took her volts like a real trouper. What better payback than to haunt the lives of those who tried to steal hers? As the shapeliest ghost in the Windy City, she's going to prove that dying well is the best revenge.   Even luckier for Anna Marie, she has enthusiastic backup: attorney John J. Malone, who's got a soft spot for scrappy dames; her best friend, nightclub stripper Milly Dale; and crime reporter Jake Justus and his wife, Helene, who are always game for adventure. But when navigating the criminal underworld gets a little too spirited, there's no telling who's going to end up dead.  The Lucky Stiff was the basis for the 1949 film starring Dorothy Lamour and Brian Donlevy. Says Louis Untermeyer, Gold Medal Award–winning poet, author Craig Rice is a "composite of Agatha Christie's ingenuity, Dashiell Hammett's speed, and Dorothy Sayers's wit."   The Lucky Stiff is the 4th book in the John J. Malone Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

• Language: English
• Publisher: mysteriouspress.com
• Release date: Nov 9, 2018
• ISBN: 9781789540123

Craig Rice

Craig Rice (1908–1957), born Georgiana Ann Randolph Craig, was an American author of mystery novels and short stories described as “the Dorothy Parker of detective fiction.” In 1946, she became the first mystery writer to appear on the cover of Time magazine. Best known for her character John J. Malone, a rumpled Chicago lawyer, Rice’s writing style was both gritty and humorous. She also collaborated with mystery writer Stuart Palmer on screenplays and short stories, as well as with Ed McBain on the novel The April Robin Murders.  

Reviews for The Lucky Stiff

[grandpahobo_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A light, entertaining who done it. Lots of quirky characters and plot twists.

[antiquary_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Anna St. Clair was framed for murder ad sentenced to execution. At the last moment, the real killer confessed, but St. Clair arranged to have herself reported dead and enlisted John j. Malone to help her revenge.

[ninieb-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Pretty good. Did not seem particularly “funny” to me; I would call it lighthearted. I did find Malone extremely likable. Probably if I read another Craig Rice it would be to get to know him better.

[pamelad_570511 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Rice was recommended in an article I read about humorous crime novels (perhaps in the Guardian?). This book was published in the forties. The characters are paper thin; the plot twists for the sake of it; the humour is not funny. There is no need to read this book.

[leslie398 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

3.5* for the mystery but 3* for the book overall. This entry in the John J. Malone series was a bit more noir than I had expected and I didn't like Malone letting Anna Marie go at the end - I like those guilty to be caught.