Stuart Palmer

Agent

Stuart Palmer (1905–1968) was an American author of mysteries. Born in Baraboo, Wisconsin, Palmer worked a number of odd jobs—including apple picking, journalism, and copywriting—before publishing his first novel, the crime drama Ace of Jades, in 1931. It was with his second novel, however, that he established his writing career: The Penguin Pool Murder introduced Hildegarde Withers, a schoolmarm who, on a field trip to the New York Aquarium, discovers a dead body in the pool. Withers was an immensely popular character, and went on to star in thirteen more novels, including Miss Withers Regrets (1947) and Nipped in the Bud (1951), as well as a series of movies based on the books.

books Biblio. star Reviews Rights

Bibliography

  • Hildegarde Withers Mysteries
    The Penguin Pool Murder (#1)
    Stuart Palmer
  • Hildegarde Withers Mysteries
    Murder on Wheels (#2)
    Stuart Palmer
  • Hildegarde Withers Mysteries
    Murder on the Blackboard (#3)
    Stuart Palmer
  • Hildegarde Withers Mysteries
    The Puzzle of the Pepper Tree (#4)
    Stuart Palmer
  • Hildegarde Withers Mysteries
    The Puzzle of the Silver Persian (#5)
    Stuart Palmer
  • Hildegarde Withers Mysteries
    The Puzzle of the Red Stallion (#6)
    Stuart Palmer
  • Hildegarde Withers Mysteries
    The Puzzle of the Blue Banderilla (#7)
    Stuart Palmer
  • Hildegarde Withers Mysteries
    The Puzzle of the Happy Hooligan (#8)
    Stuart Palmer
  • Hildegarde Withers Mysteries
    Miss Withers Regrets (#9)
    Stuart Palmer
  • Hildegarde Withers Mysteries
    Four Lost Ladies (#10)
    Stuart Palmer
  • Hildegarde Withers Mysteries
    The Green Ace (#11)
    Stuart Palmer
  • Hildegarde Withers Mysteries
    Nipped in the Bud (#12)
    Stuart Palmer
  • Hildegarde Withers Mysteries
    Cold Poison (#13)
    Stuart Palmer
  • Hildegarde Withers Mysteries
    People vs. Withers and Malone
    Stuart Palmer
  • Hildegarde Withers Mysteries
    Hildegarde Withers Makes the Scene (#14)
    Stuart Palmer
  • Hildegarde Withers Mysteries
    Hildegarde Withers: Uncollected Riddles
    Stuart Palmer
  • Standalone
    Before It’s Too Late
    Stuart Palmer
  • Standalone
    Omit Flowers
    Stuart Palmer
  • Standalone
    Ace of Jades
    Stuart Palmer
  • The Howie Rook Mysteries
    Unhappy Hooligan (#1)
    Stuart Palmer
  • The Howie Rook Mysteries
    Rook Takes Knight (#2)
    Stuart Palmer
     

Reviews

Hildegarde Withers Mysteries

The Puzzle of the Happy Hooligan (#8)
“Hildegarde Withers once more on the hunt, as a vacation in California lands her a movie job and two dealers to clear up. Her own death brings Inspector Piper to the scene, and her resurrection cuts through Hollywood red tape as she becomes a target for the killer. Entertaining, original.”

Kirkus, Starred Review

“Stuart Palmer’s books remain wonderfully readable, in no small part because they are quite genuinely funny, and Hildegarde Withers and Inspector Piper make a first-rate odd couple of detectives. I do recommend THE PUZZLE OF THE HAPPY HOOLIGAN as one of Palmer’s best.”

Classic Mysteries

“The puzzle aspect of this book is well achieved, with plenty of information for the readers to grapple with.”

Cross-Examining Crimes

“The writing and characters were up to [Palmer’s] usual standards and made for a fun, fast-pasted read.”

Moonlight detective

Hildegarde Withers: Uncollected Riddles
"Palmer’s Hildegarde Withers is a sharper-tongued American version of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple, which should be enough to recommend her to whodunit fans."

Washington Post

Standalone

The Howie Rook Mysteries





Rights

See Stuart Palmer’s rights