The February Doll Murders — Michael Avallone

ED NOON MYSTERY #16

The February Doll Murders

An international ring of dedicated conspirators has conceived an ingenious plot to sabotage the U.N. The case begins when an old Army buddy of Noon's contacts him and asks questions about the dollar bill that Noon had his entire mechanized cavalry squad sign in Europe during WWII. But when Kyle Crosby is murdered atop the RCA Building and Noon himself is shot down, another uniquely different case has been launched in the Noon canon. This case also makes Melissa Mercer an active participant in Noon's affairs for the very first time.

The Adventures of Ed Noon, Private Eye, spanning over 30 novels written
between 1953 and 1990. Noon starts out dirt poor with a tiny office in Midtown Manhattan (his “Mouse Auditorium”) but success moves him to better digs, a lovely secretary (Melissa Mercer) and, eventually, the most important client of all: the President of the United States. The series concludes with a daring turn towards science fiction in the last two novels. Through it all, the wisecracking Noon is consistent: a movie and baseball-obsessed romantic who always fights the good fight. And, more often than not, wins.