Compliments of a Fiend — Fredric Brown

A detective scours Chicago for his missing uncle in this classic mystery by “a real pro -- a natural storyteller” (The New York Times Book Review).
 
Young Ed Hunter and his uncle Ambrose, an ex-carnie, have been making their mark as private detectives in post-WWII Chicago, and one day their agency gets a call from someone seeking help. Apparently, the problem involves carnivals, so Ambrose steps in to put his expertise to work -- and then disappears.
 
To find his partner, Ed will have to pound the seedy streets of the city, get involved with a fortune teller, and delve into an old story about an “Ambrose collector,” in this smart, quirky entry in the Edgar Award�"winning series.