The House Without a Key — Earl Derr Biggers

The first book in the mystery series that served as the basis for the classic films -- inspired by a real-life Chinese-Hawaiian police detective.

A young man has traveled from Boston all the way to Hawaii to try to convince his aunt to return to their wealthy New England family. Instead, he too finds himself seduced by the islands. But when his aunt is murdered, a shadow falls over the sunny Pacific paradise.

Set against the fascinating backdrop of 1920s Waikiki, this novel introduced readers to Asian sleuth Charlie Chan, who was modeled on a real-life Chinese detective in the Honolulu Police Department and would become one of the most famous crime solvers of twentieth-century popular culture.

“Charlie Chan's appeal, which depends on his self-effacing charm and trademark aphorisms, remains constant from one case to the next.” -- Kirkus Reviews