Beware The Young Stranger (1965) by Ellery Queen. I bought an original copy of this book for 25 cents. I got it for half price as the cover clearly proclaims a 50 cent cost for this Pocket Books issue. Despite the low cost, I was very disappointed by this book, but not so much by the story. I have been reading mysteries written by the duo of cousins who called themselves Ellery Queen for decades and hoped for one I had missed. Turns out this story was penned by Talmage Powell who, upon occasion, wrote an E.Q. (the author not the character) book.
Usually when I see the name Ellery queen on the cover, I assume the character of Queen is in the book. Not so with this novel.
So two major disappointments with this book without even reading it.
But upon reading I discovered I liked the story. Not loved it, but it was a well told tale. The main character is John Vallancourt, an American diplomat home from overseas at last. The time is mid 1960’s. John is single due to the passing of his wife years before. Now he is faced with a daughter, Nancy, in her early 20’s, who is in love with a very nice and presentable young man. Keith Rollins is the nephew of one of John’s close friends. Dorcas Ferguson is a powerful leader and formidable woman, eldest of the three Ferguson sisters. She managed to resurrect the family’s fortunes and property holdings, and has her nephew for the summer. Keith and Nancy are in love.
John finds out more about Keith in a very short time. The only thing he actually learns about the young man is that he was the prime suspect in a rape/murder crime in Florida over spring break. He was the victim’s close friend and possibly the last friend she ever was with. The police had questioned him but there is no strong evidence linking him to the actual crime and released him.
John is faced with the ever lasting struggle between father and daughter. Forbidding her to see Keith will only drive her into his arms faster, but John must do something.
But when two men, John being one, find Dorcas dead in her home, thoughts turn to Keith. John actually discovers Keith hiding behind the drapery of the murder room, but Keith escapes.
This is a suspense thriller that will capture your interest, especially if you are a father of a young woman. I don’t suppose it would come as a shock to you dear reader, but Nancy, even after hearing the news that her Keith is wanted on suspicion of his aunt’s murder, still believes in him.
I overcame my initial disappointment and got into this thriller. It turned out pretty good, especially as it captures the time it was written in so well. Golfing and drinks at the club, local businessmen with ties, sport coats and Fedoras talking earnestly over cigarets and dinner, large lumbering autos run too fast and stopping suddenly to have the car’s front end take a bow. All these things and more evoke the feel of the mid-sixties.
I enjoyed the nostalgia as much as I did the story. ( )

This is listed under Ellery Queen, but is not written by the Queen team (Dannay & Lee) but is written by Talmage Powell, another well known mystery writer of the time. It also doesn't have Ellery Queen in it.

John Vallancourt is a handsome, cool, calm, collected diplomat. His daughter, Nancy, is blonde, beautiful and 21. She has fallen for Keith Rollins, a fellow with a shady background. Vallancourt is concerned by not too worried about this as he can find out more about Robins and his background.

When Keith Rollins' aunt, Dorcas Ferguson, is found murdered and Rollins is seen running from the house, Vallancourt becomes concerned. Nancy has taken off with Rollins, as Rollins tries to escape capture by the police. Rollins is their prime suspect.

While trying to track down the two, Vallancourt learns the truth about the hot tempered Rollins background and his relationship to Ferguson. It turns out to be fairly complicated.

Written in 1965, it has the feel of the 1950s movies, where the couple is on the lam, being chased by someone other than the cops. It is also a short book of 157 pages and easy read type.

I was expecting another Ellery Queen read, and this wasn't it. It was OK and a quick read. ( )

Over het boek: John Vallancourt had wel meer om een hoge inzet gespeeld, maar nog nooit om het leven van zijn dochter. Keith Rollins beschouwde het leven als een overleven van de sterkste, en hij liet zich dan ook door niets weerhouden om zijn doel te bereiken. Howard Conway schuwde alles wat zijn positie - of zijn geld - maar leek te raken. Ralph Hibbs kon doen en laten wat hij wilde - de voornaamste aandeelhouder lag in het lijkenhuis. Joy Conway-Ferguson zag het bestaan als iets dat je doorbracht met een cocktailglas in de ene en een spel kaarten in de andere hand. Sam Rollins werd betaald om te zwijgen, terwijl ironisch genoeg praten het laatste was wat hij zou hebben gedaan. Maar een van hen was schuldig aan de moord op Dorcas Ferguson. Een Ellery Queen... Is er een betere aanbeveling nodig?
Over de auteur: Ellery Queen is het pseudoniem voor de neven Frederic Dannay en Manfred B. Lee, die dankzij hun talloze boeken hun pseudoniem tot een begrip hebben gemaakt. Van hun hand verschenen o.a. Een man een man, een woord een moord (PD 106), Een moordenaar pleegt plagiaat (PD 119), Met Ellery Queen de wereld rond (PD 128), En op de achtste dag (PD 137).

Bron: Achterkaft Prisma detective 147