Inspector Duff works with the Scotland Yard. He is called in to investigate a mysterious murder that occurred at a famous local London hotel. A deaf old man, traveling on pleasure trip from America with his daughter and granddaughter, has been murdered during the night. At first, the investigation seems to be pointing towards Doctor Lofton, the leader of the tour group, as the culprit. Much to the chagrin of the other travelers in the group, they are all subjected to questioning and investigation by Inspector Duff. A few look good for the murder – an infamous Chicago gangster, an exceedingly nervous man, a few people in the wrong place at the time of the murder. Without evidence, Duff is unable to detain the group from continuing on with their tour. He finds himself wishing for the assistance of his old friend, Charlie Chan, who now resides in Hawaii. The plot thickens when one of the suspects is found dead at a further stop on the trip. Duff finds himself traveling to investigate the new murder, quickly followed by another murder. Duff plans to meet with the group again when they arrive in Hawaii – hoping to get the help of Charlie Chan as well. When they arrive in Hawaii, Charlie Chan not only helps; he finds himself taking over the investigation.
Earl Derr Biggers (1884-1933) was an American author, most famous for his mystery novels concerning the Chinese-American detective, Charlie Chan. Several of his works were turned into movies during his career. Although fearful that he would never be able to break from his Charlie Chan-mold, Biggers continued writing the mysteries due to their popularity and his attachment to the character. Said Biggers, “Yet here I am, and with me Charlie Chan. Thank heaven he is amiable, philosophical–a good companion. For I know now that he and I must travel the rest of the journey together.”

Lord Harrowby came to Lloyds of London with a most unusual request. He wanted to ensure that nothing would prevent his imminent wedding and expected a big policy payout if things didn’t work out. It was insurance man Dick Minot’s responsibility to make sure everything worked smoothly. Trouble is, Dick Minot fell in love with the bride! What to do?

Hilarity ensues as Dick tackles one crisis after another with a conflicted heart in this 1914 farcical romantic comedy. Kidnapping, jewelry heists, blackmail, past infidelity–all trying to foul up the works in a tropical paradise. Written by the world-famous creator of Chinese detective Charlie Chan!

Seven keys. Seven doors. Seven people desiring solitude in a deserted hotel high on a mountainside. Those are prime ingredients for a story packed with mystery, excitement, and action. Add a side dish of humor and the listening recipe is complete.

Seven Keys to Baldpate was such an intriguing tale it brought on an effort to build an actual counterpart of Baldpate. The site selected was about five miles south of Estes Park, Colorado, opposite Lily Lake on Highway 7. It turned out to be a fascinating getaway location; vacationers were not only intrigued by the concept, but many actually made extensive contributions of various keys to match the mood. This erased the story’s description of the “Seven Keys,” and the inn’s collection of keys reached an astounding total of twenty to thirty thousand. The exceptional collection was comprised of far more than just ordinary keys brought on a whim. One was an actual key to a desk drawer belonging to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler in the bunker where he eventually committed suicide. There was one from Mozart’s wine cellar, and from the likes of Westminster Abby, the Pentagon, and the Frankenstein Castle in Muhltal, Germany, said to be a possible inspiration for Mary Shelley’s fictional 1818 Gothic novel Frankenstein.

This all stemmed from when novelist Billy Magee bet a wealthy friend he could write a ten thousand-word story within twenty-four hours. For privacy he went to a summer resort named Baldpate Inn in western Nebraska. He locked himself in, thinking he had the only key. Some peculiar people showed up and Magee thought it was an effort to make him lose his bet. Instead, there were actual killings and bodies disappeared and reappeared. The gruesome happenings led to the completion of this intriguing novel that you can now hear.

The famous author William Magee is in need of a place free from interruptions to write his next book, and so he heads to a summer mountain resort in the dead of winter in New York City. The Baldpate Inn happens to be closed for the season … but it is certainly not deserted.

Magee was given a key to the Baldpate Inn so he might write in solitude, but he soon discovers that he is not the only person with a key. In fact, he is only one of seven! And the other guests, including a young woman who catches Magee’s eye, are all there on a mission to find a mysterious package with a large sum of money.

So, instead of the peace and quietude he sought, Magee is dropped smack dab in the middle of a dangerous battle of wits. Before the week is out, there will be gunfire, bribery, fights in the snow … and hidden truths will be revealed. Featuring a range of clever characters and witty repartee, Seven Keys to Baldpate is a fast-paced thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end.

George M. Cohan adapted Earl Derr Biggers’s Seven Keys to Baldpate for the theater in 1913, and Skyboat Media is pleased to present a dramatized reading of Cohan’s play in this original audiobook compilation.

In George M. Cohan’s theatrical adaptation, novelist Billy Magee makes a bet with a wealthy friend that he can write a ten-thousand-word story within twenty-four hours. Just as in the novel, he retires to the Baldpate Inn in the dead of winter and locks himself in, believing he possesses the only key. But there appear to be seven keys to Baldpate, as he is besieged by visitors and drawn into their hijinks, including a plot to steal a large sum of money from the hotel safe. But the arrival of these guests is hardly a coincidence … and they may have a secret agenda of their own.

This is a classic mystery novel by the creator of the fictional Chinese detective, Charlie Chan. The tale you’re about to hear is in London just before WWI. American visitor Geoffrey West is attracted to a beautiful young lady and he decides to try and get her attention by putting a personal ad in the so-called ‘Agony Column’ of a London newspaper. She sees it and responds by demanding he send her several letters so she can make up her mind as to whether she has any interest in him. Before anything else happens, Geoffrey winds up being thought possibly guilty of a vicious murder. He is still free and continues the letters, letting her know the circumstances. Her growing affection thus turns to both dread and worry. He realizes he has to prove his innocence, but matters become even more complex with the possibility of wartime spies.

In the treacherous tale of murder and intrigue, young Geoffrey tracks a killer from the posh dining room of the Carlton Hotel to the opium dens of London’s Limehouse district in search of the truth and the heart of his true love only to find the culprit all too close to home. As you will hear, although confusing at times, it provides a refreshing change of pace for those who prefer classic mystery and old-fashioned romance.

Back around 1920, Earl Derr Biggers went to Hawaii on vacation and got an idea for a new kind of fictional hero. About four years later, he put the notion to work as he developed the character of Charlie Chan, a Chinese detective who was eventually featured in five different films over a thirty-year period. He first emerged in the Saturday Evening Post Magazine as the minor character’s role grew to being the leading player in the ensuing installments.

The story you’re about to hear is the second Charlie Chan novel, and it features a parrot named Tony who is witness to a crime. The unusual bird spoke Chinese and had a less-than-perfect use of English grammar but was killed by the criminals as a precaution.

Chan himself was a friend of a family selling jewels and agreed to deliver them on his first trip to mainland California. While there he masquerades as a pidgin-speaking cook during his undercover investigation. His profound and original intelligence offers genial humor and witty dialogue.

Although the series originated nearly a century ago, it still has a fresh and modern feel. One review described it as, “Dated–yes! Outdated–never!” Listen, as an investigative light begins to dawn.

The sublime beauty of Hawaii nearly a century ago is captured in this first book featuring the fictional Honolulu police detective, Charlie Chan. Author Biggers was staying at a hotel on Waikiki Beach in the 1920s when he was inspired to write the book. The Chan role at first was relatively minor, and he didn’t say anything until several chapters had gone by. However, the concept caught on when the literary public wanted more of him. That prompted five subsequent books as the character became more prominent.

Altogether, Chan developed into a personality that fascinated mystery fans of all eras. In addition to the print episodes, more than four dozen successful movies eventually followed in the 1930s and 1940s. The overall idea is a pleasure to read, or to hear, as we invite you now to listen to this novel that established a completely new pattern for mysteries.