The Chinese Orange Mystery

About “The Chinese Orange Mystery”

A wealthy publisher and collector of precious stones and Chinese postage stamps maintains a luxurious hotel suite for handling his business and hosting staff, relatives, and female friends. An odd, anonymous man arrives and refuses to reveal his purpose. He is locked in an anteroom with a bowl of fruit, including tangerines, and left to wait. When the door is finally opened, the man's skull is crushed, his clothes are reversed, and the room's furnishings are turned backward. Two African spears are inserted between his body and clothing, keeping it rigid. The room was locked from the outside, and no one appears to have entered or left. The mystery involves the publisher's business affairs, personal relationships, and a theme of "backwardness" that connects the characters. Ellery Queen must unravel the motives and lies to uncover the twisted logic behind the crime.