Turn On The Heat [Mass Market Paperback]

Turn On the Heat, A.A. Fair

Donald Lam's latest job is to locate Mrs. Lintig from an old address in Oakview, a long day's drive. Old newspapers had the news, but the trail went cold (Chapter 1). This town went downhill during the depression of 1921. A local factory closed in 1929. Marian Dunton talked about the town. When Lam returned to his room he was beaten and dumped out of town! A medical specialist can be traced through the state medical board (Chapter 2). Mrs. Lintig returned to Oakview, and Lam returned to interview her (Chapter 3). "How does the city look to you now?" Their agency is fired by Mr. Smith. In Chapter 4 Lam meets Dr. Charles Alftmont (the former James Lintig, or "Mr. Smith") and is rehired. A candidate for Mayor want to clean up Santa Carlotta. Lam identified the man who beat him. Later Marian shows up with news of a death!

Can eyewitness testimony evolve in the direction desired (Chapter 5)? Lam visits the "Blue Cave" to learn about Evaline (Chapter 6). Lam learns the facts about Alftmont's history (Chapter 7). Next he looks for information about Amelia Sellar. Returning to his garage he runs into another threat (Chapter 8). Marian tells her story to the deputy D.A. Can she be in danger as the sole witness to a murder (Chapter 9)? Lam analyzes the actions of Mrs. Lintig in Oakview (Chapter 10). [This summarizes the known facts.] Will the Santa Carlotta police frame Lam for a hit-and-run (Chapter 11)? They go to visit Amelia Lintig. Did she remarry and never divorce (Chapter 12)? Was she a former hostess at the "Blue Cave"? Is she connected to a murder?

The morning newspaper tells of the disappearance of a key witness (Chapter 13). [Can you believe everything in a newspaper? Do the financial pages pretend to a knowledge they don't have?] There is a surprise at that hotel room: the door and windows are sealed shut! Lam finds a letter, it tells about a murder (Chapter 14). Lam is taken to the deputy D.A.; he won't face charges in Santa Carlotta. The last chapter tells what happened afterwards. Doctor Alftmont won the election as Mayor of Santa Carlotta. Marian will leave Oakview. [But the solution to the crime seems implausible.]

Erle Stanley Gardner's "A.A. Fair" novels often dealt more with the seamy side of life and corruption. The movement in the story provides action, it does not happen in a single location. The background descriptions tell about life in those times. Are local elections, then or now, dirtier than national elections? Are there rumors that are not printed in the local newspapers?

In 1985 New Jersey a new opponent ran against an unpopular incumbent. He was ahead in the polls until a Big Newspaper reported he married a divorced woman and made it seem like a scandal. This new candidate lost by a wide margin. You can compare this to a later candidate who divorced his wife to keep company with another woman. The newspaper treatment of this multi-millionaire was different.

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