Private Eye-Lashes: Radio's Lady Detectives

This book examines radio and mystery drama from about 1932 to the genre's final appearance in the late 1950's. While its focus is on women detectives, French provides minute and fascinating details about dozens of mystery programs and includes a comprehensive listing of source material ranging from magazine articles, to dime detective novels, to film noir. Each lady detective appearing under one of eight cleverly conceived categories gets handsome, multi-page treatment. The author traces the chronological appearance of the subject's show, examines the program's history and origins, and details with substantial documentation the manner of the show's presentation and production. He intersperses the text with actual dialogue taken directly from the program scripts.