The Tragedy of Errors is the lengthy plot outline for the final, but never published EQ novel, containing all the hallmarks of the greatest Queen tales -- the dying message, the succession of false solutions before the truth is revealed, and scrupulous fairplay to the reader. The book also contains six uncollected EQ short stories, as well as tributes and reminiscences of Ellery Queen, by family members, friends, and some of the finest current mystery writers.

Looking for trouble, Ellery Queen descends on a small townAt the tail end of the long summer of 1940, there is nowhere in the country more charming than Wrightsville. The Depression has abated, and for the first time in years the city is booming. There is hope in Wrightsville, but Ellery Queen has come looking for death. The mystery author is hoping for fodder for a novel, and he senses the corruption that lurks beneath the apple pie facade. He rents a house owned by the town's first family, whose three daughters star in most of the local gossip. One is fragile, left at the altar three...

A gang of young sleuths and a trusty terrier put their noses to a bank robbers' trail

Ellery Queen's young apprentice, Djuna, is preparing for an afternoon of fishing when a stranger leans out of his car window and asks for directions to Canada. A few minutes later, Djuna watches as the man's friends come running out of the local bank and into the getaway car, guns blazing, before taking off for the Canadian border.

It is a mystery that could baffle even Djuna's famous boss, but with the help of a ferocious black Scottie named Champ and a few crime-solving...

A murder in a crowded theater leaves a pack of suspects, but only one clueDespite the dismal Broadway season, Gunplay continues to draw crowds. A gangland spectacle, it s packed to the gills with action, explosions, and gunfire. In fact, Gunplay is so loud that no one notices the killing of Monte Field. In a sold-out theater, Field is found dead partway through the second act, surrounded by empty seats. The police hold the crowd and call for the one man who can untangle this daring murder: Inspector Richard Queen.With the help of his son Ellery, a bibliophile and novelist...

A corpse in a department store window offers a gruesome puzzle for Ellery Queen

The windows of French s department store are one of New York s great attractions. Year-round, their displays show off the finest in fashion, art, and home decor, and tourists and locals alike make a point of stopping to see what s on offer. One afternoon, as the board debates a merger upstairs, a salesgirl begins a demonstration in one of the windows, showing off French s new Murphy bed. A crowd gathers to watch the bed lower from the wall after a single touch of a button. But as the bed opens, people run...