{"title":"Philo Vance","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"benson-murder-case-book-s-s-van-dine-9781631941689","title":"The Benson Murder Case","description":"The pocket-sized FLAME TRE COLECTABLE CRIME CLASICS are chosen to create a delightful and timeless gift library of classic crime and mystery thrillers. Each stunning unabridged edition features deluxe cover treatments, ribbon markers, luxury endpapers and gilded edges. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe first best-selling title in S.S. Van Dine's series of Philo Vance detective mysteries, \u003ci\u003eThe Benson Murder Case\u003c\/i\u003e (1926), was inspired by the real-life unsolved murder of Joseph Bowne Elwell (1873-1920) in which the victim was shot from within his locked house. Intellectual dandy and amateur sleuth Vance - 'a man of unusual culture and brilliance' - finds the case of murdered playboy stockbroker Alvin Benson fascinating, the missing toupee and false teeth being especially curious. Vance kindly comes to the aid of his friend District Attorney Markham and sets about tracking down the killer using his cerebral powers of deduction in contrast to the short-sighted methods of the police. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eA specially commissioned biography of the author and a glossary of Victorian and Literary terms make this new edition essential for all classic crime fans","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49599848382737,"sku":"GOR011767026","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":50412696600849,"sku":"CIN1631941682G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ WELL_READ \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":51361599258897,"sku":"GOR014239807","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1631941682.jpg?v=1751433344"},{"product_id":"kennel-murder-case-book-s-s-van-dine-9781631942013","title":"The Kennel Murder Case","description":"Given all the rich people getting bumped off in Philo Vance's Manhattan, it's amazing there are enough left to support the symphony. Latest up: Arthur Coe, found dead in his own locked bedroom. Suicide' The ever-perceptive Philo doesn't buy that theory for a second. The presence in Coe's house of a strange, prize-winning terrier only adds to the mystery, although Philo's fabulously in-depth knowledge of dogs does not in fact solve the crime; his fabulously in-depth knowledge of the murder of the Empress Elizabeth of Austria in 1898 proves much more useful.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":49940605272337,"sku":"CIN1631942018G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1631942018.jpg?v=1751409260"},{"product_id":"canary-murder-case-book-ss-van-dine-9781631941672","title":"The Canary Murder Case","description":"The Canary of the title is Margaret Odell, once a showgirl in the Ziegfeld Follies, more recently an occasional nightclub singerl. When she is murdered, there are any number of suspects, all of the male variety. The police are baffled but Philo Vance is on the scene, ready to apply his brilliance, his erudition, his astonishingly nuanced grasp of human nature to the solving of the crime.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"US \/ VERY_GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":50139313438993,"sku":"CIN1631941674VG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":51040271827217,"sku":"NIN9781631941672","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":51376633643281,"sku":"GOR011767248","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":51464767308049,"sku":"CIN1631941674G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":52820270317841,"sku":"NLS9781631941672","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1631941674.jpg?v=1751120554"},{"product_id":"greene-murder-case-book-ss-van-dine-9781631941825","title":"The Greene Murder Case","description":"The Greene Murder Case is a mystery novel by S. S. Van Dine, written in 1928. One by one the Greene family are murdered and Philo Vance seeks to solve the mystery. It is the third in the series of Philo Vance detective novels. The Greens family consists of two sons and three daughters, the youngest is adopted and the German cook is strangely fond of her. The invalid mother, who spends her time complaining about her ungrateful children, rules the household. Also living in the house is the physician and the butler. The grown-up children are all forced to live in the Greene mansion under the terms of their father's Will. One by one they are murdered or suffer murder attempts. This book was a number four best seller in the year it was written and two film adaptations ensued in 1929 and 1937.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":50386451530001,"sku":"CIN1631941828G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":51040987611409,"sku":"NIN9781631941825","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ VERY_GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":51345516265745,"sku":"CIN1631941828VG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":52820340572433,"sku":"NLS9781631941825","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1631941828.jpg?v=1751277230"},{"product_id":"scarab-murder-case-book-ss-van-dine-9781631942006","title":"The Scarab Murder Case","description":null,"brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":50396757721361,"sku":"CIN163194200XG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":51041445773585,"sku":"NIN9781631942006","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ VERY_GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":51330781053201,"sku":"CIN163194200XVG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/163194200X.jpg?v=1776334162"},{"product_id":"garden-murder-case-book-s-s-van-dine-9781631942051","title":"The Garden Murder Case","description":"According to one review, Garden runs on passion, avarice, ambition and horse-racing. It also runs on pure 1930s octane, because this is a classic house-party murder mystery, that staple of the Golden Age. As befitting a Philo yarn, of course, it's a very Manhattan house-party, with an actress and a socialite on hand, and a bookie on the telephone. There's also a losing bet on the ponies, and an ensuing suicide.but Philo, natch, is not sure just who pulled the trigger. A joy, as always, for readers who delight in Philo's spectacular brand of awfulness--is there anyone snootier' Snobbier' More taken with himself'--but also for fans of the Impossible Crime.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"US \/ VERY_GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":50922650501393,"sku":"CIN1631942050VG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":51041153745169,"sku":"NIN9781631942051","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":52815780675857,"sku":"CIN1631942050G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1631942050.jpg?v=1750928233"},{"product_id":"gracie-allen-murder-case-book-ss-van-dine-9781631942068","title":"The Gracie Allen Murder Case","description":"Gracie Allen breaks the Philo Phormula in a number of ways. First is its title: this is the only book in the series to modify “Murder Case” with more than one word, much less with the name of a character. And then there’s that character: Gracie Allen was a very real, much-loved comedienne in the 1930s, famous for her double act with George Burns, and in fact the plot revolves around her. Gracie’s centrality is no accident: Van Dine wrote the story as a vehicle for Allen, and actually created the novel only after the film had come out. So do all these departures pay off? We’d be lying if we said that Gracie hits every single mark, but Van Dine does a surprisingly entertaining job of translating Ms. Allen’s delicious Ditzy Blonde persona to the page, and she makes a charming foil for Philo’s evergreen erudition.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"US \/ VERY_GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":50922737959185,"sku":"CIN1631942069VG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":51042050081041,"sku":"NIN9781631942068","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":51695168880913,"sku":"CIN1631942069G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":52428237472017,"sku":"NLS9781631942068","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1631942069.jpg?v=1751246686"},{"product_id":"winter-murder-case-book-ss-van-dine-9781631942075","title":"The Winter Murder Case","description":"Like The Gracie Allen Murder Case before it, Winter was first written as a screenplay, in this case a vehicle for the figure skater Sonja Henie. However, while Allen’s scatterbrained persona made a charming foil for Philo’s stuffed-shirt pretensions, Ms. Henie provided no such inspiration. Van Dine did not live long enough to see her outed as a Nazi supporter, but her ice-princess act offered less for Philo to play against. It should be noted that Winter was published posthumously to close out the series, and though it went to press without Van Dine’s usual repeated revisions, it is true vintage Philo—utterly distinctive in style and its own very genuine kind of pleasure.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"US \/ VERY_GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":50977249689873,"sku":"CIN1631942077VG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":51040724058385,"sku":"NIN9781631942075","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":52430083227921,"sku":"NLS9781631942075","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":52817295376657,"sku":"CIN1631942077G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1631942077.jpg?v=1751375728"},{"product_id":"dragon-murder-case-book-s-s-van-dine-9781631942020","title":"The Dragon Murder Case","description":"No question, The Dragon Murder Case showcases Our Philo at his most supremely irritating. The book is set at a mansion in the northern reaches of Manhattan, complete with picturesque pool. Into that pool dives Sanford Montague, never to be seen again. Fools (and as usual, they're thick on the ground) rush to blame the supernatural: They note that the pool is known as the Dragon Pool, supposedly home to a monster known to the Lenape Indians. Philo's not so sure: He is (of course) an expert on both dragons and the Lenape Indians, with a sort of sideline expertise in pools and fish. It would be tempting to sympathize with Ogden Nash's claim that Philo Vance needs a kick in the pance. But, as the New York Times noted, The piscatorial side of this book, at least, is authentic. The author is on the Board of Governors of the Aquarium Society of New York, and has won many prizes with his fish. Philo may be a know-it-all, but apparently he comes by it honestly. By the time you reach the end of Dragon, you will almost certainly want to aim your boot at Vance's posterior, but you will have had a swell time getting there.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"US \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":51040428327185,"sku":"NIN9781631942020","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ VERY_GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":51330971762961,"sku":"CIN1631942026VG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":52819265814801,"sku":"CIN1631942026G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1631942026.jpg?v=1751058116"},{"product_id":"casino-murder-case-book-s-s-van-dine-9781631942037","title":"The Casino Murder Case","description":"The tremendous popularity (New York Times) of the Philo Vance series stems in part from author S.S. Van Dine's preference for ripping his plots from the headlines of the day. By the early '30s, when Casino came around, those headlines included some creepy chemical discoveries and scandalous doings at secret Manhattan gambling dens, where rich folks knocked back cocktails and played roulette, snickering at both the Depression and the Volsted Act. Philo, of course, is no stranger to cocktails or to snickering, and he knows more about creepy chemicals than the management at Dow. This comes in handy when the owners of a secret Manhattan gambling den are poisoned, perhaps by some new and creepy chemical. As deliciously, irritatingly erudite as ever, Philo is in his element here, solving what one reviewer called an uncommonly subtle crime.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"US \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":51040846610705,"sku":"NIN9781631942037","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":51437307101457,"sku":"GOR011097374","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1631942034.jpg?v=1750896751"},{"product_id":"bishop-murder-case-book-ss-van-dine-9781631941832","title":"The Bishop Murder Case","description":"Philo Vance finds his old chum District Attorney Anthony Markham up against a bizarre series of murders inspired by children's nursery rhymes. The first murder was apparently based on Who Killed Cock Robin'; it is followed by more hideous deaths referencing Mother Goose. Philo Vance suspects a connection to a rather more sophisticated writer.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"- \/ - \/ -","offer_id":51372742443281,"sku":"","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":51372742639889,"sku":"GOR011767027","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":51694609793297,"sku":"CIN1631941836G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1631941836.jpg?v=1776335143"},{"product_id":"benson-murder-case-book-ss-van-dine-9781631943263","title":"The Benson Murder Case","description":"Embark on a Mystical Journey of Serenity with the Enchanted Gnomes  In a world where stress often overshadows joy, this coloring book serves as your magical portal to peace. Witness whimsy and wonder intertwine as you breathe life into captivating gnome-filled nature scenes, one color at a time. Benefits of the Book: - Gnomes Await Your Touch: Delight in 35 ready-to-color illustrations, where endearing gnomes beckon you into their mythical world. - A Sanctuary on Paper: Crafted with care, these pages are not just to color, but to unwind. Their soothing designs work as stress relievers, ushering tranquility into your busy life. - An Unblemished Coloring Experience: Fear not about overlapping colors. With each illustration on a separate page, your artistic journey remains bleed-through-free. - Charming, Simple, and Whimsical: Dive into illustrations that are intricate enough to challenge, yet simple enough to offer relaxation, all while delivering on charm and humor. - Therapy Between the Lines: Escape the everyday, and let your mind wander. Revel in therapeutic immersion as you detach from pressures and indulge in pure relaxation. Seeking solace from the hustle and bustle? Dive into a world where colors heal. Embrace the magic now  Technical Details: - Generous Canvas for Your Creativity: Enjoy a roomy space, ensuring every stroke and shade finds its perfect place. - A Jewel Inside and Out: Protected with a high-quality glossy cover, this book promises durability while radiating elegance. - A Complete Gnomish Expedition: Comprising 71 total pages with 35 dedicated to coloring, immerse in a world where every page promises a new enchanting story. - The Gift of Enchantment: Thoughtfully curated and beautifully presented, it's the ideal gift for friends, family, or any adult in need of a whimsical escape. Where every hue transports you to a land of wonder, and every gnome tells a tale of serenity. Let the magic begin","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"- \/ - \/ -","offer_id":51677352034577,"sku":"","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"US \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":51677352362257,"sku":"NIN9781631943263","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":51719967867153,"sku":"NGR9781631943263","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":52542415929617,"sku":"NLS9781631943263","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/163194326X.jpg?v=1751309786"},{"product_id":"kidnap-murder-case-book-s-s-van-dine-9781631942044","title":"The Kidnap Murder Case","description":"Philo Vance: Man of Action, said nobody never. And yet Kidnap shows real signs of Van Dine's responding both to the changing times--friends, it's not the Jazz Age any more--and to the public's changing tastes, as Philo does much less sitting around pontificating and much more running around chasing bad guys. To accommodate this new, Action Philo, the plot is somewhat simplistic, featuring not only a purloined playboy but also a demand that the ransom be left at midnight in a hollow tree. However, Philo's newfound skills with a pistol are additions to his bag of tricks, rather than replacements for the tricks we know and love; rest assured that he retains every ounce of his customary implausible charm. Kidnap is the last of the Philo Vance novels to have been written as a book, with a film to follow (the remaining two were written after the movies were made). Given the ability that Van Dine shows here to adapt his style--and his protagonist's--as the times dictate, it's a great pity that we never got a chance to see Philo go up against the Nazis.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"- \/ - \/ -","offer_id":51694245740817,"sku":"","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":51694246658321,"sku":"CIN1631942042G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ VERY_GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":51850429923601,"sku":"CIN1631942042VG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1631942042.jpg?v=1751023687"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.worldofbooks.com\/en-gb\/collections\/philo-vance-book-series.oembed","provider":"World of Books ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}