pseudonym of Hugh Callingham Wheeler, who also wrote as Q.Patrick and Jonathan Stagge, and collaborated with Richard Wilson Webb under all three names.
4th in his series with Peter Duluth series, originally published by Simon & Schuster in 1945 as Puzzle for Wantons. This is the 1948 Pocket edition, re-titled.
cover art by Roswell Keller
better image than previously posted
SMB Noir 