Fane is discovered stabbed her pretty orchard corsage tramped and still keeping the secret that has her hesitating to marry her rich and handsome suitor. Part of the character/suspect list is an ad man for Hawaiian Tourism, so we get lots of purple prose on this topic. The Black Camel of Death kneels before impetuous actress Shelah Fane on a languid, lush Hawaiian night near the beautiful beaches that grace the shores alongside romantic Waikiki. The playing field may contain misdirection, red hearings, clutter and plot twists, but the every part of the final solution must be shared evenly with the reader. All important information and evidence must be disclosed to the reader and the investigator at the same time.
One of my most important rules for any "Who Done it", is that the detective cannot solve the crime with secret information. In the meantime, Detective Inspector Charlie Chan has out grown any sense of inferiority and is not taking guff. There is some padding out but in The Black Camel, Earl Biggers has nailed the fundamentals in a way I find subtle. This may be one of the best "who done it mystery" books ever.
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