Vicky Van by Carolyn Wells

Chester Calhoun is drawn into the glittering orbit of Vicky Van Allen, the dazzling young woman whose Fifth Avenue world hums with bridge games, late-night visits, artists, actors, and society people. Elegant, teasing, and impossible to pin down, Vicky rules her refined but unconventional home with wit, charm, and exacting standards, while Chester finds himself increasingly captivated by her and the lively social freedom she inspires. That sparkling atmosphere shatters when the wealthy, polished Mr. Somers arrives and begins a sly, intimate flirtation with Vicky, only to be followed by a sudden scream and the discovery that he has been stabbed to death in the dining room. As panic spreads and Inspector Mason takes control, the guests' testimony reveals hidden complications, including a concealed portrait, a troubling letter from Vicky asking to be forgotten, and the unsettling fact that she has vanished. Torn between suspicion and loyalty, Chester withholds what he knows and later searches the house after midnight, determined to uncover the truth behind Vicky's disappearance and the murder that has turned her brilliant social world into a mystery of deceit, desire, and danger. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.