Sylvia, Howard Fast

"Sylvia" kicks off the series of twelve American crime novels each bearing a female first name. Howard Fast signs for the first time under the pseudonym E.V. Cunningham. At the same time, he delivers his best crime novel, which one might even prefer to his greater historical successes. The anecdote is quite simple: private detective Alan MacKlin must reconstruct the past of a stranger whom a billionaire wants to marry. The young woman must remain completely unaware of this investigation. To achieve his goals, MacKlin has only a photo, a handwritten card, and a collection of poems, The Dark Moon, published by the mysterious Sylvia West. This basic premise, an archetype of many private detective stories, the author transcends with his sensitivity and the emotional power he infuses into it, transforming it into a radiant love story" (Jean-Pierre Deloux, Polar no. 25)"