Vultures in the Sky (American Mystery Classics)

Vultures in the Sky (American Mystery Classics) by Todd Downing

The journey of the Mexico City-bound Pullman seems ill-fated from the outset -- what with the engine troubles and the threat of an impending railway strike -- but no one aboard expects the terror that will descend upon the luxury train before it reaches its destination. First, a man dies as the vehicle passes through a dark tunnel and then, just as United States Customs Agent Hugh Rennert begins to investigate, the train comes to a screeching halt in the middle of the desert.

More deaths follow as night falls, and when it becomes clear that a murderer is on the loose, the stationary cars transform into an isolated hall of horrors. As the varied and intriguing cast of passengers begins to panic, it's up to Rennert to untangle the web of clues and motives and unmask the culprit.

A suspenseful whodunit that charts a path through the Mexican wilderness. Vultures in the Sky highlights the best aspects of the Golden Age mystery, mixing classical detective work with a tense, closed-circle setting. The third novel in Todd Downing's Hugh Rennert series (which can be enjoyed in any order) shows an undeservedly forgotten author working at the top of his craft.

Todd Downing (1902 - 1974) was an author, reviewer, and teacher of mystery fiction and an expert on the Choctaw language. Born in Atoka, Indian Territory, he is remembered today as one of the first mystery authors of Native American descent.