I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley for review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
This fine example of early crime fiction is published by Poisoned Pen Press in the Library of Congress Crime Classics collection. Elizabeth Linington, aka Dell Shannon introduces us to the first Latino detective known to fiction in the form of Luis Mendoza. Los Angeles is the setting and the late fifties the time period. Post war LA is awash in crime and this one a particularly nasty one of murder. Mendoza cuts a fine figure as he navigates the racism and the disparity of the era. His focus is on making sure this doesn't happen again just as a second body is found in similar circumstances. Excellent books and worthy of collecting them all. This is the third I've read in the collection and they never fail to please the crime and mystery reader.

I never got the chance to read this one before it was archived, but the idea behind it is so promising! I'm truly grateful for the publisher giving me a chance to read it, and will be looking for a physical copy in my local bookstore.

I didn't realize this was a reprint of an older book when I started it, and it's really not my genre, but was an OK read. Centered on homicide detective Luis Mendoza in Los Angeles in the 60s, the book covers 2 murders that seem unrelated, but Mendoza sees a connection and follows it through.

This book was a hard-core police procedural- the reader gets just enough info about each character to understand why they are relevant, but the story is focused mostly on the police work. I didn't get a really good feeling of what any character was really LIKE, but I did see how they all fit together. There is some talk about race relations during that period of time, but that didn't resonate much with me, not having lived during that time period.

All in all, I hear that this was groundbreaking for the time and apparently sparked a whole series of books- if you are interested in historical police procedurals, I think you'll likely be more into it than I was.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Case Pending is a modern American procedural gem (and the first in the Lt. Mendoza series) by Dell Shannon. Originally published in 1960, this re-format and re-release from Poisoned Pen Press is part of the Library of Congress Crime Classics series. It's 240 pages (in the print edition) and available in paperback and ebook formats. Other editions are available in other formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a very early procedural and still has a fair bit of the feel of a traditional mystery (as well as the bones of a procedural). The series also stands out also for having a tough and intelligent (and rich) Hispanic main character. The story works well as a standalone (as far as I remember all the books in the series do). It's well written and well plotted with several disparate threads which keep readers engaged as they intertwine toward a satisfying denouement. There are a few unresolved threads at the end foreshadowing later stories.

The Los Angeles setting is well written, but dated (the book's 60 years old at this point). Some readers may find the racism and sexism of the time disturbing. There's not much graphic violence in the book and it should be considered PG rated.

This edition is enhanced by the inclusion of historical notes and background information as well as book club discussion guided question prompts. A foreword by Dr. Carla Hayden (Librarian of Congress) also provides some historical background context as well as an interesting and erudite introduction by Leslie Klinger.

Four stars. I enjoyed it enough to go chase down several of the later books in the series.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

It's the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last because I liked it.
It's an excellent and gripping story, a picture of a different age, that kept me hooked till the end.
Great characters and storytelling, a solid mystery that kept me guessing.
I look forward to reading the other books in this series.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I remember reading this author years and years ago and really loved Detective Mendoza. Apparently I still do! This story involves the murder of a woman, some blackmail and some possibly illegal adoptions. This is the first Detective Mendoza book and I’m not sure how I missed it! Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

Dell Shannon is not to be confused with Del Shannon (one L in Del), who was a rock n roll legend best known for his 1961 billboard #1 hit, Runaway. But, that’s not who we are talking about here. Dell Shannon was a pseudonym of Elizabeth Linington, back in the halcyon days of 1960, when apparently no one knew women could write compelling crime fiction other than cozies. Linington became known as the Queen of police procedurals and eventually penned some 28 books in her Lieutenant Luis Mendoza police procedural series, starting with “Case Pending, which was first published in 1960.

Now, the Library Of Congress is setting out new editions of classic crime books beginning with Case Pending. This edition comes complete with an introduction putting it in historical context and believe it or not footnotes for each chapter, setting out interesting details or even translating Mendoza’s Spanish phrases which can be found throughout the story. Some of the footnotes are interesting. Others rather unnecessary. This new edition has a cover of a doll collection, a rather odd and uncompelling choice for a crime novel. Although you’ll eventually understand the context for the cover, it wouldn’t have helped to sell many paperbacks back in the day.

Linington’s choice of Mendoza for her main character was a unique choice fifty years ago when finding a Hispanic homicide detective was a rarity. Times have changed in fifty years and that’s fairly common for the LAPD now. But, Mendoza was a quite a character who dressed to the nines, has a talent for talking to the ladies, and was famous for his hunches. Deduction is the key, I’ve heard someone say and Mendoza is a keen observer who never stops working a case and doggedly pursues every clue.

This is at heart a “procedural” and not necessarily action-packed. Linington dies a great job at realism with her dialogue and the way people interact. Nothing about her storytelling seems fake, phones, or contrived. In fact, she offers so much detail it often slows the reading.

In any case, a great introduction to an important series which is not as well known as it should be.