Ken Shannon #1

In "The Evil Eye of Count Ducrie," Ken Shannon, a crime-busting private detective, becomes entangled in a dangerous case after a chauffeur is killed in a suspicious car accident with tampered brakes. When Shannon escapes an attempt on his life, he discovers a murdered crime boss and recovers a mysterious wallet containing a strange letter revealing a $5,000 annual payment to a woman named Aunt Cindy. Shannon teams up with reporter Louie to investigate the case, which leads them to a pigeon racing story connected to a man named Henry Van Zant. As they close in on the truth, Shannon's associate Dee Dee goes missing, forcing Ken to race against time to solve the mystery before another murder occurs.