among the thousands that witnessed the crime, and he won't be satisfied until he cuts through the confusion to discover the truth of the execution. By the time he uncovers all the necessary clues and delivers his patented "Challenge to the Reader", Queen (and his most careful readers) will be able to expose both the killer and the hiding place of the weapon-the titular American Gun that fired the fatal bullet. Reissued for the first time in over thirty years, The American Gun Mystery is among the most beloved of the early Ellery Queen novels, renowned to this day as exemplary works of the American Golden Age mystery. The central puzzle is a "fair play" story in which the reader has all the necessary clues needed to solve the crime.