The Conjure-Man Dies by Rudolph Fisher (1932)

After the murder of a Harlem psychic a police detective and local doctor join forces to solve the mystery.

Mystery Review: The Conjure-Man Dies demonstrates that the Harlem Renaissance brought notable achievements in African American poetry, music, art, dance, theater, and … a murder mystery. Rudolph Fisher (1897-1934), a medical doctor, hung with the likes of Langston Hughes and Paul Robeson (Hughes said Fisher had "the wittiest and sharpest humor"). His varied and creative biography is worthy of a book despite his short life. In The Conjure-Man Dies a Harlem psychic is murdered and a police detective and local doctor form a crime-solving bromance. If Agatha Christie and Dashiell Hammett co-wrote a book it would look a lot like this as Fisher seamlessly combines their disparate styles. As might be expected with a doctor for a protagonist, medical and scientific techniques play a major role in resolving the case. Even more intriguing, the victim becomes a suspect! The conclusion was somewhat overdone and convoluted, but didn't detract from my enjoyment. As did Zora Neale Hurston, Fisher presents both the good and bad of the black community, painting an honest, realistic, and colorful  portrait. As far as I could tell there was only one white character in the book (a walk-on part, and not a villain). The Conjure-Man Dies features numerous humorous moments similar to what Chester Himes later did in his Harlem Detectives series featuring black detectives Coffin Ed Johnson and Grave Digger Jones, but considerably less violent. I can't help but think that Himes must've read this book. I read the Library of Congress Crime Classics edition which has helpful and interesting annotations, as well as an Introduction, bibliography, biographical chapter, and a reminiscence by his granddaughter. There are about a dozen novels in the series so far putting the spotlight on a widely diverse range of mystery authors from 1860 to 1960. The Conjure-Man Dies is also available in the Collins Crime Club edition, which isn't annotated but includes an introduction by Stanley Ellin and adds an excellent short story reuniting the detectives from this novel, "John Archer's Nose," in which an odor plays a key role. Rudolph Fisher also wrote one other novel, The Walls of Jericho (1928), and several short stories.  [4★]