29 JUNE 1956, Page 23

ELLERY QUEEN'S AWARDS. Edited by Ellery Queen. (Collins, 12s. 6d.)

Outstanding among the American contributions that make up the majority of these seventeen, generally pretty good, short stories are the James Ullman piece of detection through newspaper-office tape, and a wickedly effective little tour de force of horror by Lee Hays. Margery Allingham, for England, con- tributes a neat little piece of character-drawing, stylishly written.

CHRISTOPHER PYM