Carroll John Daly 
The False Clara Burkhart [EPUB ebook] 
Race Williams #13 (Black Mask)

Race Williams wouldn’t touch a divorce case with a ten-foot pole. But when Mr. Burkhart, the prosperous owner of the well-known Burkhart & Co. publishing company, oozes through his office door seeking help, Williams is only too quick to jump at the chance for easy cash. The problem? One hundred and fifty thousand dollars of Burkhart jewelry has been stolen and old man Burkhart can’t seem to remember any relevant details of his inherited jewels. To make matters worse, the only prime suspect on Race Williams’ list—Burkhart’s young, beautiful wife Clara—must not be made aware of the misplaced jewels. Can Williams overcome a forgetful old man, a beautiful young wife, and a mysterious tail in time to retrieve the Burkart jewels and save his hide in the process? Story #13 in the Race Williams series.

Carroll John Daly (1889–1958) was the creator of the first hard-boiled private eye story, predating Dashiell Hammett’s first Continental Op story by several months. Daly’s classic character, Race Williams, was one of the most popular fiction characters of the pulps, and the direct inspiration for Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer.