Earl Derr Biggers

Fifty Candles Annotated Earl Derr Biggers

Just as in Biggers' first Charlie Chan mystery, "The House Without a Key," that romantic link between the Hawaii of a different era and the city of San Francisco is explored and holds the key to the mystery. Henry Drew has cheated young Winthrop out of a partnership in a Hunan mine. Other shady deeds abound in the past of this rich and outwardly respectable old man. Despite his antagonism to Drew, Winthrop accepts the old man's invitation to a birthday dinner, mainly to be near the young woman he loves, companion to Mrs. Drew. Unfortunately Winthrop finds old Drew dead in a pool of blood by the dining room table, and he himself is the likeliest suspect.