Chicago native James Norman Schmidt worked as a journalist before joining the International Brigades to fight the Fascists in the Spanish Civil War. He went on to cover the US army during WWII (winning a Bronze Star for his extracurricular work ferrying supplies to Philippine guerrillas in the jungle) and was working, after the war, as a successful Hollywood scriptwriter when he was blacklisted. He moved to Mexico and taught there for many years, before moving to Athens, OH, to take a position on the faculty of Ohio University. He died in Athens, in 1983, having written more than a dozen books, both novels and non-fiction, as well as the trilogy of murder mysteries featuring Gimiendo Hernandez Quinto.

“If you are in search of comedy and mystery rolled up in one neat package, this is the book for you” —New York Times

Chicago native James Norman Schmidt worked as a journalist before joining the International Brigades to fight the Fascists in the Spanish Civil War. He went on to cover the US army during WWII (winning a Bronze Star for his extracurricular work ferrying supplies to Philippine guerrillas in the jungle) and was working, after the war, as a successful Hollywood scriptwriter when he was blacklisted. He moved to Mexico and taught there for many years, before moving to Athens, OH, to take a position on the faculty of Ohio University. He died in Athens, in 1983, having written more than a dozen books, both novels and non-fiction, as well as the trilogy of murder mysteries featuring Gimiendo Hernandez Quinto.

“If you are in search of comedy and mystery rolled up in one neat package, this is the book for you” —New York Times

Chicago native James Norman Schmidt worked as a journalist before joining the International Brigades to fight the Fascists in the Spanish Civil War. He went on to cover the US army during WWII (winning a Bronze Star for his extracurricular work ferrying supplies to Philippine guerrillas in the jungle) and was working, after the war, as a successful Hollywood scriptwriter when he was blacklisted. He moved to Mexico and taught there for many years, before moving to Athens, OH, to take a position on the faculty of Ohio University. He died in Athens, in 1983, having written more than a dozen books, both novels and non-fiction, as well as the trilogy of murder mysteries featuring Gimiendo Hernandez Quinto.

“If you are in search of comedy and mystery rolled up in one neat package, this is the book for you” —New York Times