Bats Fly at Dusk cover

Bats Fly at Dusk

by Erle Stanley Gardner

Cool & Lam Mystery #7 (1942) Donald is temporarily on the lam from Cool & Lam, having joined the Navy to fight a world war, but it's Bertha who's all at sea, regularly blowing her cool, chasing elusive cash cows on multiple fronts. Blind street vendor Rodney Kosling. Young Josephine Dell, one of his "regulars," clipped by a car while crossing the street. Harlow Milberg, her wealthy, recently deceased boss. A fishy will. Bickering beneficiaries. A money-grubbing accident witness. Dazzled by dollar signs on every side, Bertha keeps missing the boat. Until finally, thanks to her partner and a thirty-six-hour leave, everything gets sorted and the agency's ship comes in.

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Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?