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Audiobook editionPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
A puzzling murder, secret societies, and a trail into Mexico: how far must an investigator go to uncover the truth?
In The Double Dagger by Nat Ridley Jr., a death that does not make sense sets an investigator on a search far from home. The crime is the central knot. Untying it means following a trail through a mystery shaped by hidden groups and strange symbols.
The search leads into Mexico, giving this detective story the movement of an adventure. Secret societies stand between the investigator and the truth, while unfamiliar ground stretches the chase beyond its starting point. The pull comes from the puzzle itself: what lies behind the murder, and where will the trail lead next?
What you’ll discover
- A murder to untangle Follow a puzzling death that gives the search its purpose and the story its pull.
- Truth behind closed doors Enter a mystery where secret societies place hidden loyalties between the investigator and the truth.
- The lure of symbols Find the appeal of strange signs woven into a crime story built around concealed groups.
- A trail through Mexico Follow the search into unfamiliar territory, where a change of scene gives the chase fresh momentum.
- Classic crime meets adventure Enjoy a detective puzzle that reaches beyond one place and carries its questions far from home.
Who will love it
You will enjoy this if you like fast detective adventures with clever disguises, narrow escapes, secret societies and border towns, set in the age of jazz clubs.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- Loyalty outweighs an old rivalry
- Small clues expose a hidden threat
- Berry becomes the man being hunted
- A torn coat opens another trail
- A convincing disguise still carries danger
- Rescue creates a bond of trust
- New allies stand beside Ridley
- Changing faces depends on steady loyalties
Who’s who
- Nat RidleyA famous New York private detective, expert in disguise, who takes the case to avenge his friend Dan Steele.
- Berry ToddRidley's loyal assistant, who agrees to impersonate his chief and risk his life to draw the gang out.
- Carl LembergRidley's business rival, a big detective now terrified because his brother, uncle and assistant have been murdered.
- Cora ArdellA brave stenographer in Rolamotaza, cousin of the Lembergs, who is kidnapped because the gang wants her to sign papers.
- El Capitan MartoloA handsome retired army officer and leader of the Tola, who wants the oil wells back by any means.
- Don Juan CastroEl Capitan's lieutenant, a quick-tempered man with a knife who hunts Ridley across the border country.
- Lazy Ike NolanA slow-speaking cowboy with a quick gun, who helps Ridley and wants to protect Cora.
- Slim Jim BurkeIke's tall, thin partner, who knows the hills and joins Ridley's cause.
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The Double Dagger
A frightened detective begs his rival for help, and a double dagger marks the dead in New York and Mexico.
Easy read2–5 hours to read20 languages
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In short
Would you ask for help from the man you have spent years avoiding? Carl Lemberg, a big, loud private detective, creeps into the Times Square office of his chief rival, Nat Ridley.
The Double Dagger at a glance
- Reading time
- About 2 h 55 min2 h 15 min fast, 3 h 25 min slow
- Length
- 41,100 words
- Library level
- Easy short sentences, plain words
Reading time at 238 words a minute (fast 300, slow 200). How long the classics take to read · Updated
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
A rival begs for help
The story opens in Nat Ridley's office high above Broadway. Carl Lemberg, his chief rival, has called to say he wants to see him at once. Berry Todd, Ridley's capable assistant, warns that the man is a snake in the grass.
When Lemberg arrives, he is a shadow of himself. His booming voice once made suspects confess, yet now he slinks in, checks behind him, and mops his face with a big handkerchief. His brother Henry has been murdered, then his uncle August, and now his chief assistant, Dan Steele, who once worked for Ridley.
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Details
- Language
- English
- Reading time
- 3 h 20 min
- Level
- Easy read
Cite this edition
Ridley, Nat, Jr. The Double Dagger. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-double-dagger.
Ridley, N., Jr. (2026). The double dagger. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-double-dagger
Ridley, Nat, Jr. The Double Dagger. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-double-dagger.
@book{ridley2026double,
author = {Ridley, Nat, Jr.},
title = {The Double Dagger},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-double-dagger}
}
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What is The Double Dagger about?
It is a detective adventure in which Nat Ridley investigates the murders of three members of the Lemberg family and a fellow detective. A secret Mexican society leaves a double dagger card on each victim, and the trail leads from New York to Mexico.
What does the double dagger mean in the book?
It is the sign of the Tola, a secret society from Mexico. A card with the drawing is pinned to each victim with a tiny dagger, and a larger knife with two blades serves as the group's weapon and emblem.
Who is Nat Ridley?
Nat Ridley is a famous New York private detective with a team of helpers, including Berry Todd and Baldy Stoler. He is known for disguises, shorthand notes, a sharp eye for clues and a strong sense of loyalty to friends.
The author
Nat Ridley Jr.
Writer
Nat Ridley Jr. is the name on a series of Nat Ridley detective adventures, tales of a New York private detective and his helpers. Little else about the author is certain. The book itself shows the world of its time: Prohibition, jazz clubs, taxis, telephones, night trains and the oil boom along the Mexican border.
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