The only common thread is the unusual silk cords that are used for the killings; blue for men and pink for women.

After many popular mystery novels, a radio program and a number of movies, the character of Ellery Queen was at this point firmly established.

approach – brief, synopsized tales about realistic New York City residents – in the opening chapters of his Cat of Many Tails.

They stress realistic accounts of the lives of all classes of New Yorkers, people who are "typical" of some segment of life in the city, and little eccentricity.

"[2] A simplified version of this novel was made into a 1971 TV pilot film titled Ellery Queen: Don't Look Behind You.