3 SEPTEMBER 1937, Page 30

MAN-HUNTERS By George Dilnot Mr. Dilnot knows how to make

a true crime story as fascinating and exciting as fiction—which in these days is saying a lot. InMan-Hunters (Robert Hale, 2 s 6c1.) he retells some. of the most celebrated achievements of modem'deteCtives. Mr. Dilnot is of course an expert on the ject of crime and detection, and many years as a star crime reporter have taught him how to dish up this sort of story sensa- tionally and yet accurately. Among the famous detectives whose cases he deals with are the American John Edgar Homier, creator of the " G-Men," Wensley of Scotland Yard, dorOn of the Paris Surete—whose methods are all strikingly different. In Germany ex- cessive departmentalisation' discourages the development of individual genius. There is, for instance, a department to deal with thefts from butchers. iVir. Dilnot has chosen .a good variety of cases : Adolf Beck, the kidnapping of Jacob Factor, the Voisin case and others less familiar He might perhaps have let the Ruxton case lie a little longer ; it is still too much like reading yester- day's newspaper.