"Stellar Showboat" by Malcolm Jameson follows Special Investigator Billy Neville, who is reluctantly assigned to investigate a wave of blackmail and disappearances in the Asteroid Confederation. After a year of tedious work on Venus, he finds himself in Pallas, where Colonel Frawley, the commandant of the Interplanetary Police, believes Neville's fresh perspective is crucial. The investigation centers around a local magnate, Simeon Carstairs, who possesses valuable secrets that could attract extortionists. Neville's role is to observe Carstairs while posing as a clothing salesman. The plot thickens when a traveling showboat arrives, featuring a performance that includes a parody of Carstairs and Frawley, raising Neville's suspicions. As he navigates the social scene, he becomes aware of subtle changes in Carstairs' behavior, leading him to suspect that something sinister is at play. The story combines elements of mystery, intrigue, and the complexities of human relationships against a backdrop of interplanetary crime.
By Malcolm Jameson · First published 1947 · Genre: Science Fiction, Mystery, Detective Fiction