The Stripper - Anthony Boucher

Story: The Stripper

Author: Anthony Boucher

Source: EQ’s Twentieth Century of Detective Stories

Story Number: 93

He was called Jack The Stripper because the only witness who had seen him and lived had described the glint of moonlight on bare skin. After six murders in three months, the only clue that Lieutenant Marshall has is the fact that the murderer is always naked when he commits the murder.

Sister Ursula calls Marshall and tells him about her professor friend who has sent a mail to her informing her about his knowledge of the identity of the stripper. But Marshall gets this news too late for the professor is found dead in his house – killed by one of his three roommates as the door to the house was locked from inside. The professor, in his mail to Sister Ursula, has left a clue to point to one of his roommates as the naked murderer.

But Sister Ursula needs much more than the religious clue which her friend has left for her – she inspects the rooms of all the three suspects and the clean freshly made bed in each of the rooms with one anomaly gives the vital clue to catch the murderer red handed!