I just chanced upon this Blackie episode without having seen others since I was very young. It is a cut above most of the series of its time. Chester Morris, not unlike his counterparts like William Powell, the Thin Man, had a sparkle that carried the series. He also has a set of quite funny sidekicks. In this one, a man creates a phony first edition of Dickens' "Pickwick Papers." It is auctioned off for more the 60,000 dollars and later discovered to be a fake. Blackie gets framed for the business. It's always interesting how a policeman like Detective Faraday can constantly assume that Blackie is responsible for every crime committed in the city. Even though he has apprehended numerous bad men. There is an interesting Femme Fatale in this one to keep things interesting. Pretty good work for Morris.

Always willing to help his rich friend Arthur Manleder, Blackie goes into a 'racket' pretty strange for him: he agrees to impersonate the sick book expert at an auction of rare books for the bookstore Manleder has just taken over - and soon finds out that it's not only jewels that can be VERY valuable, but also rare old first editions: a Dickens book with the author's signature in it brings 50 000 dollars at the auction! Only that the buyer very soon finds out that it's a counterfeit - and following the first tracks, Blackie very soon finds himself once again with a body at his feet and a gun in his hand, and facing Inspector Faraday...Another FANTASTIC performance by Chester Morris, who in the course of the series really developed into a first-class impersonator of the weirdest characters - and an absolutely NEW feature in the 'Boston Blackie' movies: a REAL, reckless femme fatale fit for any Film Noir! Be prepared for a LOT of surprises...

Boston Blackie Booked on Suspicion (1945) *** (out of 4) Eighth film in Columbia's Boston Blackie series is one of the better films. This time out Blackie (Chester Morris) gets involved in a first edition book, which turns out to be a fake and soon a man is dead and Blackie is the main suspect. This 66-minute film flies by and manages to be quite good even though these story lines are starting to repeat themselves with minor issues. Morris is once again very energetic and fun to watch in the role. The supporting cast of George E. Stone, Richard Lane and Frank Sully adds a lot to the movie as does the femme fatale played by Lynn Merrick.

For a relief from the real world which seems full of suicidal terrorist savages, I turned to this one out of the Boston Blackie series. A simple plot: Counterfeit Pickwick Papers bought for $62,000 at auction, Blackie goes into overdrive after the thieves especially because, as usual, Inspector Farraday believes he's at the bottom of it all. With a few neat twists and turns and plenty of wisecracking it reaches a logical and satisfying conclusion - unless in error you thought you were watching Fellini - and in fact fits together like a done jigsaw puzzle. No big surprises then, but I'll have to leave you to guess whether Blackie gets his...person or not - no spoilers!Good bits: Trussed up Blackie + cigar untying himself in hoodlum's den; Steve Cochran alternating as usual between a Tough Cookie and a Poodle; the scenes inside the hotel's dumb waiter. At this point my daughter insists Steve was gorgeously handsome and a Man! Bad bits: Too many forced laughs by the main characters, it was pleasant enough without that.