The Man Higher Up: A Sci-Fi Detective Story by Edwin Balmer and William MacHarg

The Man Higher Up By William Macharg

Introduction

If you are a fan of sci-fi and detective stories, you might enjoy reading The Man Higher Up by Edwin Balmer and William MacHarg. This short story was published in 1927 in the magazine Amazing Stories, which was one of the first publications to specialize in science fiction. The Man Higher Up is the first of a series of stories featuring Luther Trant, a psychological detective who uses a device called the psychograph to solve crimes.

The psychograph is a machine that can measure the emotional reactions of a person by recording their pulse, blood pressure, respiration, and skin conductivity. By using this device, Trant can tell if someone is lying, nervous, angry, or afraid. He can also use it to reconstruct the mental images of a witness or a suspect, and compare them with the physical evidence. Trant believes that the psychograph is the ultimate tool for crime detection, and he often challenges the conventional methods of the police and the courts.

In The Man Higher Up, Trant is hired by Miss Rowan, the niece of a wealthy businessman named John Rowan, who was found dead in his home. The police suspect that Rowan was killed by a burglar who broke into his house and stole his valuable collection of jewels. However, Trant soon discovers that there is more to the case than meets the eye. He finds out that Rowan was involved in a shady deal with a mysterious man higher up, who controlled a network of criminals and corrupt officials. Trant also learns that Rowan’s death was not an accident, but a carefully planned murder.

Edwin Balmer

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Trant uses his psychograph to interrogate the suspects and witnesses, including Miss Rowan, her fiancé Alfred Barton, Rowan’s secretary James Blake, and the burglar Bill Smith. He also analyzes the clues left at the crime scene, such as a bent wire, a photograph, and a note. As he unravels the mystery, he exposes the identity and motive of the killer, as well as the role of the man higher up.

The Man Higher Up is an intriguing story that combines science fiction and detective fiction. It explores the themes of psychology, technology, crime, and justice. It also reflects the social and political issues of the 1920s, such as prohibition, corruption, and organized crime. The story is well-written and suspenseful, with twists and turns that keep the reader engaged. The characters are realistic and complex, especially Trant, who is a brilliant but arrogant detective who often clashes with the authorities.

If you want to read The Man Higher Up by Edwin Balmer and William MacHarg, you can find it online for free at Project Gutenberg or Faded Page. You can also buy it as an ebook from Google Books or eStar Books. You can also watch a video summary of the story at Study.com or read a presentation of it at Prezi.

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FAQs

• What is the psychograph?
  • The psychograph is a device that can measure the emotional reactions of a person by recording their pulse, blood pressure, respiration, and skin conductivity.
• Who is Luther Trant?
  • Luther Trant is a psychological detective who uses the psychograph to solve crimes.
• Who is the man higher up?
  • The man higher up is a mysterious figure who controls a network of criminals and corrupt officials.
• Who killed John Rowan?
  • John Rowan was killed by his secretary James Blake, who was working for the man higher up.
• Why did James Blake kill John Rowan?
  • James Blake killed John Rowan because he wanted to get his share of the money from the deal they made with the man higher up.

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Conclusion

The Man Higher Up by Edwin Balmer and William MacHarg is a sci-fi detective story that features Luther Trant, a psychological detective who uses the psychograph to solve crimes. In this story, he investigates the murder of John Rowan, a wealthy businessman who was involved in a shady deal with the man higher up. Trant uses his psychograph to interrogate the suspects and witnesses, and to analyze the clues left at the crime scene. He exposes the identity and motive of the killer, as well as the role of the man higher up.

The Man Higher Up is an interesting and entertaining story that combines science fiction and detective fiction. It explores the themes of psychology, technology, crime, and justice. It also reflects the social and political issues of the 1920s, such as prohibition, corruption, and organized crime. The story is well-written and suspenseful, with twists and turns that keep the reader engaged. The characters are realistic and complex, especially Trant, who is a brilliant but arrogant detective who often clashes with the authorities.

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