Erle Stanley Gardner 
The Count of Nine 

You might call Bertha Cool the broad beam of the Cool and Lam Detective Agency. As this story begins, all 200-odd pounds of her are quivering happily at the thought of a fat fee to come. All Bertha has to do is guard the priceless treasures of wealthy explorer Dean Crockett II, who is about to throw a fabulous party. But somebody’s hand is quicker even than Bertha’s gimlet eye, and one valuable jade Buddha and a primitive blowgun disappear. That’s when brainy bantam-weight Donald Lam steps in, and the pace sets off fiercely, before reaching a sensational, unexpected climax.