Another Woman's House: Review

In Another Woman's House (1947) by Mignon G. Eberhart, our heroine, Myra, has decided that she must leave the house she has lived in for several years as well as her beloved guardian, Miss Cornelia. She has fallen in love with Richard Thorne, the owner of the house and Miss Cornelia's nephew, and that will never do. For Richard is married. It doesn't matter that Richard's wife isn't home any more--Alice Thorne was convicted of murder and sent to prison. Myra knows that Richard's code of ethics would never allow him to divorce his wife, no matter what she had done.

But when Myra announces her intentions to leave, she is surprised to discover that Richard returns her feelings and is willing to divorce Alice. Just when it looks like the story might have an early happy ending, Alice comes back home. It turns out that the key witness in the murder trial has recanted his testimony. He had claimed to have seen Alice Thorne murder Jack Manders. But that wasn't true. And without the testimony of an eye witness, the prosecution's case has no foundation. Alice has been pardoned by the Governor (who was the prosecuting attorney) and now the police will be looking for the real murderer. 

I'm afraid this one isn't quite my cup of tea. I much prefer Eberhart's stories with Nurse Sarah Keate. While Sarah does often find herself in the middle of mysteries with Gothic overtones and sinister atmosphere, it's not usually as brooding as this And the core mystery plot is usually handled much more adeptly. I found my attention wandering as Myra made her way through all the sinister forebodings in the house. And it was quite clear from the moment Alice came back who the murderer was. There was no mystery about it all. The suspense that was supposed to build while we waited to see if everyone in the book would figure out who the culprit was....well it just didn't. Build that is. I was pretty frustrated that it took another death before Myra figured it out and then it looked like the culprit was going to get away with it anyway. 

The saving feature of the book is in its characters. Eberhart is very good at providing well-rounded characters with believable motives and psychological flaws. Her characters may behave erratically, but no more so than people do in real life. And it is precisely because you can relate these people to real life that they work. The logic of murderer? I can understand it (I may not agree with it, but I can understand it). Myra's reactions to various situations? Very believable. I can definitely see a woman of principle at that time feeling like she needs to leave rather than pine for another woman's husband. And then, when she realizes he feels the same way, she is ready to fight for their love--even if she has to fight a murderer first.  

★★ and 1/2--which could have been a solid three if the mystery hadn't been so transparent.


[Finished on 2/10/18]

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All Challenges Fulfilled: Vintage Mystery Challenge, Mount TBR Challenge, Strictly Print Challenge, Cloak & Dagger, Birth Year Challenge, Book Challenge, Craving for Cozies, Cruisin' Thru the Cozies, Family Tree Challenge, Crimes of the Century, Mystery Reporter

Stroke of Death

Stroke of Death (aka Such a Nice Client, 1977) by Josephine Bell is a rather squalid tale of the death of an elderly gentleman. It's far more an examination of the evil that men (and women) do than a real whodunit. In fact, there isn't much question at all whodunit or when or why. The real question is--Is anybody going to catch up to this villain? Because as one social worker puts it. "[S/He] was such a nice client" (thus giving us the original title) and nobody official seems to be seeing this person as a real villain. 


Old Mr. Lawrence is visited regularly at his home by various medical professionals to check on his progress after a stroke leaves him paralyzed on his right side and without the power of speech. His daughter-in-law is his primary caregiver--with his son Jim all-too-absent. When Lucy Summers is assigned to him for physiotherapy and first observes her patient (before he sees her), she becomes convinced that the old gentleman is being starved to death.

Just then a blackbird appeared on the hedge. In its beak, held insecurely because of its size, there hung a large crust of bread....Mr Lawrence watched, the trembling left hand moving very slowly upward and out towards the table....The blackbird, hovering uncertainly over the hedge, could hold its heavy burden no longer. It dropped its prize on the centre of the table. Mr. Lawrence's hand swept across and across....The shaking hand closed on the bread, was drawn back and with eager clumsy speed crammed the prize into the lop-sized mouth, already open to receive it.

Mr. Lawrence eats the crust of bread so greedily that Lucy is sure he hasn't had anything to eat all day. Possibly for days. She enlists the aid of Dr. Geoff Harris to investigate but all sorts of official miscues and dropped balls happen. And before any decisions can be made, the daughter-in-law takes Mr. Lawrence to the seaside "for a change in air." He dies in a drowning "accident" when his wheelchair slides off a pier. Things get very interesting when Jim Lawrence, the only son, arrives from Canada to find his father dead and the woman who was in reality Mr. Lawrence's second, much younger wife trying to claim inheritance rights. Jim is convinced that Dorothy Lawrence killed his father for what she thought she would inherit from him--at least the old gentleman still had enough of his senses left to will everything to his son--and he is determined to prove it. Detective Chief Inspector Bartlett is also convinced that murder has been committed, but he's more concerned with the unidentified body which is discovered in the Lawrence's basement.

Generally speaking I enjoy Josephine Bell mysteries--when they really are mysteries. This one I just found to be terribly depressing. I find it hard to believe that a social worker would allow "such a nice client" to so thoroughly pull the wool over her eyes that even when presented with evidence at the end she still can't believe that "poor suffering little woman" killed for personal gain. And I would like to believe that health professionals would be a little more observant and realize that Mr. Lawrence was starving a heck of a lot sooner. That a doctor and a nurse could miss the signs and a physical therapist didn't is staggering. 

Without a true mystery to solve, this just isn't up to Bell's usual standards. The reader feels very sorry for Mr. Lawrence and wants his son Jim to get justice for his father, but there really aren't any characters that one makes a connection with. The sub-plot romance between Lucy Summers and Dr. Geoff Harris, who do a bit of sleuthing on the side as well, doesn't even add much in the way of character interest. If, however, you are interested in the character study of a truly self-absorbed woman who doesn't mind who she sweeps out of her way (permanently), then this might be a book for you. ★★

[finished on 4/12/17]
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This fulfills the "Death by Drowning" category on the Mystery Reporter Challenge as well as serving as my first entry for Rich's 1977 edition of the Crimes of the Century meme.

Fit to Kill: Review

Have you ever wanted to take a graduate course on solving murders? Hans C. Owen offers you the chance with his 1937 murder mystery Fit to Kill. Set at an unnamed (but very Harvard-like) Eastern university, Professor Percival Trout sets out to teach Sergeant Salvadore "Sally" Cusani--and the reader--a thing or two about the finer points of ratiocination.

Judge Albert Somers comes to "Tap Day" at the university to watch (with pride) as his son is preparing to take part in the the annual tradition by which juniors are chosen (tapped out) for Senior Clubs and Honor Societies. He stands at Bob Somers's window overlooking the courtyard where the ceremony takes place and periodically waves encouragement to his son below. Just moments before Bob is tapped for the highest honor, he glances up and is saddened to see that his father is gone. "He's disappointed and has given it up," he thinks to himself. But when he and Tom Gregory, the senior who taps him as top man for Hammer and Coffin (the oldest of the societies), go to his room to share the news, they find that disappointment wasn't the cause for the judge's disappearance--someone has taken advantage of the fireworks being shot off in random celebration and shot Bob's father.

Sally Cusani arrives at the scene to find several people already on the spot--from Bob and Tom to Dean Mather, an old friend of the Judge's, to President (of the College) Donavan and Professor Percival Trout. Trout has apparently been helpful in mysterious matters before and Sally is eager for his help. Between the two of them, they discover several mysterious items in need of explanation. These include the odd number of hats which have gone in and out of the room, the significance of the chipped brick in the fireplace, the bullet lodged in the leather chair, the missing second bullet, and the apparent murder weapon found in the corpse's trouser pocket. More brutal murders follow and the indications are that they have all been perpetrated by the same hand even though the deaths are  different--death by shooting and two deaths by bludgeoning. It will take some clever ratiocination on the part of both Sally and the professor to bring this murderer to justice.

This short novel looked to tick off quite a few boxes in my mystery lover's wish list--vintage mystery, academic mystery, humor, quirky characters. And, for the most part, it was an enjoyable read. The interactions between Sally and the rest of the characters, particularly Professor Trout, are quite fun. The professor gets to lecture a bit on detection without overdoing it and there is plenty of action to move the story along. Just a couple of items prevent this from the four- or five-star range. The racial and social stereotyping (particularly of Italians this time round) is one difficulty for the modern reader. It's not blatantly derogatory, but it does detract from the enjoyment. The other difficulty is the solution. Without giving too much away, I think I can safely say that readers well-acquainted with the tropes of detective fiction will recognize the use of a common solution. The breezy style and humor of the author makes the acceptance of such a common solution a little easier. ★★★ for a solid, entertaining read.


[Finished on 3/22/17] **************
This counts for the "Graveyard" category on the Golden Vintage Scavenger Hunt card as well as my second entry in Rich's 1937 edition of the Crimes of the Century over at Past Offences. If you've got a 1937 mystery on tap, hurry and join us before March ends!

The Thursday Turkey Murders: Review

The Thursday Turkey Murders (1943) is the second in a trio of books by Craig Rice (with help on the third by Ed McBain). These are screwball mysteries starring Rice's photographers with a penchant for landing in the middle of murder, Bingo Riggs and Handsome Kuzak. Bingo and Handsome, late of New York, have decided to head west to seek fortune and fame in Hollywood. Handsome has the added talent of being able to remember everything he has ever read (especially in newspapers) which tends to help the duo get themselves out of more than one jam. 

On their journey west, they get sidetracked in the town of Thursday, Iowa when they accidentally run over a prize turkey. Bingo hops out the car to haggle with the farmer over how much the bird was worth and before you know it, he and Handsome seem to be the proud owners of 500 turkeys with hopes of turning their $1,200 investment into $5,000 with just a few weeks of work. The fact that he and Handsome are city boys who don't know one end of turkey from the other doesn't really bother him. 

But the boys really don't seem to have much time for tending turkeys what with being accused of murdering Gus (the fellow they bought the turkeys from) as well as there being five escaped convicts, a disappearance, a second murder, links to a 15-year-old bank robbery--with the money rumored to be hidden somewhere in Thursday, and a lovely dark-haired beauty who keeps popping in and out when you least expect it. Even though Bingo and Handsome don't know what's going on half the time, they still manage to help the local sheriff round up the bad guy and dig up the missing dough. Which results in the boys coming out about a thousand dollars ahead (even if those turkeys weren't Gus's to sell).

It's quite possible that I just wasn't prepared for Bingo and Handsome's particular brand of screwball this time around. Last February (almost exactly a year ago), I found these two unlikely detectives to be a lot more entertaining in The April Robin Murders. [Yes, I know I'm reading these in reverse order--I take 'em as I can get 'em.] It's also possible that Ed McBain's assistance with the unfinished work made Robin more appealing. Regardless of the reason, I wasn't quite as interested in the shenanigans going on in Thursday. The boys seem to be up to their usual tricks and innocently getting themselves in the middle of crime and murder. The sheriff is a pleasant fellow and makes and interesting foil for our two photographers. It's even clever how the turkeys get worked into everything...but all the turkey feathers in the plot just couldn't tickle my fancy quite enough. ★★ and 1/2. 

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This counts for the "Brunette" category on the Golden Vintage Scavenger Hunt card as well as another entry in Rich's 1943 edition of Crimes of the Century. If you've got a mystery from 1943 to share, come join us!

Death Takes a Bow: Review

Death Takes a Bow (1943) by Frances & Richard Lockridge is the sixth book in their Mr. & Mrs. North series. This one opens with Jerry in a panic because he has to give a short speech introducing one his publishing company's latest stars, Victor Leeds Sproul. He's quite sure he's going to mess it up...even though, as Pam points out, he's quite a good speaker and he always does fine. Little does he know that his audience isn't going to care one way or the other. Not after Sproul declines to come to the lectern when introduced...or rather is incapable of coming to the lectern because he's dead. 

Of course, since the man died while Jerry was introducing him, Pam naturally thinks that this murder is one of theirs. Oh sure, Lieutenant Weigand and Sergeant Mullins will come along and take charge officially, but they won't really get anywhere if she and Jerry don't give them a little help...and a few martinis here and there. And it soon becomes apparent that help might be appreciated because Sproul wasn't exactly a popular fellow--no matter what his book sales might indicate. He was good at stealing other fellows' wives, holding secrets over his "friends'" heads, gloating about his success to those less fortunate, and generally making himself unloved. But who hated him enough to slip him a deadly dose of morphine before his speech? That's what Weigand, Mullins, and the Norths will have to find out. Muddying the waters even more is the presence of a "little dark man" who Jerry sees slipping away from the stage and who may have taken a few vital clues with him.

Pam has her style cramped a bit by the arrival of her nieces. She thinks she's going to be meeting two little girls at the train, but instead she is saddled with two pre-teen/young teenagers (who look and act a bit older than their years) who seem to be magnets for eligible young servicemen. Keeping the girls occupied and away from the sailors and the marines prevents Pam from getting into as much trouble as usual (no tense moments with the killer holding her hostage this time around), but she does manage to spot the murderer based on one key phrase--just before Bill Weigand does. 

This is another fun and light adventure with the Norths. The Lockridges are really very good with dialogue and it's very entertaining to "listen" to the interactions of Jerry and Pam (and her nieces...Pam's way of thinking/talking seems to run in the family ) as well as Weigand and Mullins. I can't say that the mysteries are ever very taxing to the seasoned crime fiction reader, but they are always interesting and entertaining snapshots of New York during the time period. A great escape read. ★★★★

And if you're looking for evidence of 1943...there are several references to the war. Everything from mentioning Jerry's service in "the other war" and the fact that they wouldn't take him this time "because of his eyes" to the nieces' penchant for picking up sailors and marines on leave. But never army men. As the book ends:

Beth and Margie both looked radiant as they came in. They both had sailors.
"Those girls," Pam said, "are unfair to the army. They ought to be--they ought to be picketed."

There is also Jerry's "little dark man" who turns out to be a rather clumsy, third-rate spy and his contact Heinrich. "Heinrich was a bona-fide enemy agent, like you read about. About Grade C, but genuine. The F.B.I. followed him about and snaffled  off people he spoke to. Heinrich was being very useful, but not to the Reich. The F.B.I. was enjoying Heinrich very much." But even with all the allusions to servicemen and Jerry's desire to serve being thwarted and the wandering in and out of Nazi spies, there aren't very many clear markers within the story that this is 1943 rather than any other year in the late 30s or 40s. The New York world of the Norths is pretty insulated from the historical events happening off-stage. 

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This counts for the "Red Object" on the Golden Vintage Scavenger Hunt card as well as the "set in a state that begins with an 'N'" category on the Mystery Reporter challenge. It is also my first entry for Rich's 1943 edition of Crimes of the Century. If you've got a mystery from 1943 to share, come join us!

The Snake on 99: Review

You know, catching a criminal's rather like playing snakes and ladders. You plod ahead, square by square; sometimes you get a bit of luck, and a ladder takes you up a row or tow. Sometimes things go wrong and you slide down a snake. It's the same for the criminal, but he has more snakes and fewer ladders than you do, in the end. And when he things he's nearly  through, there's always the final pitfall, the dirty great snake on 99, waiting to drop him right into our arms. ~Inspector Morgan

It took me about half the book to find out what the title, The Snake on 99, had to do with Stewart Farrar's detective novel. When I first spotted the cover at Half Price books last year, I almost passed it up--it kindof screamed Western at me for some reason. And then I saw the little "Chantecler Mystery Novel" logo on the spine and thought, "Hmm, what's this?" The synopsis on the dust jacket intrigued me enough to make me add it to the pile to take home with me. Then Rich over at Past Offences announced that January would 1959 for his Crimes of the Century feature and I was all set. Because my edition says "first published 1959." But...when doing a little sleuthing on the internet for any tidbits I could find on Stewart Farrar I discovered that 1959 is the first American printing but it was first printed in Britain in 1958 and I don't know if Rich will let me sneak it in...Ah well. It was a good read and let's get on with details.

So...Joe Archer arrives in London to start a new engineering position with his company. He takes up residence at a hotel cum boarding house. He quickly learns the ins and outs of his fellow residents. There's Geraldine Graham, a bit of drama queen who likes to play the '20s vamp; Frank Branson, a good-looking brilliant young City Editor who has his eye on...; Jane White, a lovely young lady of eighteen who always sees the best in everyone. But Frank can make little inroads with Jane because there's also her father Anthony White who is ultra-possessive and jealous of any attentions paid to his only child as well as a rival in the person of Peter Knapp, a photographer with a sardonic sense of humor. Also in the mix is Gerald Hardy, lead reporter at Branson's newspaper. 

It isn't long before Archer joins Branson and Knapp in seeking Miss White's company (whenever "Daddy" isn't looking). Branson has the habit of watching for Jane to come home from her art classes and waving at her from his rooftop garden. Archer decides to steal a march on the handsome journalist and meets her at the corner bus stop. They decide to play a joke on Branson--sneaking round the long way and Jane only calls up to him at the last minute. Branson seems to take the joke well--Jane turns to share her glee with Archer and then the journalist jerks with apparent surprise and topples from the rooftop. 

Jane is devastated; she believes their joke must have caught Branson off-guard and caused an accident, but Archer is certain it was no slip and he makes certain to tell Inspector Morgan so when the police arrive. Morgan has a long history of summing people up quickly and he realizes that Archer is no fool and certainly has no reason to sensationalize. He and Sergeant Pitt soon find more motives for murder than you'd expect at your average boarding house--everything from drugs to blackmail. And yet Farrar makes it all fit together.

This was a delightful surprise. Farrar has a way with characterization that make this a great read. The interactions between Morgan and Pitt are fun and realistic--you can tell that the two have worked together for some time and know how to pull each other's leg without stepping on anybody's toes. They make a good investigative team. And the boarding house inmates are also well-drawn and given a fairly good chance at the spot-light, especially when you consider how short the book is at 191 pages. The plot is interesting, though I will admit that old hands at the mystery game will probably spot most of the solution before the wrap-up--I certainly did. But I was interested enough in the characters and finding out the fine details that I didn't mind. ★★★★

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This counts for the "Any Other Animal" on the Golden Vintage Scavenger Hunt card and maybe (if Rich is lenient) for the Crimes of the Century feature.

Death of a Racehorse: Review

Death of a Racehorse (1959) is the 25th entry in John Creasey's police procedural series starring Inspector Roger West [and, later, Superintendent] of Scotland Yard. It's not ideal to jump into a series mid-stream, but from what I can tell the stories stand well alone. I had no sense of missing vital information about any of the characters. In this particular outing, West has just recently been promoted to Superintendent and is still getting used to the idea. 

When Lady Foley declares in front of witnesses that she will kill her son's racehorse, Shoestring, and Silver Monarch, a horse that looks remarkably like Shoestring, is killed instead--along with a stableman who was charged with guarding the valuable horses, Superintendent West is called upon to sort things out. Having a member of the gentry suspected has made the case a bit of a hot potato for the local police force. Villagers are quite sure that if Lady Foley had done the deed herself then she would never have gotten the wrong horse and she certainly wouldn't have murdered a man in the process. But they're not convinced she didn't hire someone who bungled the job. And then when witnesses come forward to say they saw her at the wheel of her car when the stableman's son was kidnapped and her own son wrecks the car in an effort to hide evidence, things look very black for Lady Foley, indeed. But West believes the evidence may point in other directions and further murders show that the killer is more cold-blooded than Lady Foley appears to be. And the murderer doesn't seem to care who s/he frames for the murder as long as they aren't caught. Was the wrong horse killed? Is there an element of revenge behind the killings? And who is framing whom? These are all questions that West will have to answer before he identifies the culprit.

Despite the fact that I jumped into the middle of the series, this was an excellent introduction to Roger West and his method of criminal investigation. Creasey creates a good balance between descriptive, classic mystery scenes and the standard police procedural. He provides enough twists to keep the reader guessing and still manages to display the clues necessary to solve the puzzle. I did balk a bit at the brutal killings and the total tally is a bit high--but, overall a very satisfying read. Now I just need to go hunt up the previous twenty-four in the series. ★★★★


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This counts for the "Dead Body" category on the Golden Vintage Scavenger Hunt card and for the "Framed for Murder" category on the Mystery Reporter Challenge. there are, in fact, efforts to frame more than one person for the crimes. It is also my first entry in Rich's 1959 edition of the Crimes of the Century meme. If you have any 1959 mystery stories on tap for January, please join us with reviews and discussion.

Dark Lady: Review

Gilbert "Gib" Fowler heads to a cozy cottage for some peace and quiet so he can finish his graduate thesis in American Literature and then get ready to marry the love of his life. Except the cozy cottage was the scene of a ghastly murder about 80 years ago. It's not haunted exactly, but he can't avoid references to it and it does haunt him in a way. He soon discovers that he's much more interested in what happened to the beautiful, blonde Leslie Saxby after her brother-in-law Deane Saxby was tried and convicted of the bloody death of his wife than the portrait of rural American life found in the works of the turn of the century. 

Deane Saxby was a great literary light of the time period which interests Fowler. That light was extinguished when he was tried and convicted of the murder of his wife. At the time, Saxby was overheard having a terrible row with his wife. Later that afternoon, she is found stabbed to death and Deane Saxby is nowhere to be found. When he is found at the train station, he appears to be shocked at the news of his wife's murder and when charged and brought to trial his first plea is "Not Guilty." But something happened to change his plea and he eventually pleaded guilty to second degree murder. He died of a prolonged illness while serving his life sentence in prison and everyone at the time thought justice had been served. But various bits of evidence just don't seem to add up. Fowler begins reconstructing the events of 1884 through conversations with old timers, newspaper clippings, photographs, and scrapbooks. He examines the murder, the suicide of Deane's brother, the inescapable influence of Leslie Saxby, and Deane's literary stories about the mysterious "Dark Lady" to come up with a different solution to the old crime.

This reminds me of Josephine Tey's A Daughter of Time. Inspector Grant, confined to his bed as he recovers from a broken leg, becomes fascinated with the portrait of Richard III and determines to get to the bottom of the murders of the princes in the tower. Starting with his faith in his ability to read faces, he doesn't believe that Richard was a killer. He uses an American researcher to investigate what records can be found. In Doris Miles Disney's Dark Lady (1960), Fowler becomes transfixed by the portrait of Leslie Saxby. Despite the fact that Deane Saxby was an American writer whose work Fowler admired, it is Leslie Saxby's portrait that draws the young scholar into the story. Fowler is a researcher in his own right, so he is the one who follows the clues laid in the newspaper reports and other materials.

Disney writes an excellent investigative story. It doesn't matter that the murder happened over 80 years prior to the book's present day. The story is fresh and the reader is very interested in what Fowler will discover as he delves into the past. The only thing lacking--from my perspective--was sufficient red herrings and suspects to make the mystery truly mystifying. If you begin with the premise that Deane was innocent, it isn't difficult to figure out the solution given all the events of that day and those which followed. As it is, Disney gives us a good solid ★★★ story.

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This counts for the "Full Skeleton" category on the Silver Vintage Scavenger Hunt card and it is my first entry in the 1960 edition of Rich's Crimes of Century over at Past Offenses. If you have any 1960 crime fiction hanging out on your shelves, then come join us!

Black Widower

Mavis Ironmonger, wife of Sir Edward Ironmonger, the newly appointed ambassador to the United States from the recently emancipated Caribbean island of Tampica, is making quite a name for herself amongst the Washing diplomatic corps. Not necessarily a nice name, mind you. She's rumored to be overly-friendly with male Senators and diplomats...and even, gasp, married embassy staff. It's also said that she goes back to her music hall roots when she had a few more drinks than she ought to. And when the Ironmongers host their first diplomatic reception at their brand-new home/embassy, she manages to insult the Israeli ambassador and must be hustled off to her room before she can make an even bigger spectacle of herself. Despite having promised to behave herself and drink only straight tomato juice, she seems to have gotten herself thoroughly sloshed--to the point of passing out on her bed when she's taken upstairs.

That's when Mavis Ironmonger becomes front page news. Sir Edward sends his right-hand man Michael Holder-Watts to bring his wife back downstairs to say farewell to their guests, but Mavis has already made her final farewell...she's dead. With a gunshot in her head and Sir Edward's gun lying close at hand, it gives the initial appearance of suicide. Not the most savory of deaths for a diplomat's wife, but certainly better than the alternative...murder. And murder is just what it is. The Ironmongers' physician, flown in from Tampica, proves that Mavis was drugged (giving her the appearance of intoxication) and would have been out cold when the shot was fired. In an effort to keep things as quiet as possible, Sir Edward refuses to allow American officials to investigate a murder on what is Tampican soil and seeks help from Scotland Yard. He asks specifically for Chief Superintendent Henry Tibbett, a modest, self-effacing man whose gentlemanly demeanor masks a shrewd mind. His investigation takes him to Tampica and after interviews and a collection of clues he meets with Miss Pontefract-Deacon, known as the Queen of Tampica and a woman who knows everything there is to know about Tampica and its inhabitants. Between the two of them, they spot a pattern in the evidence and Tibbett will have to rush back to Washington to prevent a final murder.

Black Widower (1975) is not the best example of Patricia Moyes's detective fiction. The plot is serviceable and Henry Tibbett and his wife Emmy are their usual congenial selves, but transplanting them to Washington and the Caribbean doesn't work as well as their British adventures or even those that take place in Switzerland. And this time around the reader is hit over the head (repeatedly) with the primary clue. I didn't stop to count how many times it's mentioned, but I would think even the dullest of readers would pick up on the fact that was a most important item indeed. You might miss the connection with the suspect (although I kind of doubt that too). 

There is a bit of interesting commentary built into the story on race relations. Modern readers will wince at the attitudes towards the islanders (or if they don't, they should), but having lived through the 70s, I definitely recognize the attitudes. It was very reassuring to see Emmy Tibbitt's reactions to the behavior, though. 

Emmy felt her stomach turning over, and instinctively drew away from Pauline. Is it possible, she thought, that the woman really imagines that Francis can only hear her when she's actually talking to him? Is it possible that she is so insensitive as not to realize what she's saying? Doesn't she think he's human? Oh God, let's get away from them....

A book that's definitely of its time and perhaps it doesn't wear so well because of it. It would fare better if the plot were a little stronger and the clues not so obvious. Also, there is a political and financial theme running throughout the story that could have had more made of it, but I don't think Moyes was comfortable enough with the subject to use it more strongly. A decent read at ★★ and 3/4 verging on a full three.

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11/9/16: For a different take on this one, please see Kate's review at Cross Examining Crime. And, contrary to my remarks about the clue and readers above, I can assure you she's one smart cookie. It just proves that two people can read the same book with very different results.

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This counts for the "Bottle/Glass" category on the Silver Vintage Scavenger Hunt card. It is also my first entry in the 1975edition of Rich's Crimes of Century over at Past Offenses. If you have any 1975 crime fiction hanging out on your shelves, then come join us!

The Mystery of Burnleigh Manor: Review

The Mystery of Burnleigh Manor (1930) by Walter Livingston is perhaps the basis for the plot of many a Scooby Doo cartoon episode. It features a Spooky Old House which none of the locals will go near for love or money. There are rumors of hauntings and footsteps in the walls and an evil  atmosphere that touches anyone who comes near. The only thing missing is the spectre who is really the local policeman in disguise. The last Lord Burnleigh to live within the manor--Lord Edward--had committed suicide in front of his younger brother Cecil on Christmas Eve. Lord Edward's wife and the youngest Burnleigh brother, Robert, had vanished and it was said that Lord Edward had killed them. The lord of the manor certainly appears haunted by something, if not remorse, just prior to shooting himself. And his faithful retainer, Hooper, claims to have seen the ghost of Robert on occasion. Cecil--now Lord Cecil--has the place boarded up, leaves the manor behind, and asks that his representatives check on the property now and again.

Years later, Lord Cecil receives word that the ghost is walking again. Or at least someone has been messing about the place. He determines to get to the bottom of the mystery even if it means taking the manor apart stone by stone. He travels to America to hire a level-headed architect with no connections whatsoever to the manor...or even to England...to come and refurbish the house. And, perhaps, discover what secrets it might hold. When they arrive at the manor, Burnleigh's man Lowry is in possession of the estate's lodge and Lowry's daughter shows every sign of nervous tension. It's also apparent that she would rather that Mr. Riker (the architect) would turn right around and head back to America and not set foot inside the manor. He can't figure out why she's taken such an intense dislike to him.

But it isn't long before strange things begin happening. Hooper is attacked--twice. An owl is hear hooting when no owls should be present in the area. The figure of a woman appears high on the manor's tower--when every entrance is still securely boarded up, and a man walks into a bush on the cliff and disappears. Once Riker enters the manor, he hears the footsteps within the walls and has items vanish from locked rooms. He's sure that Edith Lowry knows more than she's telling--but she seems to be in the grip of an unshakeable fear. He's also sure that it's no ghost playing tricks but a real human agent at work. But who is it and what are they seeking within the manor?

Before I give my take on this mystery, please know that I can't talk about one of the weaknesses without revealing a key point--I"m sure that anyone familiar with mysteries will have spotted it already, but I do want to give fair warning of possible spoilers ahead.

This is a fair mystery. I could see the plot working as a nice little 1930s or 1940s B movie plot--say something like The Ghost Breakers with Bob Hope or The Thirteenth Guest with Ginger Rogers. Lots of atmosphere and lots of spooky action in a gloomy old house. There's not a lot of doubt about who the "ghost" might be (although the possible identity is denied by one of the trusted sources). I certainly enjoyed the setting and Livingston gives us delightful characters to play about in the scene. My big quibble (and this is the spoiler such as it is) is after finding that Lord Cecil has hired an architect (who surely knows his way around edifices and spaces and figuring out dimensions and whatnot) and plopping a book with the the title Notes on the Detection of Hidden Spaces in his lap, the reader should reasonably expect that said architect would figure out from the get-go that there must be at least one secret passage in the manor some place. I mean, come on. I saw that coming as soon as Lord Cecil said there were weird things happening in the place that he wanted the architect to work on and the title of the book was mentioned. Ah ha, says I, There be secret passages here. But Riker goes about trying to figure out how on earth somebody, who he is sure is real and not a ghost, could possibly get into places that are all locked up. Gee, I wonder?

Overall, a fun and fairly solid read coming in at a middle-of-the road ★★★. It would be interesting to find out if Livingston has any other mysteries I could get my hands on and see if he managed any stronger efforts.

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This counts for the "Spooky House/Mansion" category on the Golden Vintage Scavenger Hunt card and it is also my second entry entry in the 1930 edition of Rich's Crimes of Century over at Past Offenses. If you have any 1930 crime fiction hanging out on your shelves, then come join us!

The Wheelchair Corpse: Review

Carl V. has opened his annual R. (eaders) I. (mbibing) P. (eril)  Event and have I got a doozy to kick off my contributions to R.I.P. XI. The Wheelchair Corpse (1930; aka Murder on the Palisades) provides the reader with a murder spree to satisfy the most blood-thirsty vintage mystery tastes. Someone seems to have it in for the family of Dr. Manx, a famous diagnostician and four of them will die (with a fifth one promised) before Jimmy Hale, newshound and amateur sleuth, and his friend, the gifted scientist Professor Brierly, can put together all the clues leading to the villain.

As the book opens, "Iron Man" Hite, city editor for a New York newspaper, is weeding out the anonymous tips and crazy communications that often cross his desk when he comes across one that is different enough to make him pause with his hand over the trash can.

Conrad Manx , Jr. will die of meningitis. He will be Number One.

And the "Number One" is given using the Hebrew Alphabet. Not your average crackpot. But how could anyone predict a case of meningitis? Hite decides to play a hunch and asks Hale to investigate the Manx family and see what interesting tidbits he can dig up. But there's nothing doing. The most scandalous thing Jimmy can find on the Manx clan is that Dr. Manx apparently married his second wife an indecently short time after her husband died. And so Hite throws away the note. Three weeks go by. And an undertaker submits an obituary notice announcing the death of Conrod Manx, Jr. Cause of death? Meningitis.

The sleuthing reporter is back on the case and gathers as much information as he can before consulting Professor Brierly. The gruff scientist isn't interested until a second message is received which declares that a second Manx is going to die. This time the anonymous writer names no names and gives no method of dispatch--but Hite and Hale take it seriously none-the-less.  And this time Jimmy has Brierly's attention--he collects the professor and his assistant Matthews on his way to the Manx estate in New Jersey--making friends with Connors, the local chief of detectives along the way. Dr. Manx doesn't exactly welcome them with open arms and after listening to their story, he orders them to leave. The men have barely shut the door behind them when they hear a loud crash and a rasping sound half-way between a groan and a cry. When they re-enter the room, they find Dr. Manx dead from a horrible wound in the back of his head and the window and shutters broken.

It has every appearance of an impossible crime. Hale, Brierly, and company were outside the only usable entrance to the room (there is another door, but a stack of heavy chairs blocks it). There is no object in the room capable of  causing such damage to a human skull. And when they rush to the window (mere moments after bursting into the room), there is no one near enough to have done the deed. Manx number two is gone. Two more will join these unfortunate men before Professor Brierly begins to gather the evidence necessary to unravel this mystery. And it isn't until a fifth is predicted that he has everything he needs to explain who is behind this evil plot to eradicate the Manx clan.

This is a delightfully fun murderous romp. Sure, folks are dying through the most outlandish means. Yeah, there's a bit of esoteric scientific knowledge necessary for the solution that the average Joe or Jane probably doesn't have. There's a rather unbelievable bit of (redacted so I won't give away a plot point) going on.  But it doesn't matter. This is just fun. The characters are engaging and book moves along at a terrific pace and before you know it, you're at the end of the story with the plot all wrapped up and Professor Brierly bemoaning the lack of perspicacity of his companions. ★★★★

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With the red brick wall, this counts for the "Red Object" on the Golden Vintage Scavenger Hunt card. It is also my first entry in the 1930 edition of Rich's Crimes of Century over at Past Offenses. If you have any 1930 crime fiction hanging out on your shelves, then come join us!

 

Murder Every Monday

Clifford Flush is a founding member of the Asterisk Club--a club specifically for people who have been wrongfully acquitted of at least one murder. That's right: sedate little Mrs. Barratt has disposed of two husbands; Colonel Quincey is an expert "hunter;" The Creaker has done such horrible deeds that even his fellow club members won't let him "talk shop;" Miss Dina Parrish, club secretary, managed to lose her fiance off the edge of a cliff; and Clifford himself was once known as the Balliol Butcher. They have all managed to curb their murderous inclinations for quite some time...that is until Clifford finds himself giving into the urge to try and shove his bridge partner Armitage under a bus. He's unsuccessful (for the first time in his life) and Armitage blackmails him into leaving London.

After discussing the situation with his fellow club members, they all decide to head to the country and start a school for prospective murderers. For quite some time their pupils are are well-behaved little assassins and pass their courses (Grips, Knots, Electricity, Court Etiquette, Alibis, etc) with flying colors--going out into the world to rid themselves of various annoying family members, business associates, and what-have-you. 

Until the latest crop of would-be-murderers come along. And someone has the effrontery to work ahead of schedule and commit a murder on the school premises before the diplomas are handed out. Flush had a feeling that this particular group was going to be troublesome from the moment they arrived and the beastly heat didn't do anything to improve the atmosphere. Will they be able to solve their own home-grown murder without the cops getting wise?

Murder Every Monday (1954) by Pamela Branch was a disappointing read. The blurb on the back promised much more than the book delivered: "Original plots like this are why Carolyn Hart called Branch's humor 'incomparable' and why Dean James of Houston's Murder by the Book described Branch's book as 'British farce at its best.'" I've heard that Branch's earlier books are better--I certainly hope so because this one just didn't do much for me. If "incomparable humor" means that all of the characters speak in apparent non sequiturs, then, yeah, Branch has that covered. If it also means that there's a lot of scenes with one of the female pupils screeching at her supposed lover, then, yeah, we've got that too. 

But, honestly, I have a preference for British mysteries and British humor and I just can't say that I found this funny at all. the premise was interesting (and would be the main reason I picked this reprint up),--after all a murderous school for scoundrels sounded like a nifty idea and some of the descriptions at the beginning did make me think that this might be a funny book. But it didn't deliver. I actually finished this book three days ago and I honestly couldn't tell you many details about it. I've got my bottom line reaction and that's it. [I guess I better start taking more notes as I read....] ★ and a half--all for premise, setting, and situation. Oh...and for one character--Paget, the butler, who isn't all that keen on his employers' occupation.

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This fulfills the "Rope/Noose" category on the Golden Vintage Scavenger Hunt card and is my third entry in the 1954 edition of Rich's Crimes of Century over at Past Offenses. If you have any 1954 crime fiction hanging out on your shelves, then come join us!

Invitation to Murder: Review

Leslie Ford's Invitation to Murder (1954) is set against the rarefied air surrounding the rich inhabitants of Newport, Rhode Island. It has as its main ingredients: a well-endowed trust fund, a necklace of star rubies, the disappearance of the patriarch, and four murders.

Fish (James Fisher) Finlay comes back from the Korean War minus a portion of his leg and missing a chunk of his self-esteem. He goes to work for the Merchants & Mechanics Bank and Deposit Company and earns enough respect from Caxson Reeves, Vice President, to be given a watching brief on the James V. Maloney Trust. As soon as he gets involved, he suspects that Nikki de Gradoff, fourth husband of Dodo Maloney, was scheming to gain possession of Dodo's fortune. There are rumors that de Gradoff helped his previous wife to shuffle off this mortal coil.

But...the fortune doesn't actually belong to Dodo. It is being held in trust for Jennifer Linton, Dodo's daughter by her first marriage.  Dodo holds the purse strings and an interest in the trust until Jennifer's 22nd birthday. Dodo, her husband, her husband's cousin, and the cousin's cousin all gather at Enniskerry, the family's enormous Rhode Island estate. Under the glitter of the parties and the social hours, there are tensions, but things really heat up when Polly Randolph, a reporter with information for Fish, is pushed to her death on the rocks below. Dodo has never told her husband that all that pretty money isn't really hers forever and Fish worries about what might happen to Dodo if he remains in the dark--or to Jennifer if de Gradoff has a sudden revelation. Then a funny little French waiter disappears and an attempt is made on Fish's life. These and various other apparently unrelated incidents all add up to a deep-laid plot that will end in another death.

This Ford book makes for pleasant reading. It's not a knock-out book by any standard, but Ford does what she does so well--provides interesting characters in a country house setting. There is plenty of underlying currents and hidden motives, but the seasoned mystery reader won't be fooled for long on who's behind it all (which prevents this from soaring past the three-star mark). If you're looking settle down for an evening's enjoyment with an interesting cast and a good setting, then this is just the ticket. ★★★

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With a phone on the cover that obviously isn't going to be making any calls [I missed that if it's in the book...], the counts for the "Broken Object" category on the Golden Vintage Scavenger Hunt card. This is also my second entry in the 1954 edition of Rich's Crimes of Century over at Past Offenses. If you have any 1954 crime fiction hanging out on your shelves, then come join us!

Murder on Trial: Review

Murder on Trial (1954) is Michael Underwood's debut novel and the first of thirteen novels featuring Inspector Simon Manton (later, Superintendent). Underwood wrote these police procedurals from the mid-1950s through 1965. My previous experience with Underwood's work was primarily with his later series focusing on Rosa Upton, a London solicitor. I was delighted to discover this earlier series--especially since it begins so strongly.

Inspector Manton is sitting in the Old Bailey, watching with interest as the prosecution presents its case against William Edgar Tarrant for the murder of a young police constable. Many of the officers familiar with Tarrant are surprised that the charming conman had turned to violence--he'd never even been caught with a firearm on his person before. And, just maybe he hadn't done so this time. For as the prosecution wraps up their case and the court is dismissed until the defense can begin on the morrow, Tarrant makes a declaration before exiting the dock:

I'd like to say, my lord, that when I give my evidence tomorrow, I shall be forced to make certain disclosures.

Manton is curious to hear what Tarrant has on his mind. So are a few other people. But one person in the court room wants to make sure they never find out. And in a daring move  manages to shoot Tarrant in the middle of the Old Bailey before he can take the stand in his own defense. You'd think that someone would have seen who did it. But just before the shot, a young woman lets out a dreadful scream which draws the attention of the court. Apparently no one, including Inspector Manton, saw who shot Tarrant through the heart as he was making his way to the witness box. Why did Maisie Jenks scream out seconds before the gun went off? And why did a juror run out of the courtroom seconds after the victim lay dead on the floor? Who threw the gun down beside the lifeless body? Inspector Manton's investigation of these very baffling circumstances provides a new and ingenious mystery that unfolds at a fast pace.  

This really was a surprise delight--the courtroom scenes are well done and it was a very ingenious twist to have a murder occur right in the middle of a trial--in the Old Bailey of all places and right under the nose of a Scotland Yard inspector, the judge, and the jury. I don't know if this is the first time it's happened in crime fiction, but it certainly is the first time I've encountered this plot device. I had a sneaking suspicion on the who but, being unable to figure out precisely how, discarded my initial suspect and hoped that my second choice would pan out. No such luck. My one small quibble with the book is that Manton seems a bit slow on the uptake when it comes to two of the witnesses, but Underwood did need to build up a bit of suspense somewhere. Overall, this short novel (122 pages) was such a promising introduction to Inspector Manton and Underwood's crime fiction that I will definitely be looking for more of the series. ★★★★

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This counts for the "Blunt Instrument" category on the Golden Vintage Scavenger Hunt card as well as my first entry in the 1954 edition of Rich's Crimes of Century over at Past Offenses. If you have any 1954 crime fiction hanging out on your shelves, then come join us!

I actually finished this book on 8/2/16, but I've gotten a bit behind on my reviews....

 

Checkmate to Murder: Review

It's the early 1940s. London. A fog-shrouded night with windows draped in black-out curtains or painted over to meet the black-out standards. In Bruce Manaton's barn-like studio, the hush of the fog seems to seep in and focus the concentration of the oddly-assorted group gathered for the evening. Bruce, a talented but as of yet unsuccessful artist, is fully focused on his latest painting--a portrait of a man in the scarlet robes of a Cardinal. The model for this work is Andre Delaunier, an equally talented and unsuccessful actor, who holds his pose with the import of Shakespearean drama. At the other end of the room, Robert Cavenish, a thoroughly respectable Home Office man, and Ian MacKellon, a brilliant chemist somehow connected with the war effort, are thoroughly engrossed in a game of chess. Moving in and out from the kitchen just beyond, Rosanne Manaton, the artist's sister, prepares dinner and runs her own artistic eye over the tableau. Outside, muffled by the fog are various warning signals and other noises. Among them a shot?

For next door, the Manatons' miserly landlord, Albert Folliner, is shot to death in his sitting/bedroom and apparently robbed of his miser's stash. The Special Constable who has been on his nightly rounds comes bursting into the Manatons' lodging dragging a young Canadian soldier as prisoner. The soldier is Neil Folliner, the nephew of the slain man, and the Special Constable swears he has caught the man red-handed. But Scotland Yard sends Inspector Macdonald to take over the case and when he has finished taking statements, examining the premises--both the studio and the landlord's rooms, and following up the clues that escaped the constable's nervous eyes, he finds that all may not be as straight forward as it seems. For instance--if the constable came upon Neil Folliner after the crime was committed, why have the former's footprints been overlaid by the latter's? And what happened to the loot? And is Mrs. Tubbs really just the jolly cockney charwoman that she seems to be? And what about those previous tenants of the studio?

As I told John from Pretty Sinister Books (who tried to warn me away from this one), I must have a thing for Lorac's fog-shrouded, black-out-centered mysteries, because I thoroughly enjoyed her Checkmate to Murder (1944). Inspector MacDonald is a very thorough yet very human policeman. He is never quick to judge and he has a way of seeing everything--even the things the witnesses and suspects think they've hidden properly. The mystery is fairly clued--maybe too fairly, because I figured this one out. Not absolutely every little detail, but enough that I'm calling it a win for Inspector Bev. 

But figuring out the solution fairly early didn't detract from my enjoyment. The characters are well-drawn and Mrs.Tubbs, Folliner's charwoman; Mrs. Stanton, whose garden backs up against the "murder house' and studio; Mrs. Blossum, the owner of the Green Dragon pub; and Bert Brewer, a rheumatic gardener all add a good bit of local period color to the proceedings. ★★★★ for a highly enjoyable wartime mystery.

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This counts for the "Artist/Art Equipment" category on the Golden Vintage Scavenger Hunt card as well as my second entry in the 1944 edition of Rich's Crimesof Century over at Past Offenses. If you have any 1944 crime fiction hanging out on your shelves, then come join us!