Susanna, Don't You Cry!

 Susanna, Don't You Cry! (1946) by Mary Plum

"Murder is Murder and ghosts is ghosts and maybe the twain have met." ~Butch Milstone

Susan Marquette returned home early from a visit to an old friend in Chicago. and was shocked to learn from the taxi driver (an old friend) that her uncle James Blackett had died. She's especially concerned because the reason for her early return is a not she received from her uncle which indicated there was some trouble.

I want to talk to you. You'd better know what those crooks are up to. They'll get the Spreading Arms over  my dead body, but they're a trick bunch of thieves and you'd better know.

Susan should be his heir but no one contacted her to tell her about the death....or the inquest...or the funeral. Not his lawyer (who should have been trying to contact the next of kin. And not even her sister. She can't understand why. There also seems to be some mystery about whether or not she is her uncle's heir and whether there's anything to inherit if she is. All he seems to have had to leave is a huge and heavily mortgaged inn--the Spreading Arms. Susan also has doubts about her uncle's death--she learns that the inquest was rushed and there was no autopsy even though the circumstances were very odd indeed. 

Supposedly Uncle Jim went out rowing, overdid it, and his groggy heart gave out--so he fell in and drowned. But nobody told the court about the injury on the back of his head or the fact that there were no oars to be found. When she discovers the oars stored under the pier, precisely where her uncle always kept them her doubts increase. And when she finds out that the banker who held the mortgage on the inn has made a lucrative deal (along with a couple of politicians) to sell the inn to the Armed Forces so it can be converted into an Army Hospital, she's even more sure that something is rotten in Portland, Iowa. 

Two injured soldiers--one of whom is the son of the banker--show up at the inn because Uncle Sam has ordered them to the hospital. Nobody has told the government that the deal hasn't quite gone through and the hospital isn't operational yet. When Henry Curwood & his pal Butch Milstone hear Susan's story, they also suspect that something rotten is going on. Henry doesn't believe his father is the villain of the piece, but he's determined to get the bottom of it--no matter who the villain is. Susan, Anna, Henry and Butch all start investigating and find themselves in the middle of a plot that includes random thousand dollar bills, a stolen car, a "ghost" that pops in and out of cellars, a bank clerk's sudden resignation, and a certain character who has been double-dealing all along. It will take a few more deaths and a near-fatal attack on Susan before they'll produce the right culprit. 

This started out slow and I had to wade through a rather confusing scene when the soldiers arrive at the inn--everyone seemed to be talking at cross-purposes and/or in riddles. But once that was over, things picked up and moved quickly. Our four sleuths tracked down the necessary clues and made sense of the mystery in a tidy and nicely thought-out plot. I enjoyed Susan and Henry and watching everything unfold. Their banter back and forth (some quoted below) reminded me of Peter and Harriet on the beach looking for clues in Have His Carcase. It has a light and frothy air, but it is also good solid entertainment and a decent mystery. ★★★ and 1/2

First line: Early June and already hot enough for the annual demonstration of frying eggs on a sunny sidewalk!

Is this where we start detecting? That must be the sand bar; it's the only one in sight anyhow. Looks as though Hercule Poirot, Mr. Fortune, Please, Asey Mayo, and Herr Hambledon Esquire had all precede me. Why can't people be more careful? Even my genius cannot find clues if all the riffraff of Scotland Yard and the FBI is permitted to run wild before my arrival. (Henry Curwood; p. 110)

HC: What do we do first?

SM: I haven't the least idea. I supposed you'd know. What sort of sleuth are you, anyway?

HC: Magnificent. Bunter, my camera and portable darkroom, please.

SM: I hadn't space for them and the calipers too.

(Henry Curwood, Susan Marquette; p. 111)

Last line: Ah well, tomorrow was another day!

Deaths = 3 (one hit on head; one shot; one car accident)

The Mystery of the Whispering Mummy

 The Mystery of the Whispering Mummy (1965) by Robert Arthur

The Three Investigators find themselves investigating two mysteries that intertwine. The first doesn't sound too exciting: an excitable woman by the name of Mrs. Mildred Banfry wants them to find her missing cat. The cat is an Abyssinian by the name of Sphinx with one orange and one blue eye. It's been missing about a week. The second mystery comes their way via their friend Mr. Alfred Hitchcock. Hitchcock writes to them and asks the boys to help out his friend Professor Yarborough.

The professor is an Egyptologist with many artifacts in his home--a veritable private museum. Among his treasures is the mummy of Ra-Orkon. The mummy has recently arrived from Egypt where it had been on loan to an Egyptian museum. No sooner had it arrived than it began whispering--but only to Professor Yarborough when he was alone in the room with it. The mummy seems to be muttering in a foreign language, but the professor can't quite make out any of the words. His butler thinks either his employer is getting a little senile or, if the mummy really is whispering, then it's because Ra-Orkon is angry and ready to carry out the curse against those who disturbed his rest in Egypt. Several men associated with the expedition have died...and Wilkins doesn't want the professor or himself to be next. 

Jupiter is eager to take on the case and he and Pete meet with the professor. They are unable to get the mummy to whisper while they're in the room. But they do capture (and then lose) an Egyptian boy who seems awfully interested in the professor's house. Jupiter gets an idea about how to fool the mummy into speaking to him and says they'll come back later. But when Pete seems to be reluctant to take on muttering ancient Egyptians, he sends the Second Investigator to interview the lady about her cat. Before Jupiter can fully unravel the mystery, the mummy is stolen. When the boys track it down, they're then able to beard the thieves in their den and discover exactly how and why the mummy speaks. And...they find the cat which has played an important role in the case.

This was an excellent Three Investigators mystery. Jupiter does a nice bit of deduction figuring out how the mummy whispers. That's the most ingenious part of the plot. And the adventures the boys have on their way to the solution are engaging and action-packed and just right for the target age group. It was easy to figure out who the villain of the piece was (there aren't exactly suspects thick and heavy on the ground), but I can't say that the Investigators really deduce that one....Jupiter (locked inside the mummy case) is taken straight to the suspect's place and the others wind up there purely by accident. But it is a nice wrap-up nonetheless. Very enjoyable. ★★★★

First lines: "Save me! Save me!" cried a strange, high-pitched voice in great terror.

Last lines: Whatever it was, it would be something unusual. Of that he had no doubt.

**************

Deaths = one hit by car; murdered in a bazaar; one snake bite

The Ghost in the Gallery

 The Ghost in the Gallery (1955) by Carolyn Keene

The Starhurst School is preparing to put on an operetta set in the time of Louis XIV called Spring Is Here in order to raise funds for a local charity. In addition the girls of the school are devising original songs and there will be a contest in which the four top songs will be included in the show. Jean and Louise Dana have written a song titled, most appropriately, "We're All Mysterious" which they believe will be a top contender. But their music is repeatedly stolen and then their rival Lettie Briggs insists that the Danas actually stole their song from the radio--because she has heard the same tune with similar words played. So--mystery number one: who stole their music? Was it Lettie, determined that she would get the better of the Danas for once? Or maybe it was the temporary maid who is filling for a reglar servant? And then there's a mysterious red-haired man who's been hanging around. And then, of course, they have to deal with the standard "mean girl" behavior from Lettie and her gang.

Meanwhile, there are other mysteries to be solved. The operetta has generated such interest that the school has sold more tickets than their auditorium can hold. So, the girls suggest that they ask to rent the Mozart Music Hall which is owned by a former singing star. Mrs. Merrill is more than happy to let school use the Hall, but warns the girls that there are rumors that the Hall is haunted. It isn't long before the Starhurst students see a ghostly figure and hear weird singing. Various attempts are made to discourage the girls from using the hall--from the ghostly sightings to a fake official declaring the Hall as condemned. But the Danas are determined that the show must go on and that they must discover why someone wants them out of the Hall so badly.

There are signs that someone has been searching for something, both backstage and in the basement. And when the Danas hear a story about the last musical performance to be held in the Hall--nine years ago--they believe they have their answer. On that occasion, Mrs. Merrill was playing her last stage role as well. It was a role that called for the singer to be covered in jewels. She unwisely chose to use her own valuable heirlooms which were stolen during the performance. The thief was never caught and the jewels were never seen again. The Danas suspect that that the jewels never left the building and that someone is trying to find them. They want to beat whoever that is to the punch.

As I noted in a previous Dana Girls Review (By the Light of the Study Lamp), I read a few of the Dana Girls mysteries when I was young, but I never got into them like I did the Nancy Drew stories. I never really thought about why, but now that I've read this one I really think it has a lot to do with the "mean girls" story line. I really find it hard to believe that a girls' school would tolerate the consistent bad behavior by Lettie and her followers. We're not just talking school girl gossip and pranks. In this outing, Lettie gets a fairly violent man to harass the Danas and he dumps them down an old well. They could have been seriously hurt. But no real punishment has ever been doled out to Lettie in any of the stories I read and Wikipedia notes that over the course of the series: 

 Lettie alters or steals school assignments, plagiarizes their work, destroys academic research, puts acid on Jean's towel before an athletic competition (to injure her hand), jeers/cheers against the Danas, short-laces shoes, hires a thug to disrupt an ice skating competition and winter carnival, and spreads rumors of all kinds about the Danas, along with making other character slurs. Incredibly, based upon their academic performance and favored status, Mrs. Crandal [the headmistress] remains neutral, or at times, becomes angry with the Danas, and requires the sisters to make an explanation. In most circumstances she is immediately satisfied with her investigation....Lettie, on the other hand, despite her disruptive, dishonest, and at times, actual criminal behavior, rarely receives due punishment.

My sense of justice is outraged. One would think that Lettie's wealth could only protect her (if that's what is happening) for so long before Mrs. Crandall would be obliged to do something about the outrageous and sometimes criminal actions. One of the things I like least about The Secret in the Old Clock (Nancy Drew) is the Topham girls and the way they behave. I can't imagine that I would have read all of the Nancy Drew stories if they kept popping up to throw a wrench in Nancy's investigations.

The mystery itself is a pretty good one and all of the stars are for that. ★★★

First lines: "Louise Dana! It's you! You startled me in that Louis XIV costume."

Last line: "And I'd like to know how two girls as young as you have discovered that we all are a little mysterious?"

***************

Deaths = one natural

The Witches' Bridge

 The Witches' Bridge (1967) by Barbee Oliver Carleton

Set in Massachusetts. The Pride family has had its share of troubles over the years. During the time of the witch trials in America, an ancestor by the name of Samuel Pride was accused and executed as a witch--based on an accusation by the Bishop family. The years that followed found the Prides being blamed for all that went wrong in the area around Pride's Point and superstition kept everyone from using the causeway bridge that led to their land. Rumor said that the witch Samuel would appear as a large black dog and folks claimed to hear Samuel playing his fiddle near the Witches' Bridge.  And a feud-state existed between the Prides and the Bishops from that day to the present. 

Years later Daniel Pride (our young hero's grandfather and namesake) decided that all the superstitions were bunk and determined to lay the feed between the families to rest. He offered an olive branch as well as making an offer to buy back the shipyard which the Bishops could no longer make use of. But on the night the transaction was to take place, something strange happened. Daniel set off across the causeway to meet the Bishops, but he never made it. Footprints showed that he had run--as if in fright--and he was found dead near the family chapel. There was a mark in the mud from the briefcase he had carried, but no briefcase was ever found. The Prides believed the case had the papers proving that the shipyard had been bought and paid for, but the Bishops claimed Daniel never arrived for the meeting and the case should still hold the money. Each side believed the other to be at fault--and so the feud continued.

Young Dan Pride's father left Pride's Point (and America) as soon as he could--living for the most part in England. When Dan's father and mother are killed in a plane crash, his Uncle Julian sends for him to come live at the family estate. Dan hopes for a warm welcome and a new home, but his uncle is withdrawn and the townsfolk are wary of a new Pride--especially when Dan hears the strange music and talks about it. And even when he seems to make new friends--the handyman Billy Ben and the twins Pip and Gilly--there is unexplained tension. He's just not sure who he can trust. Especially once he realizes that someone is still searching for that missing briefcase and someone is setting him up to be a scapegoat when things go wrong. Can Dan find the case before his unknown enemy and will he be able to prove himself innocent when the time comes? 

Carleton does an excellent job with atmosphere and uses the witch legend to full advantage. It may be the middle of summer, but the foggy marshland, eerie nights in the country, storms rolling in, and the spooky music near the bridge all work to make this a very appropriate book to read during the month of Halloween. We get all the trappings for a spooky story--a witch's ghost, creepy music, an ancient curse (uttered by the original "witch"), a large, ugly black dog, and an unexplained death. If the atmosphere hadn't been so good and the characterizations of Dan, Pip, Gilly, and Uncle Julian hadn't been so vivid, it might have been easy to read this as a Scooby-Doo type mystery. After all, good ol' [redacted] winds up being the villain and s/he nearly says "If it hadn't been for those meddling kids..." But Dan's struggles against loneliness and his efforts to find friends in a new place are very poignant and his bravery in the face of those against him and the mystery surrounding him makes this a better than average story. 

It was also good how Carleton used Dan's overcoming his fear of swimming to help him solve the mystery of what happened to the briefcase. If he hadn't finally made friends with Pip and Gilly and learned to swim with them, the mystery would never have been solved. There are a lot of good lessons about overcoming--overcoming one's own doubts and fears; overcoming prejudice; and overcoming superstition. The one thing I didn't care for was the escape of the villain at the end...after all that s/he had done we (and Dan) deserved to see them hauled off to jail. ★★★★

First line: The gray day ended as it began, too cold for May, and threatening a storm.

Last line: Then they reached the bend, and Pride's and all with it was lost to view.

************

Deaths = 5 (two plane crash; one hanged; one tortured; one natural)

September Pick of the Month

 

It's that time again...time to choose September's mystery star and take a peak at the reading statistics. September is another a busy month for me. The university is in full swing and it seems like everything is going on. But I still managed to do a bit better than last month--17 books--up just slightly from 16--even though my page count went down. All but two of the books had a mystery flair. We'll take a look at the star ratings in a moment, but before we hand out the shiny prize/s, let's take a look at the stats.

Total Books Read: 17
Total Pages: 3,741
Average Rating: 3.35 stars 
Top Rating: 4.5 stars 
Percentage by Female Authors: 53%

Percentage by Male Authors: 47%

Percentage by both Female & Male Authors: 0%

Percentage by US Authors: 41%
Percentage by non-US/non-British Authors:  6%
Percentage Mystery: 88%

Percentage Fiction: 100%
Percentage written 2000+: 6%
Percentage of Rereads: 12%
Percentage Read for Challenges: 100% {It's easy to have every book count for a challenge when you sign up for as many as I do.}    
Number of Challenges fulfilled so far: 72 (66%)

Mysteries Read

A Scream in Soho by John G. Brandon (4 stars)

Read & Buried by Erika Chase (2 stars)

Death Comes as the End by Agatha Christie (3.5 stars)

Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie (4.5 stars)

N or M? by Agatha Christie (4 stars)

The Witch Tree Symbol by Carolyn Keene (3 stars)

The Corpse on the Hearth by Harry Lang (2 stars)

Murder by Matchlight by E. C. R. Lorac (4 stars)

Zanzibar Intrigue by F. Van Wyck Mason (3.5 stars)

Six Deadly Dames by Frederick Nebel (2.5 stars)

Goodbye, Nanny Gray by Susannah Stacey (3 stars)

The World's Best 100 Detective Stories by Eugene Thwing [ed] (2.5 stars)

The Uninvited Corpse by Michael Underwood (3 stars)

Murder at the Pageant by Victor L. Whitechurch (4 stars)

The Inugami Curse by Seishi Yokomizo (4 stars)

And now it's time to award the coveted Reader's Block P.O.M. Of course, if we just look at the stars, it's easy. Agatha Christie's Five Little Pigs is the only 4.5 star winner in the bunch. In general, I don't give Dame Agatha the glittering pom-pom because when I read one of her books it is usually a reread. But in the case of FLP, I don't think that's the case. I know I have seen the dramatization with David Suchet, but I don't actually remember ever reading the book. This was an excellent read with a good plot. One thing I really enjoyed was the retrospective quality which had Poirot investigating a cold-case murder. He has to rely on his interview skills and the psychology of those involved to help him get to the truth of the matter. Even if he were one to use a magnifying glass and search for all the physical clues, that method is denied him here. He always says that all he needs is to hear all the facts and then to put his little grey cells to work in order to solve the mystery. This case allows us to see how well this works for him. And it works very well, indeed.

October Reading by the Numbers Reviews

 

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The Inugami Curse

 The Inugami Curse (1972) by Seishi Yokomizo

Sahei Inugami led a complicated life--rags to riches story, three known mistresses resulting in three children and grandchildren, a few secret relationships, and a bombshell last will and testament just waiting to explode as soon as he dies. When he does, the Inugami clan is in for a bit of a shock. First up, the lawyer can't even read the will until his last grandson Kiyo returns from the war OR one year from Sahei's death, whichever comes first. Kiyo does arrive after after a short delay (though hidden behind a mask because he was horribly disfigured in the war) and the family is outraged to discover that the entire estate has been left to Tamayo Nonomiya, the granddaughter of Sahei's beloved mentor, Daini Nomoiya. But it's not even that simple. Tamayo will only inherit if she chooses one of Sahei's three grandsons as a husband OR if all three turn her down (and why would they--after all, granddad's fortune is at stake). The will goes on to list all kinds of contingencies in case Tamayo dies and the gist of it all is--there's probably going to be family infighting, at best, and murder, at worst.

One of the junior lawyers in the practice handling Inugami's affairs, had a good idea that murder would be on the agenda and contacted renowned private investigator Kosuke Kindaichi. The two arrange to meet at hotel near the Inugami estate, but the man falls victim to poison before he can discuss any details of his fears. And then when the heirs start dying one by one, it's up to Kindaichi and the local police to discover the identity of the murderer. The first thing they must determine--is s/he an heir looking to scoop the pot or is there a darker plan of revenge for actions of long ago? And who is the mysterious repatriated soldier who lurks about with his face covered by a muffler?

This is one of the best Japanese mysteries I've read. It may be because it is obviously following in the tradition of Golden Age crime novels. It may also be that the translation is superior to nearly all I've read in the past. Yokomizo does a superb job of providing suspects and clues. And while I spotted the killer straight away, there remained plenty of details which were a mystery and the characters do their best to muddy the waters. There were motivating factors behind the actions of some of the players that were difficult to discern and gave the explanation at the end more zest than I was anticipating. And, as grim as the murders were, there was a great sense of fun throughout. I think Yokomizo enjoyed himself immensely in concocting and relating this intricately plotted mystery. Are there coincidences? Sure. Are a few items a bit obvious? Sure. But it was still a delight to watch the unraveling of the plot by a very interesting detective. ★★★★ 

First line: In February 194_, Sahei Inugami--one of the leading businessmen of the Shinshu region, the founder of the Inugami Group, and the so-called Silk King of Japan--died at his lakeside villa in Nau at the venerable age of eight-one.

Last line: It was a twilight so cold even the snow lay frozen over Lake Nasu.

**************

Deaths = 10 (four natural; two poisoned; two stabbed; two strangled)

Five Little Pigs

 Five Little Pigs (apa Murder in Retrospect 1942) by Agatha Christie

Sixteen years ago Carla Crale's mother Caroline was tried and convicted of the murder of her husband, the artist Amyas Crale. She allegedly doctored his afternoon beer with spotted hemlock after being told that Amyas planned to divorce her so he could marry the much younger woman who has been sitting for his latest painting. Amyas had fooled around before, but he had always returned to his devoted wife. They often fought like cats and dogs, but they always came back together. But this last fling was different. It wasn't just a flirtation or a bit of lust. Amyas fell head over heels and said he really planned to leave the marriage. 

Various guests at the house overheard Caroline threaten that she'd sooner kill her husband than let him leave her. So, when he's found dead--poisoned from a bottle found among Caroline's things--his wife becomes suspect number one. Well...the only suspect really. Despite her protest of innocence and a declaration that he must have taken the stuff himself, her trial didn't go well at all. Her counsel did the best he could for her, but as we later learn, she didn't really help him put up a fight. What she did do was leave a letter for her daughter that was to be opened when Carla turned twenty-one. A letter that told her daughter that she was innocent in no uncertain terms. Carla takes the letter and her belief that her mother would never lie to her--no matter how unpalatable the truth may be--to Hercule Poirot and asks him reinvestigate the case and tell her once and for all if her mother was really innocent. Poirot won't promise that innocence will be the outcome, but the more interviews he has with the five other people on the spot at the time the more convinced he becomes that someone may have gotten away with the perfect (until now) murder.

So...I finished this about three days ago and planned to write the review in my spare time while I was at my mom & dad's. But unexpected events threw a wrench into that little plan and now all my brilliant observations (trust me--they were the most scintillating bits of reviews I've had going in a long time) have vanished under the anxiety of a car emergency 150 miles away from home. We'll see what I can salvage. First off, while I have watched the David Suchet adaptation of this novel, I don't remember ever having read it before. My Goodreads record tells me I did--sometime in the mists of time--but I'm not sure I believe it. I think I may have chosen the wrong tag when I loaded the book.

This reading was excellent. I enjoyed the retrospective quality of the book with Poirot investigating a cold-case murder. He must really rely on his interview skills and the psychology of those involved to help him get to the truth of the matter. He always says that these things plus his little grey cells is all that is necessary to solve a mystery and this case allows us to see how well this works for him. There are little clues that Christie hides so well that anyone encountering the story for the first time can easily miss them. I remembered how the filmed version played out--but I wasn't sure if this would be a situation where the filmed version changed up motives or even culprits, as sometimes happens. I was pleased to see everything work out the way I expected it to. One of Christie's best. ★★★★ and 1/2.

First line: Hercule Poirot looked with interest and appreciation at the young woman who was being ushered into the room.

Last line: Lady Dittisham got in and the chauffeur wrapped the fur rug around her knees.

******************

Deaths = 2 (one poisoned; one natural)

N or M?

 N or M? (1941) by Agatha Christie

World War II Britain. Tommy and Tuppence Beresford are feeling rather old and unappreciated. They were in the thick of things in the last war--Tommy in the service and Tuppence as a nurse and driver for a General. After the war was over they had so many thrilling adventures working undercover for "Mr. Carter" of Intelligence. But now...they're told that the war office and intelligence can't use them. Obviously, it's a much younger man's...and woman's...show now.

But then "Mr. Grant" shows up, ostensibly with a rather dull, but important job shuffling papers in Scotland for Tommy alone. But it's merely a cover for him to go searching for fifth columnists at the Sans Souci, a seaside hotel. One of two top German agents, going by the code name "N" or "M,"is thought to be in the area as well, directing the British traitors. Nothing is known about N and M except that one is a man and one is a woman. Tommy puts up a mild protest--too long out of the game, but Grant tells him that's exactly what is needed. Someone that nobody knows and nobody will suspect is an agent. And he's to be sworn to secrecy-he can't even let Tuppence know what's up.

When Tommy tells Tuppence about the cover job, she is suitably upset that there's nothing in it for her and sees him off at the station on the train like a dutiful wife. Imagine his surprise when he arrives at the southern coastal town of Leahampton (by way of Aberdeen for verisimilitude) to find "Mrs. Blenkensop" well established and peering back at him with Tuppence's eyes. She managed to fake leaving the flat while Mr. Grant was talking with Tommy and overheard the whole plan. And Tuppence was determined to be in on the action. From then on "Mr. Meadowes" and "Mrs. Blenkensop" are hot on the trail of the fifth columnists--but when Tommy disappears and Tuppence is taken captive it looks like the game is up. But as Mr. Grant now knows...you should never underestimate Mrs. Beresford.

It was great fun to see Tommy and Tuppence back in action again. They may be a bit older, but they've still got what it takes to outwit those devious spies--especially Tuppence. She is quick-witted enough to see through a certain person's pose and lays an artful trap which s/he falls right into. It was especially amusing to watch their children think about them as "poor little dears--having such a dull time of it and wanting so much to be where the action is." Little do they know what their parents have been up to. 

Dame Agatha gives us plenty of possible Ns or Ms--from the inn's proprietor Mrs. Perenna, who is not as Spanish as she seems to the hearty old warhorses Major Bletchley and Commander Haydock to Carl von Deinim the German refugee to the sharp-eyed Mrs. O'Roarke to Miss Minton who seems to think of nothing but knitting to the distracted Mrs. Sprot who has her hands full with her young daughter to the hypochondriac couple Mr. & Mrs. Cayley. They all seem to be exactly what they are...except maybe just a touch too much so. But surely they can't all be imposters? ★★★ and 1/2

First line: Tommy Beresford removed his overcoat in the hall of the flat.

Women are all very well in their place, but not before breakfast. (Major Bletchley; p. 25)

Last line: "We must do all we can to make up to them for having such a dull time in this war...." [Deborah Beresford]

********************

Deaths = 4 (one hit by car; three shot)

Goodbye, Nanny Gray

 Goodbye, Nanny Gray (1987) by Susannah Stacey (Jill Staynes & Margaret Storey)

Nanny Phoebe Gray of Mouse Cottage in Saxhurst was much beloved by her former charges. She was a model nanny--furling with a firm hand and an understanding of the ways of children. So beloved was she that Gareth Herne, lord of the local manor house, left her the family fortune when he died unexpectedly. If the estate hadn't been entailed, he might have left her that too. His brother Valentine--now Sir Valentine--is none too pleased to find himself saddled with a great grand house and no means of keeping it up. 

But Nanny Gray doesn't live long enough to enjoy the sudden windfall, her body is found in the nearby woods and what is first thought to be an unfortunate accident (she had fallen earlier in the week and hit her head) is soon proved to be murder. Did Sir Valentine murder her in a fit of rage over the unfair will? He's known for his sudden rages. Or maybe it was her niece Carey who stands to inherit under Phoebe Gray's will. Or perhaps it's Carey's husband--another man with a nasty temper who may have wanted to hasten his wife's inheritance. Then there's the woman who had used Nanny Gray's services so often, but who seemed both afraid of and most solicitous of the older lady. 

But then a certain stipulation of Gareth's will comes into play. You see, Phoebe Gray would only inherit if she survived Gareth by 30 days and a witness claims to have seen Nanny dead a few days before that deadline. So the motives become even trickier. Superintendent Robert Bone will have to sift through the suspects while narrowing down the time of death and searching for a few vital clues--a missing floral paperweight, an ancient motorbike that's never ridden but which has fresh gravel stuck in the tires, a deadly drill, and a certain vehicle that is big enough to carry a drum set...or a dead body.

This the first in the Superintendent Bone mysteries and it has a few of the debut jitters, but overall it is a fine mystery. Plenty of suspects and red herrings with the question of the time/day of death making things interesting. I did spot the killer, but I didn't get the extra twist until it was too late. Bone is a good lead detective and his relationship with his officers is good. This is an early example of the detective being given a complicated home life--Bone is a widower who still mourns his wife. A wife who was lost in an accident that took his son as well and left his daughter Charlotte with physical and emotional difficulties. Fortunately, the home life troubles don't overshadow the mystery--unlike some more modern detective novels. I think this strikes a good balance. ★★★

First line: Somewhere in the forest a bird was making a noise like a watch being wound up.

Last line: "My mum likes things like that."

*********************

Deaths = 3 (one hit on head; one drug overdose; one car accident)

2022-2023 Ten Pins Game

 

Rick at the Mystillery has the bowling lanes waxed, the bowling pins polished, and the bowling shoes all lined up for those who don't have their own. Your reading challenge goal is to knock down all ten pins using books with numerals in the title. You can use any book read this year. For full details click on the link above.

Here are my books--I've got my bowling ball ready to go as soon as Rick opens the doors:

The ONE Hundred & One Dalmatians Dodie Smith

Take TWO at Bedtime by Margery Allingham

Challenge for Three by David Garth

FOUR Days' Wonder by A. A. Milne 

The FIVE Red Herrings by Dorothy L. Sayers 

SIX Deadly Dames by Frederick Nebel

Seven Tears for Apollo by Phyllis A. Whitney

Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson

The Nine Billion Names of God by Arthur C. Clarke

Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie X Bodies From the Library 2 by Tony Medawar (ed)

The Witch Tree Symbol

 The Witch Tree Symbol (1955) by Carolyn Keene 

In this 33rd Nancy Drew mystery, Mrs. Tenney has inherited half of a houseful of valuable antiques.When she takes Nancy to see the beautiful tables that once belonged to George Washington, she's dismayed to find that many of the valuable pieces--including the tables--have disappeared. Mrs. Tenney is sure that her cousin (co-heir) has taken the most valuable pieces ahead of the division of the inheritance, but Nancy isn't so sure. A piece of paper found in the corner of the library has a mysterious hex symbol on it which leads Nancy to Pennsylvania Dutch country and a man by the name of Roger Hoelt who may be the culprit.

When Nancy, Bess, and George arrive in Pennsylvania, they meet Manda Kreutz who had run away from home but is now looking to return. After briefly reuniting with her family, Manda disappears again and now Nancy has two mysteries to solve. As the girls get closer to finding both the furniture and Manda, the warm welcome they received turns to hostility when rumors that Nancy is a witch start circulating and they are forced to change their accommodations a few times. But Nancy won't be beaten by ugly rumors and her courageous rescue of two Amish children helps restore her good character. It isn't long before she tracks down the missing antiques as well as Manda Kreutz.

While I enjoyed all of the Nancy Drew books when I was young, this one was never a particular favorite. Some books I read repeatedly but this one I read twice--at most--and I'm not certain that I did read it a second time. I think part of the reason must be that there is even less mystery in this one than is usual in a vintage children's/young adult detective series. There is really only one suspect for the antiques theft, so it's not a major surprise when that person is duly identified as the culprit. The motive behind the theft of the Washington tables is more interesting and it was fun to watch Nancy figure out where the hidden message was. Overall a middle-of-the-road Nancy Drew story. ★★★

First line: "I wouldn't go into that spooky old house alone for anything," declared the plump, nervous woman who sat beside Nancy Drew in the blue convertible.

Last lines: "It sounds dreamy!" Bess said with delight. "And you Amish have wonderful wedding  feasts"--she chuckled--"ain't?"

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Deaths = two natural