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Ellery Queen Detective #16
Calamity Town
Book by Queen, Ellery
445 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1942
25 people are currently reading
511 people want to read
About the author
Ellery Queen
1,786 books485 followersaka Barnaby Ross.
(Pseudonym of Frederic Dannay and Manfred Bennington Lee)
"Ellery Queen" was a pen name created and shared by two cousins, Frederic Dannay (1905-1982) and Manfred B. Lee (1905-1971), as well as the name of their most famous detective. Born in Brooklyn, they spent forty two years writing, editing, and anthologizing under the name, gaining a reputation as the foremost American authors of the Golden Age "fair play" mystery.
Although eventually famous on television and radio, Queen's first appearance came in 1928 when the cousins won a mystery-writing contest with the book that would eventually be published as The Roman Hat Mystery. Their character was an amateur detective who used his spare time to assist his police inspector father in solving baffling crimes. Besides writing the Queen novels, Dannay and Lee cofounded Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, one of the most influential crime publications of all time. Although Dannay outlived his cousin by nine years, he retired Queen upon Lee's death.
Several of the later "Ellery Queen" books were written by other authors, including Jack Vance, Avram Davidson, and Theodore Sturgeon.
(Pseudonym of Frederic Dannay and Manfred Bennington Lee)
"Ellery Queen" was a pen name created and shared by two cousins, Frederic Dannay (1905-1982) and Manfred B. Lee (1905-1971), as well as the name of their most famous detective. Born in Brooklyn, they spent forty two years writing, editing, and anthologizing under the name, gaining a reputation as the foremost American authors of the Golden Age "fair play" mystery.
Although eventually famous on television and radio, Queen's first appearance came in 1928 when the cousins won a mystery-writing contest with the book that would eventually be published as The Roman Hat Mystery. Their character was an amateur detective who used his spare time to assist his police inspector father in solving baffling crimes. Besides writing the Queen novels, Dannay and Lee cofounded Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, one of the most influential crime publications of all time. Although Dannay outlived his cousin by nine years, he retired Queen upon Lee's death.
Several of the later "Ellery Queen" books were written by other authors, including Jack Vance, Avram Davidson, and Theodore Sturgeon.
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September 30, 2025
Di questo giallo compresi chi fosse l'assassino dopo poche decine di pagine di lettura giacché conoscevo a menadito le tecniche di deduzione tipiche di Ellery Queen ( non per niente ero un appassionato lettore dei suoi libri) e ritenni inutile continuarne la lettura...
ma é anche vero che, con molta presunzione, non non sono mai andato a controllare nelle ultime pagine del "giallo" se la mia intuizione fosse giusta...
ma é anche vero che, con molta presunzione, non non sono mai andato a controllare nelle ultime pagine del "giallo" se la mia intuizione fosse giusta...
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June 9, 2022Ellery Queen, detetive galã/escritor de policiais chega a Wrightsville em busca de inspiração e depara-se com a intitulada Vivenda Calamidade. Ali, onde um jovem casal sofreu a angústia de um casamento gorado, e um homem morreu subitamente de uma apoplexia, Queen decide instalar armas e bagagens para escrever o seu próximo"romance". Todavia, o jovem casal reata a relação e, voltando para habitar a vivenda, afasta o detetive que se junta aos familiares dos ditos na casa vizinha. E tudo vai bem até que a recente noiva encontra três cartas nos livros do esposo nas quais ele planeia a sua morte...e prontos, o Sr. Queen já tem material de sobra para o próximo livro.
Ellery Queen é fruto da belíssima colaboração de Frederic Dannay e Manfred B. Lee, os mesmos autores que criaram Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, a mais antiga revista (publicada desde 1941) dedicada exclusivamente ao género literário de mistério e detetives ainda hoje no ativo. Juntos deram à estampa um escritor de policiais com faro para resolver crimes reais que depois usa como material de ficção. Engenhoso...
Prolíficos autores que são, a coleção em que figura Ellery Queen tem títulos para dar e vender. Todavia, há algumas inconsistências no registo evolutivo habitual deste tipo de personagem - que tende a complexificar-se com o passar do tempo -, e a sua evolução ao longo da saga não corresponde exatamente ao que se esperaria de uma personagem amadurecida pelos autores. Ainda assim, os livros que cabem no centro temporal da carreira de Mafred e Dannay são brilhantes e neles o detetive está em plena posse das faculdades mentais e emocionais.
Nestes volumes, de anos 30/40, a fórmula clássica de um bom policial está sempre presente:
•Um crime estrondoso;
•Um detetive memorável;
•Um assassino muito pouco provável;
•Várias doses de suspense bem doseadas e distribuídas ao longo dos vários capítulos;
•Uma porrada de pistas falsas que deixam o leitor de cara à banda;
E no fim, claro:
•A resolução e o motivo, tudo menos óbvios, do crime.
Por tudo isso, e só por isso, se levam 300 páginas de respiração sustida.
A capacidade inventiva dos autores é prodigiosa e a forma como tecem o enredo a completas expensas da cegueira do leitor merece-lhes o mérito de grandes autores americanos no género.
Era, salvo erro, uma metade deste duo que dizia que sempre que se lembrava de uma história tinha de ir verificar se Agatha Christie já a não tinha dado à estampa... Conhecendo um bocadinho de cada um, eu julgo que não teriam muito com que se preocupar - não há qualquer concorrência.
A presente tradução, pela mão Lino Vallandro, (que tem vasta e reconhecida obra!) obedece à variante brasileira e o o "você" atirado por todo o lado, o uso desmedido do gerúndio e opções como o tão pouco usado "originariamente" em vez de "originalmente", por exemplo, acabam por atrapalhar um bocadinho a leitura que, fora isso, é das boas do princípio ao fim.
Ellery Queen é fruto da belíssima colaboração de Frederic Dannay e Manfred B. Lee, os mesmos autores que criaram Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, a mais antiga revista (publicada desde 1941) dedicada exclusivamente ao género literário de mistério e detetives ainda hoje no ativo. Juntos deram à estampa um escritor de policiais com faro para resolver crimes reais que depois usa como material de ficção. Engenhoso...
Prolíficos autores que são, a coleção em que figura Ellery Queen tem títulos para dar e vender. Todavia, há algumas inconsistências no registo evolutivo habitual deste tipo de personagem - que tende a complexificar-se com o passar do tempo -, e a sua evolução ao longo da saga não corresponde exatamente ao que se esperaria de uma personagem amadurecida pelos autores. Ainda assim, os livros que cabem no centro temporal da carreira de Mafred e Dannay são brilhantes e neles o detetive está em plena posse das faculdades mentais e emocionais.
Nestes volumes, de anos 30/40, a fórmula clássica de um bom policial está sempre presente:
•Um crime estrondoso;
•Um detetive memorável;
•Um assassino muito pouco provável;
•Várias doses de suspense bem doseadas e distribuídas ao longo dos vários capítulos;
•Uma porrada de pistas falsas que deixam o leitor de cara à banda;
E no fim, claro:
•A resolução e o motivo, tudo menos óbvios, do crime.
Por tudo isso, e só por isso, se levam 300 páginas de respiração sustida.
A capacidade inventiva dos autores é prodigiosa e a forma como tecem o enredo a completas expensas da cegueira do leitor merece-lhes o mérito de grandes autores americanos no género.
Era, salvo erro, uma metade deste duo que dizia que sempre que se lembrava de uma história tinha de ir verificar se Agatha Christie já a não tinha dado à estampa... Conhecendo um bocadinho de cada um, eu julgo que não teriam muito com que se preocupar - não há qualquer concorrência.
A presente tradução, pela mão Lino Vallandro, (que tem vasta e reconhecida obra!) obedece à variante brasileira e o o "você" atirado por todo o lado, o uso desmedido do gerúndio e opções como o tão pouco usado "originariamente" em vez de "originalmente", por exemplo, acabam por atrapalhar um bocadinho a leitura que, fora isso, é das boas do princípio ao fim.
February 27, 2019
A well-written 1942 classic featuring a murder, a family with three very different sisters and many people who aren't who they seem, all taking place in the small fictional town of Wrightsville.
Ellery Queen has fun inserting himself as the narrator/investigator and joking about "Frank Lloyd."
Ellery Queen has fun inserting himself as the narrator/investigator and joking about "Frank Lloyd."
April 15, 2020
O policial perfeito.
June 18, 2017
One of my favorite authors is Ellery Queen. This a pen name for two cousins, Daniel Nathan and Manford Kepofsky. The writings cover 42 years. I have read the books several times but it has been awhile since I read his books. I want to read them again.
Ellery is a noted mystery writer. His father is an NYPD homicide inspector. Ellery often joins his father'cases. His books are noted for a major twist or surprise ending.
CALAMITY Town is set in 1940 just as American is emerging from the depression. Ellery is looking for a town to learn about American habits for his next book. He selected Wrightsville. After his arrival, he rents a small house next to the manor house. It was built for daughter, Nora as a wedding gift. On the eve of her marriage, the groom disappeared. Later a sale went ended with the death of buyer. The house has been vacant as it is known as Calamity house. Ellery rents and becomes friend with the first family, Wrights. The father is the prominent banker, the Mother is leading socialite, the three daughters are Lola, the town's scandal, Nora the town's recluse and Patricia, the town's beauty. Did Jim, More's husband try to poison her New Years Eve? All events of the evening point to him. The ending will surprise you.
This book is written in a completely different format and might be hard to understand. I highly recommend the book and series.
Ellery is a noted mystery writer. His father is an NYPD homicide inspector. Ellery often joins his father'cases. His books are noted for a major twist or surprise ending.
CALAMITY Town is set in 1940 just as American is emerging from the depression. Ellery is looking for a town to learn about American habits for his next book. He selected Wrightsville. After his arrival, he rents a small house next to the manor house. It was built for daughter, Nora as a wedding gift. On the eve of her marriage, the groom disappeared. Later a sale went ended with the death of buyer. The house has been vacant as it is known as Calamity house. Ellery rents and becomes friend with the first family, Wrights. The father is the prominent banker, the Mother is leading socialite, the three daughters are Lola, the town's scandal, Nora the town's recluse and Patricia, the town's beauty. Did Jim, More's husband try to poison her New Years Eve? All events of the evening point to him. The ending will surprise you.
This book is written in a completely different format and might be hard to understand. I highly recommend the book and series.
July 19, 2022
I don’t think I’ve ever been so disappointed about spotting all the clues and fingering the guilty party in a mystery book. I kept hoping that Ellery would somehow pull a magical solution out of his hat and make it all right for everyone. As it is, this book ends on one of the hardest downers that I’ve found in the many mystery stories I’ve read. It was just flat out depressing. People who are guilty are treated as perfectly innocent and supported against all odds and reason. Innocent people are tortured through the whole book for the strangest reasons by the strangest behaviors. Mostly though, Ellery acts stupidly throughout the entire book. It’s just weirdly depressing.
Content warning… Lots of mild curse words. Indecent behavior hinted at on several occasions.
Content warning… Lots of mild curse words. Indecent behavior hinted at on several occasions.
July 6, 2019
COUNTDOWN: - Mid-20th Century North American Crime
BOOK 119 (of 250)
HOOK=2 stars: Ellery Queen takes a writing vacation in the country: the introduction to the central plot is a while in coming. And this book runs 155, 856 words. Crime/mysteries usually fall into the 70K to 120K range, so this is an odd one for this genre (but it pays off, see below).
PACE=2: Queen kicks this one into gear only at the 1/4th mark. Then things sizzle.
PLOT=4: Oddly, this one starts off as sort of a 'haunted house' novel, a "Calamity House" which Queen rents for six months to write a novel (this one). But a bombshell takes us into court, then there are some great twists, especially by Queen's own unusual, intentionally well-rehearsed and beautifully delivered testimony (to say anything else would be saying too much).
PEOPLE=4: Oh, do these characters have some emotional problems. I loved this line: "And she rustled towards Mr. Bradford to break another little piece of his heart." Then during the trial a character says, "Where's my mouthpiece. This ain't Nazzee Goimany."(Yea, the slang is lifted a bit from Hammett's first novel, "Red Harvest". In fact, right from the opening lines. But if you're going to salute a great writer, Hammett is one of a dozen or so I'd choose, though as an homage.
PLACE= 5: Queen beautifully describes "the color of America, [the town of] Wrightsville. "Country looks good, by hake...green and yellow. Straw colors. And sky of blue, and clouds of white...approving and breathing deeply of wet leaves and honeysuckle." He takes us through a Halloween and Thanksgiving autumn, a winter Christmas in a small town, and through to the following summer. And you're right there with him.
Summary: This is an odd crime novel. Queen works hard to put us in the middle of the location, why, we can smell and feel the first frost of the year when we talk a walk. And he goes deep inside a number of character's heads. In this genre read, the focus is usually the crime itself, but not here: it's as if the crime is secondary. My overall average is 3.4: Queen's focus on atmosphere is beautifully done and perfectly integrated into the story.. I've read a few Ellery Queens in the past, and I remember them as been very convoluted, the mystery seemingly insolvable but atmosphere has been secondary. So this one is rather outside Queen's output.
BOOK 119 (of 250)
HOOK=2 stars: Ellery Queen takes a writing vacation in the country: the introduction to the central plot is a while in coming. And this book runs 155, 856 words. Crime/mysteries usually fall into the 70K to 120K range, so this is an odd one for this genre (but it pays off, see below).
PACE=2: Queen kicks this one into gear only at the 1/4th mark. Then things sizzle.
PLOT=4: Oddly, this one starts off as sort of a 'haunted house' novel, a "Calamity House" which Queen rents for six months to write a novel (this one). But a bombshell takes us into court, then there are some great twists, especially by Queen's own unusual, intentionally well-rehearsed and beautifully delivered testimony (to say anything else would be saying too much).
PEOPLE=4: Oh, do these characters have some emotional problems. I loved this line: "And she rustled towards Mr. Bradford to break another little piece of his heart." Then during the trial a character says, "Where's my mouthpiece. This ain't Nazzee Goimany."(Yea, the slang is lifted a bit from Hammett's first novel, "Red Harvest". In fact, right from the opening lines. But if you're going to salute a great writer, Hammett is one of a dozen or so I'd choose, though as an homage.
PLACE= 5: Queen beautifully describes "the color of America, [the town of] Wrightsville. "Country looks good, by hake...green and yellow. Straw colors. And sky of blue, and clouds of white...approving and breathing deeply of wet leaves and honeysuckle." He takes us through a Halloween and Thanksgiving autumn, a winter Christmas in a small town, and through to the following summer. And you're right there with him.
Summary: This is an odd crime novel. Queen works hard to put us in the middle of the location, why, we can smell and feel the first frost of the year when we talk a walk. And he goes deep inside a number of character's heads. In this genre read, the focus is usually the crime itself, but not here: it's as if the crime is secondary. My overall average is 3.4: Queen's focus on atmosphere is beautifully done and perfectly integrated into the story.. I've read a few Ellery Queens in the past, and I remember them as been very convoluted, the mystery seemingly insolvable but atmosphere has been secondary. So this one is rather outside Queen's output.
August 16, 2016
Exemplo cimeiro do policial metódico condimentado pela dupla de autores que se escondem no pseudónimo Ellery Queen, "Vivenda Calamidade" é um thriller pitoresco em crescendo, que nos põe sempre em constantes dúvidas através de um caso que não é tão simples como parece - ou cuja simplicidade é armadilhada por vários desvios ao longo de toda a investigação. É pena que a nova série da Vampiro tenha apenas pegado na tradução original utilizada na primeira edição na colecção, não corrigindo os erros da mesma (é que a primeira fornada de números da Vampiro original tinha traduções provenientes do mercado brasileiro ligeiramente adaptadas para o nosso português - um ligeiro que é sinónimo de "mal e porcamente", convenhamos).
December 6, 2016
I picked this one up at the Salvation Army Store because I needed something to read. I had not read in Ellery Queen in years, though I think I had read almost all of them in the early 70's when I got hooked on the old paperbacks I would find in used book stores.
I had forgotten what good writers the two cousins who actually wrote the Queen novels were. This was like sitting through a 1940's black and white movie. There is no way someone writing today could authenticate the feeling of the 40's story.
I truly enjoyed returning to the days when Ellery Queen was solving mysteries and writing books, all the while smoking cigarette after cigarette!
I had forgotten what good writers the two cousins who actually wrote the Queen novels were. This was like sitting through a 1940's black and white movie. There is no way someone writing today could authenticate the feeling of the 40's story.
I truly enjoyed returning to the days when Ellery Queen was solving mysteries and writing books, all the while smoking cigarette after cigarette!
January 8, 2021
Ellery Queen per trovare pace e tranquillità nella scrittura di un romanzo si trasferisce sotto falso nome (con sommo sforzo di fantasia, Ellery Smith) in una piccola città del New England, Wrightsvile, quasi una quintessenza della provincia americana. Viene ospitato dalla famiglia Wright, discendente dei fondatori della cittadina. Sulla casa incombe una maledizione, perché alcuni anni prima Jim, il promesso sposo di una delle ragazze della famiglia, Nora, era fuggito alla vigilia delle nozze.
Proprio durante la presenza di Queen, improvvisamente e incredibilmente Jim rientra a Wrightsville e sposa immediatamente Nora. Ma c’è ancora qualcosa che non va: Queen trova alcune lettere di Jim che sembrano presagire la malattia e la morte di Nora. Ed effettivamente per alcuni mesi sembrano verificarsi gli eventi descritti nelle lettere, ma quando Nora dovrebbe morire, invece, accade che…
Il romanzo prosegue con un processo e con Queen che, in parallelo all’indagine ufficiale, indaga per conto suo sul tragico evento, fino a svelare la soluzione nel finale
Questo romanzo, più che per l’enigma (comunque di alto livello) va apprezzato per l’atmosfera e per la caratterizzazione dei personaggi, quasi a Dannay e Lee stesse stretta l’etichetta di giallisti e si fossero voluti cimentare in qualcosa di più valido anche dal punto di vista letterario. Con risultati che ho trovato ottimi (e non solo io, sia i critici sia gli amici appassionati concordano con questo giudizio). Sono i temi che ritroveremo in parte nel bellissimo “Dieci incredibili giorni”, anch’esso ambientato a Wrightsville, parecchi anni dopo e con nessun legame con questo, se non l’ambientazione e alcune similitudini nella trama (l’apparente sconfitta di Queen e il suo ritorno vittorioso, come il sesto cavalleggeri in Ombre Rosse, in tempo per sistemare le cose) tanto da poter essere letto e apprezzato indipendentemente. Una cosa che colpisce di questo romanzo (come in “Dieci incredibili giorni”) è l’alto grado di immedesimazione che gli autori riescono a ottenere, facendo sì che il lettore si identifichi facilmente con Queen e provi quasi le sue paure e le sue emozioni, cosa che invece non avveniva con i primi romanzi.
Dannay e Lee stessi affermarono che questo romanzo, insieme alla Tragedia di Y, era quello che ritenevano meglio riuscito
Proprio durante la presenza di Queen, improvvisamente e incredibilmente Jim rientra a Wrightsville e sposa immediatamente Nora. Ma c’è ancora qualcosa che non va: Queen trova alcune lettere di Jim che sembrano presagire la malattia e la morte di Nora. Ed effettivamente per alcuni mesi sembrano verificarsi gli eventi descritti nelle lettere, ma quando Nora dovrebbe morire, invece, accade che…
Il romanzo prosegue con un processo e con Queen che, in parallelo all’indagine ufficiale, indaga per conto suo sul tragico evento, fino a svelare la soluzione nel finale
Questo romanzo, più che per l’enigma (comunque di alto livello) va apprezzato per l’atmosfera e per la caratterizzazione dei personaggi, quasi a Dannay e Lee stesse stretta l’etichetta di giallisti e si fossero voluti cimentare in qualcosa di più valido anche dal punto di vista letterario. Con risultati che ho trovato ottimi (e non solo io, sia i critici sia gli amici appassionati concordano con questo giudizio). Sono i temi che ritroveremo in parte nel bellissimo “Dieci incredibili giorni”, anch’esso ambientato a Wrightsville, parecchi anni dopo e con nessun legame con questo, se non l’ambientazione e alcune similitudini nella trama (l’apparente sconfitta di Queen e il suo ritorno vittorioso, come il sesto cavalleggeri in Ombre Rosse, in tempo per sistemare le cose) tanto da poter essere letto e apprezzato indipendentemente. Una cosa che colpisce di questo romanzo (come in “Dieci incredibili giorni”) è l’alto grado di immedesimazione che gli autori riescono a ottenere, facendo sì che il lettore si identifichi facilmente con Queen e provi quasi le sue paure e le sue emozioni, cosa che invece non avveniva con i primi romanzi.
Dannay e Lee stessi affermarono che questo romanzo, insieme alla Tragedia di Y, era quello che ritenevano meglio riuscito
November 19, 2017
I've been reading mystery stories for many decades, but not many from Ellery Queen.
He is quite a change from the Dashiel Hammett/Raymond Chandler/Ross Macdonald tradition. Nothing hard-boiled, no mean streets, no film noir atmosphere. The writing style is almost jaunty by comparison.
The plot was good and kept me interested. There is some depth to the characters, some development of character. The central character of the detective, also named Ellery Queen, is not so dominant as in Chandler or Macdonald, but is stronger in this Ellery Queen story than others I've read. He's not so much of a wimp.
The story takes place during WWII. It begins with Ellery going to the small town of Wrightsville, apparently somewhere in New England. He wants to take a month or two to write a book in a quiet out-of-the-way place. He gives his name as Ellery Smith to a real estate agent, hoping to rent a furnished house or apartment. The agent tells him there is only one possibility, a house with an unfortunate past where bad things happened, hence the title of the book. It's a small house right next to the large house of John Wright, patriarch of the chief family in town.
Ellery takes it. John Wright has three daughters, Lola, Nora, and Pat. Other characters:
Jim Haight, who almost married Nora three years earlier. Why didn't he? It's a mystery. He has left town too.
Carter Bradford, county prosecutor, sweet on Pat Wright.
Frank Lloyd, publisher of the local paper. (Frank Lloyd in Wrightsville? Get it?)
Rosemary, sister of Jim Haight.
Roberta Roberts, reporter.
A judge, a police chief, several wives, a maid.
The plot really gets going when suddenly, incredibly, Jim Haight returns. In no time, he and Nora announce they are gettng married. This time they do. But soon ominous things happen. Strange letters are found. Jim's sister Rosemary shows up to stay with Jim, and an odd tension descends on the newlyweds. Before long someone is murdered - poisoned - and Jim Haight is arrested. Both Nora and Jim are oddly silent. The story becomes big news and a big-city woman reporter named Roberts shows up to cover it. Why is she so sure that Jim is innocent?
I had no trouble guessing the main plot twist about half way through the book.
I enjoyed reading this book. It was an interesting change of pace from most mystery stories that I have read. It lacks the power and bite of the best mystery stories. Recommended.
He is quite a change from the Dashiel Hammett/Raymond Chandler/Ross Macdonald tradition. Nothing hard-boiled, no mean streets, no film noir atmosphere. The writing style is almost jaunty by comparison.
The plot was good and kept me interested. There is some depth to the characters, some development of character. The central character of the detective, also named Ellery Queen, is not so dominant as in Chandler or Macdonald, but is stronger in this Ellery Queen story than others I've read. He's not so much of a wimp.
The story takes place during WWII. It begins with Ellery going to the small town of Wrightsville, apparently somewhere in New England. He wants to take a month or two to write a book in a quiet out-of-the-way place. He gives his name as Ellery Smith to a real estate agent, hoping to rent a furnished house or apartment. The agent tells him there is only one possibility, a house with an unfortunate past where bad things happened, hence the title of the book. It's a small house right next to the large house of John Wright, patriarch of the chief family in town.
Ellery takes it. John Wright has three daughters, Lola, Nora, and Pat. Other characters:
Jim Haight, who almost married Nora three years earlier. Why didn't he? It's a mystery. He has left town too.
Carter Bradford, county prosecutor, sweet on Pat Wright.
Frank Lloyd, publisher of the local paper. (Frank Lloyd in Wrightsville? Get it?)
Rosemary, sister of Jim Haight.
Roberta Roberts, reporter.
A judge, a police chief, several wives, a maid.
The plot really gets going when suddenly, incredibly, Jim Haight returns. In no time, he and Nora announce they are gettng married. This time they do. But soon ominous things happen. Strange letters are found. Jim's sister Rosemary shows up to stay with Jim, and an odd tension descends on the newlyweds. Before long someone is murdered - poisoned - and Jim Haight is arrested. Both Nora and Jim are oddly silent. The story becomes big news and a big-city woman reporter named Roberts shows up to cover it. Why is she so sure that Jim is innocent?
I had no trouble guessing the main plot twist about half way through the book.
I enjoyed reading this book. It was an interesting change of pace from most mystery stories that I have read. It lacks the power and bite of the best mystery stories. Recommended.
June 4, 2020
I'm going to sound like a broken record, but I just don't think much of third era Ellery Queen. As far as I'm concerned, Queen started out amazing, delivering ~10 top notch fair-but-exceedingly-clever golden age mysteries with formal challenges to the reader. Dutch Shoe, French Powder, and Siamese Twin compare well against anything else I've read in the genre.
In second era Queen, Ellery becomes more of a character, but the suspect pool begins to slim and the challenge to the reader goes away.
Calamity town marks the beginning of era three, which doubles down on the changes in era two and introduces a bit of continuity between books. There are some in the Golden Age Detection group on Facebook that find Calamity Town to be Queen's finest work.
I just don't see it. On the one hand, it's a pretty silky read. I put it down for a bit waiting for a murder to occur, but it generally flows well. The characters, Ellery Queen included, have a lot more life in them, even though I won't remember any of them in a couple of years.
But. As in nearly all post era one Queens I've read, the suspect pool is too narrow. And then, certain clues make it completely obvious who the murderer has to be, as well as (too) strongly hinting at some of the ancillary reveals.
So...not impressed. I'll continue reading era three Queen because it's entertaining enough and there are almost certainly going to be some standout titles. I just don't think this is one of them.
In second era Queen, Ellery becomes more of a character, but the suspect pool begins to slim and the challenge to the reader goes away.
Calamity town marks the beginning of era three, which doubles down on the changes in era two and introduces a bit of continuity between books. There are some in the Golden Age Detection group on Facebook that find Calamity Town to be Queen's finest work.
I just don't see it. On the one hand, it's a pretty silky read. I put it down for a bit waiting for a murder to occur, but it generally flows well. The characters, Ellery Queen included, have a lot more life in them, even though I won't remember any of them in a couple of years.
But. As in nearly all post era one Queens I've read, the suspect pool is too narrow. And then, certain clues make it completely obvious who the murderer has to be, as well as (too) strongly hinting at some of the ancillary reveals.
So...not impressed. I'll continue reading era three Queen because it's entertaining enough and there are almost certainly going to be some standout titles. I just don't think this is one of them.
June 25, 2011
The Calamity Town by Ellery Queen. Writer Ellery Queen arrives in the small town of Wrightsville to find that all the accommodations are filled and he ends up going to local realtor to find a rental property. He is directed to an empty house next door to the house of the town’s most prominent family, the Wright’s. The house was built for the middle of their three daughters who was to be married only to have the groom disappear on the wedding day. Then house stood empty, particularly after a prospective renter dropped dead of a heart attack while looking it over. Despite the reputation of the house Ellery “Smith” as he is calling himself agrees to rent with the understanding that if the daughter Nora’s intended should show up he would vacate.
Well he has to leave but the Wrights offer him the use of the third floor of the main house which he accepts. Stray husband to be returns, there is a wedding, compromising letters are found threatening his wife, the threats come true as predicted, the final threat comes but the wrong person dies and husband is eventually charged, there is a trial, a mis trial. …… Convoluted and the ending is not what is expected at all. Have fun.
Well he has to leave but the Wrights offer him the use of the third floor of the main house which he accepts. Stray husband to be returns, there is a wedding, compromising letters are found threatening his wife, the threats come true as predicted, the final threat comes but the wrong person dies and husband is eventually charged, there is a trial, a mis trial. …… Convoluted and the ending is not what is expected at all. Have fun.
July 14, 2016
What a fantastic book this is…with a magnificent plot colored with an eloquent vocabulary, and a delightful host of characters, specially Ellery Queen, the intellectual writer used to intricate murder mystery solving, that will get you hooked until right the very end. No wonder it figures in H.R.F. Keating’s 100 “Crime and Mystery: the 100 Best Books”. Absolutely recommended!
November 11, 2016
Personagens fantásticas, bem estruturadas e apaixonantes.
Uma história que nos transporta para outro mundo, onde um final surpreendente aguarda o leitor.
Contudo, não posso deixar de notar a facilidade como que se pode perder na história pelo grande desfile de personagens e, até mesmo, pelo estilo de escrita.
Resumidamente: um bom mistério clássico
Uma história que nos transporta para outro mundo, onde um final surpreendente aguarda o leitor.
Contudo, não posso deixar de notar a facilidade como que se pode perder na história pelo grande desfile de personagens e, até mesmo, pelo estilo de escrita.
Resumidamente: um bom mistério clássico
October 31, 2022
All in the family…
When Ellery Queen comes to the small town of Wrightsville looking for inspiration for his new novel, he settles into a house known locally as Calamity House. It was originally built for Nora Wright, one of the three daughters of John F and Hermione Wright, descendants of the town’s founder and acknowledged leaders of local society. But Nora never lived there, since she was jilted three years ago by the man she had planned to marry, Jim Haight. Now, not long after Queen moves in, Jim returns and the wedding is back on. No one but the couple themselves knew the reason for the split, but the Wright family make an effort to forgive Jim because they can see how much Nora still loves him. But then Nora is taken ill with all the symptoms of arsenic poisoning… and then another woman dies. Suddenly Queen finds himself with a real murder mystery on his hands and, with the help of Nora’s youngest sister Pat, sets out to investigate…
“Ellery Queen” is the pen name of a writing duo, Frederic Dannay and Manfred Bennington Lee. I read a few of their mysteries back in my teens but have no real recollection of them, so for all intents and purposes this was my first introduction to them, and it wasn’t at all what I was expecting! The focus is less on the crime and more on creating a picture of the Wright family and Wrightsville, and the tone is considerably slower and more literary than I anticipated. The writing is very good, especially the descriptive stuff about the town, and the depiction of how the townspeople are ready to turn on their most revered residents when scandal rears its head is perceptively and credibly done, as is the picture of the impact of the crime on the Wright family themselves. There’s some of the slickness of dialogue usually found in the “hard-boiled” school, but there’s too much warmth and affection for the major characters for it to be in any way noir-ish.
The Wrights have three daughters – Nora, vulnerable, reclusive and somewhat unstable after her jilting, but coming back into the world now that Jim has returned; Lola, who made a disastrous marriage followed by a scandalous divorce, and who is a kind of black sheep, though still loved by her family; and Pat, the youngest, beautiful, feisty, and expected to marry Carter, the town’s Prosecutor. But when Queen enters her life, Pat is more than happy to indulge in some serious flirtation with him, arousing Carter’s justifiable jealousy, and perhaps playing with fire, since it seems that Ellery and Pat are developing real feelings for one another. Pat is the central character along with Queen himself, and she’s very well portrayed – she is a bit weak and reliant on the men in her life, but that’s to be expected of the era, and she has an independent streak which makes her attractive.
The story plays out over nearly a year, and I found this rather odd. Queen seems to put his life on hold for the duration, and we hear nothing about him being in touch with family or friends outside Wrightsville. It’s as if he arrives baggage-free and with all the time in the world, but no real explanation of that is given. Of course, it’s the sixteenth novel in a long-running series, so regular readers probably didn’t need much background by this stage, but I felt he was left as a bit of an enigma – a kind of mystery in himself. What made him pick Wrightsville? Does he fall in love in every book or is Pat special? Does he have a home and, if so, where? I guess the only solution to these mysteries is to read the earlier books! However, Martin Edwards, in his The Story of Classic Crime in 100 Books, suggests this novel was a bit of a departure for the Queen duo – a stage in the evolution of their novels from ‘pure intellectual puzzle’ to a more mainstream novelistic style, in recognition of the changing tastes of mystery readers with the advent of writers such as Dorothy L Sayers and Anthony Berkeley.
The plot itself is perhaps the weakest part of the book. To be honest, I felt the solution was pretty well sign-posted from very early on and my suspicions were proved right in the end. It seemed to take Queen an inordinate length of time to spot the bloomin’ obvious and there was certainly room for some trimming in the mid-section of what is rather a long novel by vintage crime standards. But this weakness wasn’t enough to spoil my enjoyment – the depiction of the town and the characterisation of the family and townspeople is so well done that I was happy to go along for the ride. A very enjoyable introduction to this series and I look forward to getting to know Ellery Queen the writing duo and Ellery Queen the character better.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
When Ellery Queen comes to the small town of Wrightsville looking for inspiration for his new novel, he settles into a house known locally as Calamity House. It was originally built for Nora Wright, one of the three daughters of John F and Hermione Wright, descendants of the town’s founder and acknowledged leaders of local society. But Nora never lived there, since she was jilted three years ago by the man she had planned to marry, Jim Haight. Now, not long after Queen moves in, Jim returns and the wedding is back on. No one but the couple themselves knew the reason for the split, but the Wright family make an effort to forgive Jim because they can see how much Nora still loves him. But then Nora is taken ill with all the symptoms of arsenic poisoning… and then another woman dies. Suddenly Queen finds himself with a real murder mystery on his hands and, with the help of Nora’s youngest sister Pat, sets out to investigate…
“Ellery Queen” is the pen name of a writing duo, Frederic Dannay and Manfred Bennington Lee. I read a few of their mysteries back in my teens but have no real recollection of them, so for all intents and purposes this was my first introduction to them, and it wasn’t at all what I was expecting! The focus is less on the crime and more on creating a picture of the Wright family and Wrightsville, and the tone is considerably slower and more literary than I anticipated. The writing is very good, especially the descriptive stuff about the town, and the depiction of how the townspeople are ready to turn on their most revered residents when scandal rears its head is perceptively and credibly done, as is the picture of the impact of the crime on the Wright family themselves. There’s some of the slickness of dialogue usually found in the “hard-boiled” school, but there’s too much warmth and affection for the major characters for it to be in any way noir-ish.
The Wrights have three daughters – Nora, vulnerable, reclusive and somewhat unstable after her jilting, but coming back into the world now that Jim has returned; Lola, who made a disastrous marriage followed by a scandalous divorce, and who is a kind of black sheep, though still loved by her family; and Pat, the youngest, beautiful, feisty, and expected to marry Carter, the town’s Prosecutor. But when Queen enters her life, Pat is more than happy to indulge in some serious flirtation with him, arousing Carter’s justifiable jealousy, and perhaps playing with fire, since it seems that Ellery and Pat are developing real feelings for one another. Pat is the central character along with Queen himself, and she’s very well portrayed – she is a bit weak and reliant on the men in her life, but that’s to be expected of the era, and she has an independent streak which makes her attractive.
The story plays out over nearly a year, and I found this rather odd. Queen seems to put his life on hold for the duration, and we hear nothing about him being in touch with family or friends outside Wrightsville. It’s as if he arrives baggage-free and with all the time in the world, but no real explanation of that is given. Of course, it’s the sixteenth novel in a long-running series, so regular readers probably didn’t need much background by this stage, but I felt he was left as a bit of an enigma – a kind of mystery in himself. What made him pick Wrightsville? Does he fall in love in every book or is Pat special? Does he have a home and, if so, where? I guess the only solution to these mysteries is to read the earlier books! However, Martin Edwards, in his The Story of Classic Crime in 100 Books, suggests this novel was a bit of a departure for the Queen duo – a stage in the evolution of their novels from ‘pure intellectual puzzle’ to a more mainstream novelistic style, in recognition of the changing tastes of mystery readers with the advent of writers such as Dorothy L Sayers and Anthony Berkeley.
The plot itself is perhaps the weakest part of the book. To be honest, I felt the solution was pretty well sign-posted from very early on and my suspicions were proved right in the end. It seemed to take Queen an inordinate length of time to spot the bloomin’ obvious and there was certainly room for some trimming in the mid-section of what is rather a long novel by vintage crime standards. But this weakness wasn’t enough to spoil my enjoyment – the depiction of the town and the characterisation of the family and townspeople is so well done that I was happy to go along for the ride. A very enjoyable introduction to this series and I look forward to getting to know Ellery Queen the writing duo and Ellery Queen the character better.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
April 18, 2023
Het eerste boek van een lange reeks dat zich in en rond Wrightsville afspeelt.
Dit is een eerste kennismaking met het slaperige stadje waar zich achter de façades veel meer afspeelt dan de achterloze toeschouwer zou vermoeden.
Ellery Queen speelt de hoofdrol en krijgt het niet gemakkelijk.
Al snel wordt duidelijk dat er een drama in de lucht hangt. Maar het verwachte slachtoffer weigert zich te laten beschermen en de dader ontkent dat hij zo'n bedoeling heeft.
Dan wordt de "verkeerde" persoon vermoord.
Als Queen het raadsel ontwart komen er steeds meer vreemde zaken naar boven die steeds weer een ander licht op de zaak werpen. Maar 1 ding verandert niet, de dader is bekend, hij geeft de moord toe, en er is duidelijk geen andere mogelijkheid. Queen moet zich tot het uiterste inspannen om de juiste moordenaar te vinden. Op de achtergrond is er (natuurlijk) ook een romance. En zoals steeds in Wrightsville wordt de toon van het verhaal steeds donkerder naar het einde toe. En als alles duidelijk lijkt komt Ellery nog met een plottwist in intieme kring die zowel onverwacht is als alle losse eindjes bij mekaar brengt.
Spannend, altijd gezellig om te lezen maar fatalistisch dramatisch van toon.
Dit is een eerste kennismaking met het slaperige stadje waar zich achter de façades veel meer afspeelt dan de achterloze toeschouwer zou vermoeden.
Ellery Queen speelt de hoofdrol en krijgt het niet gemakkelijk.
Al snel wordt duidelijk dat er een drama in de lucht hangt. Maar het verwachte slachtoffer weigert zich te laten beschermen en de dader ontkent dat hij zo'n bedoeling heeft.
Dan wordt de "verkeerde" persoon vermoord.
Als Queen het raadsel ontwart komen er steeds meer vreemde zaken naar boven die steeds weer een ander licht op de zaak werpen. Maar 1 ding verandert niet, de dader is bekend, hij geeft de moord toe, en er is duidelijk geen andere mogelijkheid. Queen moet zich tot het uiterste inspannen om de juiste moordenaar te vinden. Op de achtergrond is er (natuurlijk) ook een romance. En zoals steeds in Wrightsville wordt de toon van het verhaal steeds donkerder naar het einde toe. En als alles duidelijk lijkt komt Ellery nog met een plottwist in intieme kring die zowel onverwacht is als alle losse eindjes bij mekaar brengt.
Spannend, altijd gezellig om te lezen maar fatalistisch dramatisch van toon.
October 23, 2021
I put this on my to-read list a long time ago - so long ago I don’t remember why. My mother has read many an Ellery Queen novel, so I wanted to give the aeries a try; I can’t remember what recommendation lead me to this entry specifically. I am sorry to say, it was a disappointment. The evidence is so overwhelming with so little to contradict it that the ultimate reveal is less of a twist than a shrug and an “if you say so, Ellery”. The characters are kind of thin - the ultimate villain is such a pile of stereotypes and the ladies of the book so paper-thin that I wondered if maybe the authors just didn’t like women in general. Queen is an enigma, too, although since this is actually his 16th appearance, I can forgive a lack of dense characterization. But he was hard to like. No one’s motivation makes sense. They hide evidence, manipulate juries, evade disclosures, and contradict themselves. Also, another work of fiction that derides the value of “circumstantial” evidence, which is far more valuable than the direct evidence of faulty witness memory. Eyeroll.
January 6, 2021
Ellery Queen stories can be categorized as belonging to different eras or periods. This is the first of the third period books - the Wrightsville stories which followed on from the early nationality puzzles and the Hollywood mysteries -and it's a very strong entry.
The Philo Vance mannerisms have long gone leaving Ellery a more contemplative figure, while the story itself is a solid puzzle (although it's not that hard to work out the culprit) backed up by good character work and atmosphere.
Recommended reading.
The Philo Vance mannerisms have long gone leaving Ellery a more contemplative figure, while the story itself is a solid puzzle (although it's not that hard to work out the culprit) backed up by good character work and atmosphere.
Recommended reading.
November 9, 2021
Admittedly I wasn't as fond of this book at first as I was at the end. It was an ordinary mystery in the beginning. But the solution was as complicated as it could get, and that made it interesting. I was off-guard, so to speak, and brought into the climax rather unexpectedly.
November 16, 2022
Ambientazione molto chiara, luoghi, aspetti ed emozioni dei personaggi descritti molto bene. L' unica pecca secondo me è che in alcuni punti l'ho trovato un po' noioso, ma scorrevole. Una fine che non si prevede! 😲
October 9, 2018
"Une souris est un miracle suffisant pour ébranler des myriades d’incroyants.. "
Bonne enquête policière, ça se lit d’une traite !
Bonne enquête policière, ça se lit d’une traite !
July 11, 2022
Um livro excelente dentro do género.
A história evolui gradualmente, até ao acto principal, de um modo leve mas sempre captando a atenção do leitor.
Depois fica num impasse, parecendo que não há saída, e não aparece nenhum herói que saiba mais que o leitor. Estamos todos no mesmo patamar sobre o mistério.
A trama continua a desenrolar-se com umas quantas situações surpreendentes, mas geniais. E só no final é que o mistério é desfeito, unindo todas as linhas soltas, como se pretende neste género de livros.
Gostei!
A história evolui gradualmente, até ao acto principal, de um modo leve mas sempre captando a atenção do leitor.
Depois fica num impasse, parecendo que não há saída, e não aparece nenhum herói que saiba mais que o leitor. Estamos todos no mesmo patamar sobre o mistério.
A trama continua a desenrolar-se com umas quantas situações surpreendentes, mas geniais. E só no final é que o mistério é desfeito, unindo todas as linhas soltas, como se pretende neste género de livros.
Gostei!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 9, 2022
Ellery Queen si reca in un villaggio in incognito per scrivere il suo nuovo romanzo e si trova coinvolto in un dramma familiare in cui nulla è come sembra.
May 19, 2023
Toľko omáčky som ešte v žiadnej knihe nevidela. Niekoľkokrát som pri počúvaní zaspala a pritom o nič neprišla. Vraha som vydedukovala sama, rovnako aj motív, ktorý bol síce prešpekulovaný, no dojem z 80% rozvláčných kapitol už nenapravil.
December 8, 2025
So satisfying to have your theories to be correct in some shape or form but still be surprised with the actual solution. By far my favorite Queen mystery! It’s also fun that it veered off from a simple whodunnit into a courtroom drama with Ellery Queen being highly involved.
November 27, 2025
Anche se non raggiunge il livello di lugubre cupezza di Dieci incredibili giorni (un altro dei romanzi di Queen ambientato a Wrightsville), pure questo è decisamente tragico e triste.
La dinamica della piccola città sconvolta da un caso di cronaca nera, e che reagisce cinicamente alla vicenda e alla fama che ne deriva, è fin troppo simile a quello che purtroppo succede davvero quando un piccolo paese diventa famoso per un omicidio.
Se è vero che gli abitanti di Wrightsville si comportano in modo moralmente squallido, è pur vero (a mio parere) che pure la famiglia Wright si comporta in maniera ingiusta (in particolare Patricia, protagonista femminile della vicenda), nonostante mi sembri che invece l'autore voglia farceli piacere.
Sotto l'aspetto puramente giallistico, la risoluzione finale mi ha un po' deluso, perché l'avevo in gran parte intuita (a me piace quando la soluzione è completamente inaspettata). Ma è una soluzione comunque valida sotto l'aspetto romanzesco, tragica e cupa come il resto del romanzo.
La dinamica della piccola città sconvolta da un caso di cronaca nera, e che reagisce cinicamente alla vicenda e alla fama che ne deriva, è fin troppo simile a quello che purtroppo succede davvero quando un piccolo paese diventa famoso per un omicidio.
Se è vero che gli abitanti di Wrightsville si comportano in modo moralmente squallido, è pur vero (a mio parere) che pure la famiglia Wright si comporta in maniera ingiusta (in particolare Patricia, protagonista femminile della vicenda), nonostante mi sembri che invece l'autore voglia farceli piacere.
Sotto l'aspetto puramente giallistico, la risoluzione finale mi ha un po' deluso, perché l'avevo in gran parte intuita (a me piace quando la soluzione è completamente inaspettata). Ma è una soluzione comunque valida sotto l'aspetto romanzesco, tragica e cupa come il resto del romanzo.
May 19, 2017
Typical contrived, unrealistic Ellery Queen mystery., May 18, 2017
Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Calamity Town (Kindle Edition)
This is a typical contrived, unrealistic Ellery Queen mystery. The first Ellery Queen book I have read in several years, it reminded me of why I don't like Queen but do like Dorothy Sayers, Josephine Tey and P. D. James. Here are just a couple of the silly things in this mystery:
Location 545, "And Frank Lloyd was a dangerous man.". Not established at this point in the book. How could Queen know this?
Location 1035, how does Queen know which is the real Rosemary Haight signature?
Location 1134 Jim Haight is obviously talking about his real, original wife, not Nora. Even the dullest reader must have figured out by now that Jim Haight was already married when he married Nora.
The Ellery Queen mysteries is one of the few book series which is generally not as good as the television programs and movies based upon the books and character.
Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Calamity Town (Kindle Edition)
This is a typical contrived, unrealistic Ellery Queen mystery. The first Ellery Queen book I have read in several years, it reminded me of why I don't like Queen but do like Dorothy Sayers, Josephine Tey and P. D. James. Here are just a couple of the silly things in this mystery:
Location 545, "And Frank Lloyd was a dangerous man.". Not established at this point in the book. How could Queen know this?
Location 1035, how does Queen know which is the real Rosemary Haight signature?
Location 1134 Jim Haight is obviously talking about his real, original wife, not Nora. Even the dullest reader must have figured out by now that Jim Haight was already married when he married Nora.
The Ellery Queen mysteries is one of the few book series which is generally not as good as the television programs and movies based upon the books and character.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 8, 2017
I hadn't read a book by Ellery Queen since ages, so since this title come up twice in the same day from different sources I decided to give it a try. I cannot say I am disappointed, but I guessed almost immediately what was going on and so it spoiled for me the rest of the novel. It usually never happens....
Era da tempo che non leggevo un giallo di Ellery Queen, quindi quando questo titolo é emerso da fonti differenti due volte nello stesso giorno ho pensato che fosse un segno del destino e l'ho preso. Non posso dire di essere proprio delusa, no, ma il fatto che giá prima della metá avevo intuito lo svilupparsi della faccenda un po' mi ha rovinato il resto del romanzo, anche perché di solito non mi succede mai....
Era da tempo che non leggevo un giallo di Ellery Queen, quindi quando questo titolo é emerso da fonti differenti due volte nello stesso giorno ho pensato che fosse un segno del destino e l'ho preso. Non posso dire di essere proprio delusa, no, ma il fatto che giá prima della metá avevo intuito lo svilupparsi della faccenda un po' mi ha rovinato il resto del romanzo, anche perché di solito non mi succede mai....
December 31, 2024
Gostei de conhecer o Ellery Queen, não foi o meu policial favorito mas gostei da envolvência da pequena cidade e das personagens. A certo ponto já estava tão curiosa para saber o que tinha realmente acontecido que me estava a irritar não chegar lá, nem eu nem o próprio Ellery Queen! Ando a gostar deste género de policiais antigos que nunca me tinham puxado mas que agora se tornam viciantes.
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