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Inspector Henry Tibbett Mystery #16
Six Letter Word for Death
A crossword puzzle compiled by a mischievous group of mystery writers leads Chief Superintendent Henry Tibbett and his wife into a murder case involving a horrifying twenty-year-old secret.
241 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1983
55 people are currently reading
159 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Moyes
63 books49 followersMoyes was born in Dublin on 19 January 1923 and was educated at Overstone girls' school in Northampton. She joined the WAAF in 1939. In 1946 Peter Ustinov hired her as technical assistant on his film School for Secrets. She became his personal assistant for the next eight years. In 1960 she wrote the screenplay for the film School for Scoundrels starring Ian Carmichael, Terry-Thomas, and Alastair Sim. She married photographer John Moyes in 1951; they divorced in 1959. She later married James Haszard, a linguist at the International Monetary Fund in The Hague. She died at her home on the island of Virgin Gorda (British Virgin Islands) on 2 August 2000.
Her mystery novels feature C.I.D. Inspector Henry Tibbett. One of them, Who Saw Her Die (Many Deadly Returns in the US) was nominated for an Edgar Allan Poe Award in 1971. She also wrote several juveniles and short stories.
Series:
* Inspector Henry Tibbett Mystery
Her mystery novels feature C.I.D. Inspector Henry Tibbett. One of them, Who Saw Her Die (Many Deadly Returns in the US) was nominated for an Edgar Allan Poe Award in 1971. She also wrote several juveniles and short stories.
Series:
* Inspector Henry Tibbett Mystery
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
October 31, 2015
Chief Superintendent Henry Tibbett of Scotland Yard receives a crossword puzzle in the mail one day. A crossword puzzle with just three clues, but with the promise of more to come soon. A crossword enthusiast friend helps him solve the puzzle (remember that this is a British style crossword; wickedly difficult to work out!) but who are the people whose names spell the answers to the clues, why do they concern Tibbett, and what is the relationship between them? Is this some kind of prank, maybe?
What is going on here?!
That was pretty much my reaction for the first few chapters. I like crossword puzzles and when I was doing them frequently I was good at them. But those were American style puzzles. I could solve only the most obvious clues in the British puzzles I tried. So my brain got a little fried while all the clue discussions were taking place, but I did enjoy the conversations between Tibbett and his crossword-solving friend. At one point the friend called the whole puzzle taradiddle, which in this case meant pretentious nonsense, and would be a great word in any style crossword puzzle.
Anyway, Tibbet and his wife go to the Isle of Wight where he is supposed to give a talk on police procedure to members of the Guess Who Club. They are writers of mystery novels and each one writes under a pseudonym because for various reasons no one wants the public to know their real identities. But we readers know. At least we do if we can keep all the names straight, which is another thing I am not too good at. But this meeting is where things begin to go wrong for our little group, and then there is a six letter word for death. (You know, a murder.)
This is another of those books I have read before but not for many many years. I could only remember that I liked it the last time I read it. But in this reading I was annoyed at how Tibbett treated his wife Emmy. They seem to be partners in crime: she is able to be with him for a great deal of the investigating, and he even sends her off to do a little sleuthing on her own. But he doesn't tell her all the details he knows or share all of his plans with her, because he doesn't want her to give anything away. And she just goes ahead on and does whatever he tells her to do, even after he concludes his vague instructions with comments like 'Don't worry, I promise you will never be in any danger.' I suppose I am much less trusting than Emmy. I wouldn't play Watson after hearing something like that no matter who was saying it.
But back to our story. After the victim becomes the victim, events happen pretty fast and build up to a vividly dramatic ending that explains everything, but is just a bit like being hit on the head with a blunt instrument: WHAM! HERE IS THE TRUTH REVEALED!! I had gotten lulled into believing the ending would be calmer. I think most of the characters in the book thought so, too.
I have a couple of the other titles in the Henry Tibbett series, and will be rereading them Someday. I will prepare myself for anything but hopefully Emmy and I will never be in any danger.
What is going on here?!
That was pretty much my reaction for the first few chapters. I like crossword puzzles and when I was doing them frequently I was good at them. But those were American style puzzles. I could solve only the most obvious clues in the British puzzles I tried. So my brain got a little fried while all the clue discussions were taking place, but I did enjoy the conversations between Tibbett and his crossword-solving friend. At one point the friend called the whole puzzle taradiddle, which in this case meant pretentious nonsense, and would be a great word in any style crossword puzzle.
Anyway, Tibbet and his wife go to the Isle of Wight where he is supposed to give a talk on police procedure to members of the Guess Who Club. They are writers of mystery novels and each one writes under a pseudonym because for various reasons no one wants the public to know their real identities. But we readers know. At least we do if we can keep all the names straight, which is another thing I am not too good at. But this meeting is where things begin to go wrong for our little group, and then there is a six letter word for death. (You know, a murder.)
This is another of those books I have read before but not for many many years. I could only remember that I liked it the last time I read it. But in this reading I was annoyed at how Tibbett treated his wife Emmy. They seem to be partners in crime: she is able to be with him for a great deal of the investigating, and he even sends her off to do a little sleuthing on her own. But he doesn't tell her all the details he knows or share all of his plans with her, because he doesn't want her to give anything away. And she just goes ahead on and does whatever he tells her to do, even after he concludes his vague instructions with comments like 'Don't worry, I promise you will never be in any danger.' I suppose I am much less trusting than Emmy. I wouldn't play Watson after hearing something like that no matter who was saying it.
But back to our story. After the victim becomes the victim, events happen pretty fast and build up to a vividly dramatic ending that explains everything, but is just a bit like being hit on the head with a blunt instrument: WHAM! HERE IS THE TRUTH REVEALED!! I had gotten lulled into believing the ending would be calmer. I think most of the characters in the book thought so, too.
I have a couple of the other titles in the Henry Tibbett series, and will be rereading them Someday. I will prepare myself for anything but hopefully Emmy and I will never be in any danger.
May 31, 2011
This book felt a bit ponderous at the beginning, and I thought I might set it aside, but I'm glad I didn't! Once I got past the ponderous opening, I had a hard time putting it down. Also, I thought it was going to be difficult to keep the various characters and non de plumes straight!, but luckily my copy (off the library give-away shelf) has a hand-written guide in the back. (I would recommend readers do similar [in a piece of scrap paper, if you are not keen on writing in books or have a library copy!].)
In many ways, the book is a classic whodunit with the re-created event and a big reveal - but it was also more than that. And during the "big reveal" when Tibbetts states one event at odds with what I knew he had previously discovered, I began to wonder if the author had lost it and made a big gaffe. But no, that was part of his plan.
In many ways, the book is a classic whodunit with the re-created event and a big reveal - but it was also more than that. And during the "big reveal" when Tibbetts states one event at odds with what I knew he had previously discovered, I began to wonder if the author had lost it and made a big gaffe. But no, that was part of his plan.
October 11, 2023
A–:
Really terrific, although it helps to be a fan of cryptic crosswords. Moyes offers up three potential past murders, plenty of red herrings, and even brings back Edwin Manciple (a hoot in Murder Fantastical). There have been some dodgy moments in the Tibbett series but this one's not to be missed.
Really terrific, although it helps to be a fan of cryptic crosswords. Moyes offers up three potential past murders, plenty of red herrings, and even brings back Edwin Manciple (a hoot in Murder Fantastical). There have been some dodgy moments in the Tibbett series but this one's not to be missed.
September 28, 2014
I liked this book and even though I didn't hate the ending, it still seemed to me like too much was left out for the reader to piece it together herself. I liked Vandike a lot but the other characters didn't really pop for me. As always, I love Emmy and Henry but it occurred to me while I read this that Emmy could have found out more information just by being a woman and a wife.
I do wish Moyes was still alive and writing books... I think she and Christie are both two of mystery's big geniuses.
I do wish Moyes was still alive and writing books... I think she and Christie are both two of mystery's big geniuses.
March 6, 2008
Reread this one yesterday. Chief Superintendent Henry Tibbett is asked to speak at a mystery writers group, but they decide to play a little prank on him by sending anonymous crossword puzzles, accusing the writers themselves of murder. But one of the group is playing a double game, hoping to get Tibbett to investigate a real murder. Tibbett must decide which of the three cases is the real one.
April 16, 2021
This is a fun mystery, very reminiscent of Agatha Christie. Oddly enough, it had the feel of Poirot's time period even though Tibbett lived in (I think) the 1980s. The story takes place (mostly) at a country estate on the Isle of Wight. It starts with a house part. But there are occasional references to the rental cars and credit cards that remind you it's current day. I actually found those occasional references to be a little anachronistic. It was an interesting twist that Tibbett was a police officer from Scotland Yard yet he investigated and solved the "case" on his time off; it was never an official "case." His wife even assisted with some of the investigating. All this led to the feeling of an amateur sleuth.
I enjoyed the complicated plotline but there were things that didn't make sense to me, although that could just be that I'm not familiar with how the legal system works in London. It was an interesting view to see that these people (including the local officer on the island) didn't care that he was from the Yard and openly lied or circumvented Tibbet--that's a reaction to the Yard I hadn't seen in literature before. I also found the ending to be interesting and unexpected.
I enjoyed the complicated plotline but there were things that didn't make sense to me, although that could just be that I'm not familiar with how the legal system works in London. It was an interesting view to see that these people (including the local officer on the island) didn't care that he was from the Yard and openly lied or circumvented Tibbet--that's a reaction to the Yard I hadn't seen in literature before. I also found the ending to be interesting and unexpected.
April 6, 2018
Henry Tibbett is a modest man with the serious title of Chief Superintendent of Scotland Yard. Behind his mild façade is a man with a shrewd mind, who sees more than people think and can solve any puzzle put in front of him.
When he receives a crossword puzzle, complete with cryptic clues and a note that more clues are to follow, he wonders if it is some sort of prank. Work is slow and so he starts to try and solve it. When it is completely done, he finds that it may be connected to a couple of deaths from the past. Deaths were considered suspicious yet never solved. It also seems to warn of more death to come.
Mingling with a small group of mystery writers, he finds that their main focus is murder. Also that there are connecting threads between them that go back for years...back to the times of the murders found in the crossword puzzle.
This is written in a traditional British detective style. The scene is at a large country estate with all the trimmings of posh accommodations, characters with quirks and mysterious back stories. Along the lines of Sayers, Christie and Allingham. Very enjoyable.
When he receives a crossword puzzle, complete with cryptic clues and a note that more clues are to follow, he wonders if it is some sort of prank. Work is slow and so he starts to try and solve it. When it is completely done, he finds that it may be connected to a couple of deaths from the past. Deaths were considered suspicious yet never solved. It also seems to warn of more death to come.
Mingling with a small group of mystery writers, he finds that their main focus is murder. Also that there are connecting threads between them that go back for years...back to the times of the murders found in the crossword puzzle.
This is written in a traditional British detective style. The scene is at a large country estate with all the trimmings of posh accommodations, characters with quirks and mysterious back stories. Along the lines of Sayers, Christie and Allingham. Very enjoyable.
May 1, 2019
This is reminiscent of a country house murder during the 1930s as the characters themselves note several times. There is even the classic gathering of all the suspects and the denouement. And a surprise twist at the end.
I enjoyed the beginning and the reveal of how to get to the answers of the crossword (British cross-words are wicked), even if it was slow. The pace picked up as the story went along. It was hard to keep track of all the different names and then their nom-de-plume but it wasn't necessary to understand the solution of the murder. Stick to keeping straight the writers themselves and even that isn't necessary if you are reading the murder just to enjoy the book not to figure it out yourself.
A solid mystery but I wish Emmy had a bigger role to play in this book.
I enjoyed the beginning and the reveal of how to get to the answers of the crossword (British cross-words are wicked), even if it was slow. The pace picked up as the story went along. It was hard to keep track of all the different names and then their nom-de-plume but it wasn't necessary to understand the solution of the murder. Stick to keeping straight the writers themselves and even that isn't necessary if you are reading the murder just to enjoy the book not to figure it out yourself.
A solid mystery but I wish Emmy had a bigger role to play in this book.
August 12, 2017
During the doldrums of summer, Chief Superintendent Henry Tibbett receives an anonymous, but cryptic, crossword puzzle in the mail. Only the first two clues accompany it, but Henry just happens to know an expert in puzzle-solving. More clues arrive, and each seems to point at a death that could have been suspicious. Henry had recently received an invitation to speak at a meeting of a small group of mystery writers, who all use pen names — could the crossword perhaps be a test of his detective skills? Along with his wife, Emmy, he travels to the Isle of Wight where he gives his talk. However, when an apparent accident befalls one of the other guest, Henry is suspicious, and undertakes an investigation. Very enjoyable mystery, well spiced with understated British humor. Recommended.
May 17, 2024
Henry Tibbett gets a series of mysteries letters containing clues to a crossword puzzle. He is helped in solving them by Edwin Manciple, the crossword enthusiast from Murder Fantastical. The clues suggest that a crime, perhaps more than one has been committed, and eventually they lead Henry and Emmy to the Isle of Wight, and to the home of the wealthy Oppenshaws, publishers of detective fiction, who live in what seems like prewar splendour, with a houseful of servants (one even tugs his forelock - I mean really). But of course there is trouble ahead. A good mystery with plenty of surprises.
March 24, 2019
After some heavier reading to start out the year, it was quite a pleasure to mix it up with an old school British mystery for a change. I don't think I've read Moyes before, but I used to read similar books all the time. This one had been sitting on my shelf for some time and I threw it into my backpack when I was headed to the airport, in case I needed something easy to get into. It is strange that a story that centers around murder should be a kind of equivalent to comfort food, but it is. This one fits into the stately home sub-genre. Fun.
February 15, 2018
This is probably one of my favorites in the Henry Tibbett series. The mystery is first introduced by a mysterious crossword puzzle sent to Tibbett which he must solve in order to get the clues for three different suspicious deaths. So begins the unraveling of a mystery that began years before with lots of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very end the first time I read it.
November 16, 2022
That would be murder. A very good addition to the quality Henry Tibbett series. A group of pseudonymous mystery writers invite Henry to give a talk. Events follow, as they do, set in motion by a rather malicious series of clues that appear in a cross word puzzle sent to Henry by one of the writers. The group is tied together by more than one secret. Who really likes practical jokes?
February 5, 2025
I really liked the premise of the crossword killer mystery. Overall a pretty good book but there were some characters that didn’t make much sense to me. I would give it 3.5 if half stars were a thing on this app.
March 6, 2025
Miss Moyes does an excellent job with the details of the mystery. Her characters are three dimensional which inevitably makes the reading more enjoyable. I would say that the ending is not in keeping with reality but who doesn't like a happy ending?
September 18, 2025
Amusing and intricate plot
Great book if you enjoy both a murder mystery and a puzzle. I loved the different characters and how they represent the best and worst of British tradition.
Great book if you enjoy both a murder mystery and a puzzle. I loved the different characters and how they represent the best and worst of British tradition.
July 15, 2017
Classic English country house murder mystery--with a unique twist. Entertaining read in the series featuring Henry Tibbett, Chief Superintendent of Scotland Yard.
August 14, 2018
Engrossing up to the halfway point, then it started dithering, and ended implausibly. Not one of her best.
July 19, 2019
Like P. Wenthworth, Moyes is another always dependable mystery writer.
January 27, 2020
Clever and well drawn.
January 16, 2021
Early Bird Book Deal |
January 28, 2023
Classic who done it! Quick read, entertaining! Will look for more of this series.
January 4, 2024
Fun, classic, British whodunit.
January 31, 2024
Such Villainy!!!
Suspenseful with characters that were distinct & quite intense! Mysteries within mysteries unraveled by Henry’s tenacious qualities. A page turner!!!
Suspenseful with characters that were distinct & quite intense! Mysteries within mysteries unraveled by Henry’s tenacious qualities. A page turner!!!
February 20, 2024
Fun murder mystery--interesting twists
February 21, 2024
As usual…
Don’t like the resolution. It just suddenly stops. The murderer was obvious. It just feels lazy. It was quite cute the way Henry and Emmy work together.
Don’t like the resolution. It just suddenly stops. The murderer was obvious. It just feels lazy. It was quite cute the way Henry and Emmy work together.
March 3, 2024
Complex plot ...comforting English mystery. Who killed for inheritance?
April 18, 2024
A fun whodunnit in the style of Agatha Christie. How could I resist when it also included a crossword puzzle as part of the story?
May 8, 2024
Brilliant!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews