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John Putnam Thatcher #11
Pick Up Sticks
Paperback reprint. Mystery fiction with banker-sleuth John Putnam Thatcher.
- GenresMystery
185 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1970
9 people are currently reading
74 people want to read
About the author
Emma Lathen
41 books22 followersAka R.B. Dominic
Emma Lathen is the pen name of two American businesswomen: an attorney Mary Jane Latsis (July 12, 1927 -October 29, 1997) and an economic analyst Martha Henissart (b. 1929),who received her B.A. in physics from Mount Holyoke College in 1950.
http://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/31/boo...
Emma Lathen is the pen name of two American businesswomen: an attorney Mary Jane Latsis (July 12, 1927 -October 29, 1997) and an economic analyst Martha Henissart (b. 1929),who received her B.A. in physics from Mount Holyoke College in 1950.
http://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/31/boo...
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 12, 2025
Even top Wall Street bankers need to get away from it all sometimes. Thus John Putnam Thatcher, senior vice-president of the Wall Street firm Sloan Guarantee Trust, is hiking with a friend along part of the Appalachian Trail. This is something the two try to do annually, eventually hoping to cover all of the trail. While on their first day out they stumble upon a young couple, lost, blistered, and totally unprepared to meet the outdoors. It turns out the couple has escaped from the hard-sell tactics of a new resort but have no idea where they are, so Thatcher and his friend offer to guide them back to their car. Before they can drop off the refugees and return to their hike they find themselves embroiled in a murder. Suspects include the ex-wife, a fancy architect, and the backers of the New England development. The solution manages to be both unique and satisfying.
This series focuses on Thatcher, a senior vice-president at a Wall Street bank, and other members of the banking establishment. Thatcher is a smart, detached, wry observer of human nature, a widower with almost no social life. No profanity, sex or violence here. Instead these books feel to me much like Agatha Christie novels, with a focus on a few likable characters and the mystery itself. All the clues the reader needs to unwind the puzzle are included but they're pretty deftly hidden.
The stories are very well-written, intelligent, and contain some gentle humor. People are presented in all their strengths and weaknesses, but Thatcher's general kindness keeps them from looking ridiculous. Usually, anyway. Another strength of the series is the variety of settings. The mysteries don't actually take place at the bank, but instead in different businesses the bank has an interest in. Or as in this case, while Thatcher is on vacation. Each book gives the reader an insiders look into some aspect of business. Here it's how the Appalachian Trail functions and is maintained. I really enjoy these forays, as well as the minor characters we meet as the story develops.
A possible complaint is that, despite the fact that the author was actually two highly successful career women, all the MCs are men. The only females here are wives, daughters and secretaries. This never bothered me, I think because when the women do show up they're generally pretty sharp and independent. Still it's too bad no one had broken the glass ceiling at Sloan Guarantee and Trust during this series. (Also, it's not like the men are paragons of intelligence or virtue, either. There's a sweetly cynical cast to everyone in these books. I like it.)
I've been a fan of this author for decades - I own all of her (their) books, picked up in pre-Internet days from used book stores and library sales. Still, I'm very happy to see the books available on ebook for reasonable prices. You don't always have access to physical books, and it's easier to recommend them to friends if they're easily available. So, yeah ebooks! (Some Amazon reviews mention terrible typos and other errors. Apparently these have been fixed in the titles I've purchased so far.)
It's not necessary to read the series in order, as each book is very much a stand alone. My favorites are: When in Greece, Murder to Go, Pick Up Sticks, Ashes to Ashes, Murder Without Icing, Going for the Gold and Right on the Money. This author really deserves to be much more widely read. I hope she soon will be.
This series focuses on Thatcher, a senior vice-president at a Wall Street bank, and other members of the banking establishment. Thatcher is a smart, detached, wry observer of human nature, a widower with almost no social life. No profanity, sex or violence here. Instead these books feel to me much like Agatha Christie novels, with a focus on a few likable characters and the mystery itself. All the clues the reader needs to unwind the puzzle are included but they're pretty deftly hidden.
The stories are very well-written, intelligent, and contain some gentle humor. People are presented in all their strengths and weaknesses, but Thatcher's general kindness keeps them from looking ridiculous. Usually, anyway. Another strength of the series is the variety of settings. The mysteries don't actually take place at the bank, but instead in different businesses the bank has an interest in. Or as in this case, while Thatcher is on vacation. Each book gives the reader an insiders look into some aspect of business. Here it's how the Appalachian Trail functions and is maintained. I really enjoy these forays, as well as the minor characters we meet as the story develops.
A possible complaint is that, despite the fact that the author was actually two highly successful career women, all the MCs are men. The only females here are wives, daughters and secretaries. This never bothered me, I think because when the women do show up they're generally pretty sharp and independent. Still it's too bad no one had broken the glass ceiling at Sloan Guarantee and Trust during this series. (Also, it's not like the men are paragons of intelligence or virtue, either. There's a sweetly cynical cast to everyone in these books. I like it.)
I've been a fan of this author for decades - I own all of her (their) books, picked up in pre-Internet days from used book stores and library sales. Still, I'm very happy to see the books available on ebook for reasonable prices. You don't always have access to physical books, and it's easier to recommend them to friends if they're easily available. So, yeah ebooks! (Some Amazon reviews mention terrible typos and other errors. Apparently these have been fixed in the titles I've purchased so far.)
It's not necessary to read the series in order, as each book is very much a stand alone. My favorites are: When in Greece, Murder to Go, Pick Up Sticks, Ashes to Ashes, Murder Without Icing, Going for the Gold and Right on the Money. This author really deserves to be much more widely read. I hope she soon will be.
October 29, 2023
John Putnam Thatcher, senior vice president of the Sloan Guaranty Trust, is on vacation and he's joined up with friend Henry Moreland for a hike along the Appalachian Trail.
But the walking among nature is short lived when the men come upon a couple from a weekend sales pitch for a new vacation development. And in next to no time, they find themselves in the midst of a murder — Moreland discovers a body!
And worse yet, Moreland knows the dead man, Steven Lester. But along with Moreland, the police have even more suspicious characters as potential suspects — when they go to the vacation weekend, they discover two Mrs. Lesters — and boy, is the fur flying!
Worse yet, Moreland has decided to play amateur detective and Thatcher is the reluctant partner. Motives and opportunity fly wildly but it ultimately turns out that Thatcher's background in finance, eventually brings sanity and logic out of chaos.
I started reading these works when I was much younger, and I grew tired of the series. But I continued to admire Lathen's writing and the cleverness of the books. So when the opportunity arose, I have picked up the Thatcher books once again. And this one is a real gem with gentle humor along with the serious work of trying to figure out the mystery. Thoroughly enjoyed, so much that I found myself reading deep into the night. That makes it good reading.
This is the 11th outing featuring John Putnam Thatcher; Mary Jane Latsis and Martha Henissart, using the pen name Emma Lathen, wrote a total of 24 novels in the Thatcher series, as well as seven additional works featuring Congressman Benton Safford under the pen name R.B. Dominic.
But the walking among nature is short lived when the men come upon a couple from a weekend sales pitch for a new vacation development. And in next to no time, they find themselves in the midst of a murder — Moreland discovers a body!
And worse yet, Moreland knows the dead man, Steven Lester. But along with Moreland, the police have even more suspicious characters as potential suspects — when they go to the vacation weekend, they discover two Mrs. Lesters — and boy, is the fur flying!
Worse yet, Moreland has decided to play amateur detective and Thatcher is the reluctant partner. Motives and opportunity fly wildly but it ultimately turns out that Thatcher's background in finance, eventually brings sanity and logic out of chaos.
I started reading these works when I was much younger, and I grew tired of the series. But I continued to admire Lathen's writing and the cleverness of the books. So when the opportunity arose, I have picked up the Thatcher books once again. And this one is a real gem with gentle humor along with the serious work of trying to figure out the mystery. Thoroughly enjoyed, so much that I found myself reading deep into the night. That makes it good reading.
This is the 11th outing featuring John Putnam Thatcher; Mary Jane Latsis and Martha Henissart, using the pen name Emma Lathen, wrote a total of 24 novels in the Thatcher series, as well as seven additional works featuring Congressman Benton Safford under the pen name R.B. Dominic.
July 26, 2020
I loved this book a lot! This was my first Thatcher mystery and I could not stop laughing at all the quips and jokes within the text. I am hoping to come across more of Emma Lathen's works.
As for the mystery, I did not figure out the culprit, so I was very intrigued to see how it all unfolded in the end. I thought the plot was decent enough to keep my interest throughout. The one character who holds the story together though is Henry Morland. His morbid enthusiasm to the case and his ability to be a great nuisance to his wife and friend without recognizing it makes me hope I will see more of him in other Thatcher stories.
As for the mystery, I did not figure out the culprit, so I was very intrigued to see how it all unfolded in the end. I thought the plot was decent enough to keep my interest throughout. The one character who holds the story together though is Henry Morland. His morbid enthusiasm to the case and his ability to be a great nuisance to his wife and friend without recognizing it makes me hope I will see more of him in other Thatcher stories.
October 18, 2024
I very much enjoy Emma Lathen, and this book is no exception. That said...I think I am glad Henry is not a common character since he is a bit overwhelming! So if you enjoy her books--you'll enjoy this one. If this is your first and you found it a bit scattered....please try another one! Thatcher is usually not being drug around quite so much.
April 21, 2021
The eleventh John Putman Thatcher mystery and the appeal does not fail. This time he is on holiday and he and a friend start to follow the Appallation Trail until murder interrupts their hike. Great read!!
July 11, 2024
These books consistently make me laugh. They are both old-fashioned and timely. I don't know how that works.
The entire, and entirely eccentric, cast of characters is fun to visit.
The entire, and entirely eccentric, cast of characters is fun to visit.
October 2, 2018
Thatcher is hiking the Appalachian Trail when he finds himself ensnared in a building development scheme. A murder victim's personality begs for enemies, and the hard-sell style of the developers is plenty abrasive too. Thatcher, cringing a bit from battling wives, will have to resolve the conflicts to get back to his vacation.
Read 3 times
Read 3 times
September 27, 2025
No one wrote mysteries like Emma Lathen did. Those two ladies, masked by the Lathen pseudonym, somehow managed to pull off interesting mysteries all centered around Wall Street and a different industry or business model every time. In great part this works because they have a wicked sense of humor which is often so understated that I'll reread several paragraphs just to relish how much they say just by a deft application of adjectives.
This is a favorite of mine. John Putnam Thatcher is actually on a 3-week vacation walking the Appalacian Trail when he is derailed by murder. Of course, it is tied to business - in this case vacation home developments. By the time you get to the end where he's roped in various Sloan Bank officials to infiltrate a presentation weekend, you can't help but appreciate the deft way Lathen presents the dignified wackiness that ensues.
This is a favorite of mine. John Putnam Thatcher is actually on a 3-week vacation walking the Appalacian Trail when he is derailed by murder. Of course, it is tied to business - in this case vacation home developments. By the time you get to the end where he's roped in various Sloan Bank officials to infiltrate a presentation weekend, you can't help but appreciate the deft way Lathen presents the dignified wackiness that ensues.
December 30, 2016
Enjoyable but not brilliant, this detective story immerses Thatcher in the rough world of holiday home real estate. It reserves grudging admiration for the slyness and "hard sell" tactics of a pair of ambitious young developers and their eccentric architect, but their best-laid plans go badly wrong when murder exposes the flaws.
The unusual setting (for Emma Lathen) provides some refreshment of the cast, though the stock character of the Petulant And Immature Woman makes her traditional appearance. Latsis and Henissart really have a grudge against the species!
The plot has the usual "follow the money" denouement, and it is a bit disappointing because, despite all the red herrings, there has always been only one obvious suspect.
The unusual setting (for Emma Lathen) provides some refreshment of the cast, though the stock character of the Petulant And Immature Woman makes her traditional appearance. Latsis and Henissart really have a grudge against the species!
The plot has the usual "follow the money" denouement, and it is a bit disappointing because, despite all the red herrings, there has always been only one obvious suspect.
September 11, 2007
I thought this one was really good. Thatcher gets away from his desk and off on the hiking trail, but his hiking companion finds a dead body. Thatcher gets drawn into the investigation. The dead man was also an avid hiker, but it's his complex relationship with his wife and ex-wife that had everyone thinking. Great book. I found it at the library, so if you can't get a copy elsewhere, try it there.
January 6, 2012
Thatcher is hiking the Appalachian Trail (there's a phrase with a new connotation) with his friend Henry when Henry discovers the body of an acquaintance at a new vacation development. This book wasn't as enjoyable as others in the series because the action is away from the Sloan, Thatcher's bank, and much of it is focussed on Henry, who's determined to solve the mystery.
March 31, 2011
plot coincidence with Night Shades. Well crafted
June 9, 2012
Perfect mystery to read during the summer. Quirky characters and sly humor. Really have to pay attention to the details... if you do, you'll figure out who the murderer is!
November 9, 2012
Lifeless. Dull.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews