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Inspectors Hannasyde & Hemingway #3
They Found Him Dead
It is the morning after wealthy Silas Kane's sixtieth birthday party - a celebration that brings to light a number of familial controversies. When Kane is found dead at the foot of a cliff, the assumption is that he simply lost his way in the fog and fell by accident. But the subsequent death of his nephew and heir and threats on the life of the third Kane, the newest heir, raises obvious suspicion, and the redoubtable investigative skills of Superintendent Hannasyde prove critical once again.
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First published January 1, 1937
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About the author
Georgette Heyer
262 books5,442 followersGeorgette Heyer was a prolific historical romance and detective fiction novelist. Her writing career began in 1921, when she turned a story for her younger brother into the novel The Black Moth.
In 1925 she married George Ronald Rougier, a mining engineer. Rougier later became a barrister and he often provided basic plot outlines for her thrillers. Beginning in 1932, Heyer released one romance novel and one thriller each year.
Heyer was an intensely private person who remained a best selling author all her life without the aid of publicity. She made no appearances, never gave an interview and only answered fan letters herself if they made an interesting historical point. She wrote one novel using the pseudonym Stella Martin.
Her Georgian and Regencies romances were inspired by Jane Austen. While some critics thought her novels were too detailed, others considered the level of detail to be Heyer's greatest asset.
Heyer remains a popular and much-loved author, known for essentially establishing the historical romance genre and its subgenre Regency romance.
In 1925 she married George Ronald Rougier, a mining engineer. Rougier later became a barrister and he often provided basic plot outlines for her thrillers. Beginning in 1932, Heyer released one romance novel and one thriller each year.
Heyer was an intensely private person who remained a best selling author all her life without the aid of publicity. She made no appearances, never gave an interview and only answered fan letters herself if they made an interesting historical point. She wrote one novel using the pseudonym Stella Martin.
Her Georgian and Regencies romances were inspired by Jane Austen. While some critics thought her novels were too detailed, others considered the level of detail to be Heyer's greatest asset.
Heyer remains a popular and much-loved author, known for essentially establishing the historical romance genre and its subgenre Regency romance.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 397 reviews
September 18, 2025
4.5★
One way Georgette Heyer really shows her skill as a writer is when she has a really full cast of characters and the reader can remember every single one!
For most of the novel the storyline moves along at a rollicking pace. My last read I noted down the teenage sleuth Terrible Timothy & the always sparkling Sergeant Hemingway, but this time I was mesmerised by the self absorbed Rosemary. I feel that GH was having such fun with these books!
Another character was;
At times I felt like I was in a Mary Stewart novel!
The red herrings
were laid out with great skill. I felt myself very clever picking up on them!
While I enjoyed this book more than I ever have before, it didn't quite rise to 5★ for me.
I felt it did get slightly bogged down towards the end. And the idea that Australian Oscar Roberts would know another Australian 'back home...' Look at the map. Huge country. & even in 1937 Australia had a population of 7 million.
When I was a travelling kiwi,
this used to drive me bonkers!
One way Georgette Heyer really shows her skill as a writer is when she has a really full cast of characters and the reader can remember every single one!
For most of the novel the storyline moves along at a rollicking pace. My last read I noted down the teenage sleuth Terrible Timothy & the always sparkling Sergeant Hemingway, but this time I was mesmerised by the self absorbed Rosemary. I feel that GH was having such fun with these books!
Another character was;
At times I felt like I was in a Mary Stewart novel!
The red herrings
were laid out with great skill. I felt myself very clever picking up on them!
While I enjoyed this book more than I ever have before, it didn't quite rise to 5★ for me.
I felt it did get slightly bogged down towards the end. And the idea that Australian Oscar Roberts would know another Australian 'back home...' Look at the map. Huge country. & even in 1937 Australia had a population of 7 million.
When I was a travelling kiwi,
this used to drive me bonkers!
January 27, 2023
“You're more prejudiced against Paul Mansell than I've ever known you to be against anyone," said Hannasyde.
"Not prejudiced,"said the Sergeant firmly. "I never let myself get prejudiced. All I say is, that he's a nasty, slimy, double-faced tick who'd murder his own grandmother if he saw a bit of money to be got out of it.”
They Found Him Dead is a Golden Age murder mystery that has a perfect balance between characterization and plot. And after reading four of the eight books in this series, all out of order, this is by far my favorite; and I have added it to my favorites list.
The Kanes are a large, wealthy, multigenerational family that are often disagreeable. They have been long term business partners with the Mansell family. The Kanes haven’t achieved their status by being pushovers, and now they control most of the business. When Silas Kane, the CEO, takes a negative stance on the deal the Mansell’s are pushing forward, it causes strife at his 60th dinner party, and suspicions of murder when he’s found dead the next day.
The plot is more complex than it appears from the blurb and there’s more than one death that occurs; however, I don’t want to reveal any spoilers by saying to much.
The group of characters in this book is proof of Heyer’s expertise as an author. From the aged curmudgeonly family matriarch to the teen, amateur detective, great nephew, spending the summer with his Uncle Silas, to the daughter-in-law - who kept going on about how her ancestry caused her to need expensive material goods – to her husband who’s sure she is having an affair with one of the party guests; there was plenty of drama in this group. Some were meant to be pathetic or spoiled or witty, yet none were tedious to read about, and there is quite a bit of dialogue in this book. My favorite part was when the Kane family was discussing the plausible suspects over lunch – pure writing genius.
Since I read a lot of mysteries, I love it when the story can take me to the reveal before I’m sure of the murderer’s identity. This one had a great plot with many clues, red herrings, and suspects. It made me suspicious of several characters and change my mind about them a couple of times. Even though Inspector Hannasyde leads this case, there is a balance between his presence and the amateur sleuths in the book. You get insight into the clues and details about the case from many angles. Never did I skim parts or get bored reading. The grand reveal at the end was intriguing and suspenseful.
Characterization, plot, and dialogue – this book had it all. It’s a fine example of a Golden Age mystery novel. I should mention that the first chapter contains numerous character introductions, so if, like me, you get them muddled, just reread it and you should be fine. Highly recommended.
"Not prejudiced,"said the Sergeant firmly. "I never let myself get prejudiced. All I say is, that he's a nasty, slimy, double-faced tick who'd murder his own grandmother if he saw a bit of money to be got out of it.”
They Found Him Dead is a Golden Age murder mystery that has a perfect balance between characterization and plot. And after reading four of the eight books in this series, all out of order, this is by far my favorite; and I have added it to my favorites list.
The Kanes are a large, wealthy, multigenerational family that are often disagreeable. They have been long term business partners with the Mansell family. The Kanes haven’t achieved their status by being pushovers, and now they control most of the business. When Silas Kane, the CEO, takes a negative stance on the deal the Mansell’s are pushing forward, it causes strife at his 60th dinner party, and suspicions of murder when he’s found dead the next day.
The plot is more complex than it appears from the blurb and there’s more than one death that occurs; however, I don’t want to reveal any spoilers by saying to much.
The group of characters in this book is proof of Heyer’s expertise as an author. From the aged curmudgeonly family matriarch to the teen, amateur detective, great nephew, spending the summer with his Uncle Silas, to the daughter-in-law - who kept going on about how her ancestry caused her to need expensive material goods – to her husband who’s sure she is having an affair with one of the party guests; there was plenty of drama in this group. Some were meant to be pathetic or spoiled or witty, yet none were tedious to read about, and there is quite a bit of dialogue in this book. My favorite part was when the Kane family was discussing the plausible suspects over lunch – pure writing genius.
Since I read a lot of mysteries, I love it when the story can take me to the reveal before I’m sure of the murderer’s identity. This one had a great plot with many clues, red herrings, and suspects. It made me suspicious of several characters and change my mind about them a couple of times. Even though Inspector Hannasyde leads this case, there is a balance between his presence and the amateur sleuths in the book. You get insight into the clues and details about the case from many angles. Never did I skim parts or get bored reading. The grand reveal at the end was intriguing and suspenseful.
Characterization, plot, and dialogue – this book had it all. It’s a fine example of a Golden Age mystery novel. I should mention that the first chapter contains numerous character introductions, so if, like me, you get them muddled, just reread it and you should be fine. Highly recommended.
January 15, 2023
Review of the audiobook narrated by Ulli Birvé.
This book is one of my favorite Heyer mysteries, primarily due to the presence of "Terrible" Timothy Harte, a precocious fourteen-year-old fan of American gangster movies who is thrilled when there are two mysterious deaths in the family. (Side note: One of my favorite Heyer Regency romances is Frederica, where the heroine has two young brothers who cause no end of problems while being adorable at the same time. Terrible Timothy is cut from the same cloth as Felix Merriville.)
The setting is the classic house party, in this case involving extended family members. When the patriarch falls off of a cliff and dies, it is called an accident. When his heir is shot in the head, however, it's time for Scotland Yard. Superintendent Hannasyde ably leads the investigation, but Sergeant (later Inspector) Hemingway steals every scene that he is in. Georgette Heyer was known for her wit and reparteé, and she put that talent to excellent use in this book. The interplay between Hemingway and Terrible Timothy is especially entertaining. (A grown-up Timothy appears in Duplicate Death.)
All of the characters are deftly drawn, even if somewhat stereotypical. (A stereotype done well can still be fun to read, can't it?) Everyone is a suspect, and the action hums along. Readers more clever than I may spot the villain early on, but a large part of the fun is watching how Hannasyde and Hemingway figure things out.
I bumped this up to five stars, on this re-listen. It's the only Heyer detective story that I think is worthy of that honor, even though I have enjoyed all of them.
This book is one of my favorite Heyer mysteries, primarily due to the presence of "Terrible" Timothy Harte, a precocious fourteen-year-old fan of American gangster movies who is thrilled when there are two mysterious deaths in the family. (Side note: One of my favorite Heyer Regency romances is Frederica, where the heroine has two young brothers who cause no end of problems while being adorable at the same time. Terrible Timothy is cut from the same cloth as Felix Merriville.)
The setting is the classic house party, in this case involving extended family members. When the patriarch falls off of a cliff and dies, it is called an accident. When his heir is shot in the head, however, it's time for Scotland Yard. Superintendent Hannasyde ably leads the investigation, but Sergeant (later Inspector) Hemingway steals every scene that he is in. Georgette Heyer was known for her wit and reparteé, and she put that talent to excellent use in this book. The interplay between Hemingway and Terrible Timothy is especially entertaining. (A grown-up Timothy appears in Duplicate Death.)
All of the characters are deftly drawn, even if somewhat stereotypical. (A stereotype done well can still be fun to read, can't it?) Everyone is a suspect, and the action hums along. Readers more clever than I may spot the villain early on, but a large part of the fun is watching how Hannasyde and Hemingway figure things out.
I bumped this up to five stars, on this re-listen. It's the only Heyer detective story that I think is worthy of that honor, even though I have enjoyed all of them.
August 2, 2025
This book would be a good choice for those who want to make the transition from Heyer's romances to her mysteries, as it focuses on mostly likable people and has a fair amount of clever dialogue. Terrible Timothy and his parents provide nice comic relief, which some of her other mysteries lack. Plus there's a romance, charming though low key.
As a mystery goes there are quite a few suspects. The reader may hit on the culprit early, but plenty of red herrings keep you guessing. I don't care, personally, if I figure it out (or remember) because I read these books more for the characters and dialogue than anything. But Heyer, like Christie, knows how to pack her stories with lots of potential murderers so you never find yourself thinking that there's really only one viable suspect. In fact, I'd rate this up with Christie's best as a puzzle.
The only weakness is that I felt the case was solved, not because of some event pushing the story to completion, but because it was time for it to end. So our detectives suddenly reasoned their way to the correct solution. The first time I listened to this - instead of reading it - I actually got my print copy and looked to see if I'd missed some clue as to why they solved it when they did. There was no clue, Hannasyde just suddenly knew where to look. That spoils the ending just a bit for me, as I like the detectives to use their brains to solve a case, not just finish running down all the possibilities. Still this is really fun to read and reread and over the decades has become a favorite of mine.
NB - You can see a grown-up Timothy in Duplicate Death, where his fiancé becomes a suspect and he decides to clear her name, meeting up with his old friend Hemingway.
The audio version is all right, but not excellent, unfortunately. The narrator does an adequate but not great job. She speaks so slowly I have to really speed it up a lot, and her men and women's voices can be hard to tell apart.
As a mystery goes there are quite a few suspects. The reader may hit on the culprit early, but plenty of red herrings keep you guessing. I don't care, personally, if I figure it out (or remember) because I read these books more for the characters and dialogue than anything. But Heyer, like Christie, knows how to pack her stories with lots of potential murderers so you never find yourself thinking that there's really only one viable suspect. In fact, I'd rate this up with Christie's best as a puzzle.
The only weakness is that I felt the case was solved, not because of some event pushing the story to completion, but because it was time for it to end. So our detectives suddenly reasoned their way to the correct solution. The first time I listened to this - instead of reading it - I actually got my print copy and looked to see if I'd missed some clue as to why they solved it when they did. There was no clue, Hannasyde just suddenly knew where to look. That spoils the ending just a bit for me, as I like the detectives to use their brains to solve a case, not just finish running down all the possibilities. Still this is really fun to read and reread and over the decades has become a favorite of mine.
NB - You can see a grown-up Timothy in Duplicate Death, where his fiancé becomes a suspect and he decides to clear her name, meeting up with his old friend Hemingway.
The audio version is all right, but not excellent, unfortunately. The narrator does an adequate but not great job. She speaks so slowly I have to really speed it up a lot, and her men and women's voices can be hard to tell apart.
July 3, 2022
7/2022 reread w/ Detectives group: still 4 stars, listened to audiobook.
2/2021 reread with Heyer group: listening to the audiobook this time, very enjoyable. I like Heyer’s golden age mysteries because they have satisfying puzzles, but also have her sparkling humor! Very entertaining tagging along with the patient Hannasyde and his wise-cracking Sgt. Hemingway as they investigate two suspicious deaths among the querulous Kane family. Silas fell from a cliff in the fog after his birthday party - supposedly an accident. But then his heir is shot - who might be next?
That’s the bare bones of the plot, but of course Heyer adds in a cranky old lady, a drama queen beauty who “must have” beautiful things (and the money to buy them), greedy partners in the business, itching for control to make new investments, a bored, interfering young cousin who says out loud what everyone suspects...all the quirky ingredients this author needs to deploy her dry humor!
2010: I fell in love with Heyer's Regency books and have always enjoyed mysteries from "Golden Age" writers (Christie, Allingham, Marsh, Sayers), so I thought I'd try Heyer's mysteries. Like another reviewer wrote here, I keep thinking each time I read one of her books, "this is better than the last one", but then I read another and think, "no, this is even better" - that's EXACTLY how I feel! I love her memorable characters and hilarious dialogue and often find myself laughing out loud when I'm reading her books. She's a real delight, and I'm trying to buy up her mysteries and Regencies so when she goes out of fashion again and the capricious publishers stop putting out her stuff, I'll have my secret hoard to read and reread!
2/2021 reread with Heyer group: listening to the audiobook this time, very enjoyable. I like Heyer’s golden age mysteries because they have satisfying puzzles, but also have her sparkling humor! Very entertaining tagging along with the patient Hannasyde and his wise-cracking Sgt. Hemingway as they investigate two suspicious deaths among the querulous Kane family. Silas fell from a cliff in the fog after his birthday party - supposedly an accident. But then his heir is shot - who might be next?
That’s the bare bones of the plot, but of course Heyer adds in a cranky old lady, a drama queen beauty who “must have” beautiful things (and the money to buy them), greedy partners in the business, itching for control to make new investments, a bored, interfering young cousin who says out loud what everyone suspects...all the quirky ingredients this author needs to deploy her dry humor!
2010: I fell in love with Heyer's Regency books and have always enjoyed mysteries from "Golden Age" writers (Christie, Allingham, Marsh, Sayers), so I thought I'd try Heyer's mysteries. Like another reviewer wrote here, I keep thinking each time I read one of her books, "this is better than the last one", but then I read another and think, "no, this is even better" - that's EXACTLY how I feel! I love her memorable characters and hilarious dialogue and often find myself laughing out loud when I'm reading her books. She's a real delight, and I'm trying to buy up her mysteries and Regencies so when she goes out of fashion again and the capricious publishers stop putting out her stuff, I'll have my secret hoard to read and reread!
January 12, 2021
A very enjoyable cozy mystery by my favourite author Georgette Heyer, not quite as good as The Unfinished Clue, but a touch better than Death in the Stocks, which were all somewhat similar in plot and family dynamics.
Heyer's mysteries rather have a reputation of featuring annoying characters. And it's true, they really do. If you're familiar with her Regency and Georgian romances, you know that Heyer is a master at characterization, creating lovable and entertaining characters that sparkle off the pages. In her mysteries, while the characters are definitely entertaining, they ae very rarely lovable.
Rosemary Kane has got to be one of the most infuriating characters I've ever encountered in literature ever. She's very well done, of course (although she pretty much disappears in the second half of the book), but Lord did she try my patience! Terrible Timothy, on the other hand, was pretty awesome, and definitely counts as a lovable character ;) He reminded me exactly of my youngest brother of the same age, and I chuckled at lot at his antics.
The pace of the story could have been a *little* speedier, although things really did pick up in the last third or so. I correctly guessed the culprit about half-way through, but was kept entertained until the end nonetheless. The twists were a bit predictable too, but overall it was a very enjoyable mystery and I look forward to my next one by Heyer!
Heyer's mysteries rather have a reputation of featuring annoying characters. And it's true, they really do. If you're familiar with her Regency and Georgian romances, you know that Heyer is a master at characterization, creating lovable and entertaining characters that sparkle off the pages. In her mysteries, while the characters are definitely entertaining, they ae very rarely lovable.
Rosemary Kane has got to be one of the most infuriating characters I've ever encountered in literature ever. She's very well done, of course (although she pretty much disappears in the second half of the book), but Lord did she try my patience! Terrible Timothy, on the other hand, was pretty awesome, and definitely counts as a lovable character ;) He reminded me exactly of my youngest brother of the same age, and I chuckled at lot at his antics.
The pace of the story could have been a *little* speedier, although things really did pick up in the last third or so. I correctly guessed the culprit about half-way through, but was kept entertained until the end nonetheless. The twists were a bit predictable too, but overall it was a very enjoyable mystery and I look forward to my next one by Heyer!
November 29, 2019
The first of Heyer's murder mysteries that I've tried, and I liked it a lot! Very much in the vein of Agatha Christie or Mary Stewart, though not as bonkers as Penhallow. There are multiple suspects, and multiple murders, and of course an elderly matriarch who says exactly what's on her mind . . . all the earmarks of a great British murder mystery!
August 27, 2015
This kept me guessing!
One of Heyer's better mysteries IMO, the characters are enjoyable if not all likable and the plot clips along at a good pace. I did have pretty good idea as to who the murderer was, but it didn't spoil the story for me.
The romance was rather sudden starting in chapter one, but it worked and I liked the two of them. I really did enjoy this and you can't beat the imp Terrible Timothy, who goes about getting into mischief and helping the detectives solve the case.
Recommend if you like cozy mysteries that don't leave you confused if you need to put it down for other things.
G A few swears, murder and that's about it.
One of Heyer's better mysteries IMO, the characters are enjoyable if not all likable and the plot clips along at a good pace. I did have pretty good idea as to who the murderer was, but it didn't spoil the story for me.
The romance was rather sudden starting in chapter one, but it worked and I liked the two of them. I really did enjoy this and you can't beat the imp Terrible Timothy, who goes about getting into mischief and helping the detectives solve the case.
Recommend if you like cozy mysteries that don't leave you confused if you need to put it down for other things.
G A few swears, murder and that's about it.
July 16, 2022
Not my favourite Heyer mystery but probably a good choice for readers who prefer likeable characters: most families in Heyer are bitchy and confrontational, here they're that bit milder. The family is a complicated one in terms of how people are related with characters being given both titles and first names to ramp up the confusion. Once sorted in one's mind, thought, they're a fun ensemble, especially self-dramatising Rosemary (it's her Russian blood, you know!) and mega-mother Betty Pemble.
The mystery element gets wound up rather quickly in the final pages and there's no great surprise to find out who the culprit is . It would have been nice to have returned to Jim and his fiancée, Patricia, but loose ends are not really tied up. Still, a frothy and light-hearted read in Heyer's usual elegant prose.
The mystery element gets wound up rather quickly in the final pages and there's no great surprise to find out who the culprit is . It would have been nice to have returned to Jim and his fiancée, Patricia, but loose ends are not really tied up. Still, a frothy and light-hearted read in Heyer's usual elegant prose.
February 17, 2019
It is my first Georgette Heyer's book and the plot and even the characters reminds me of Agatha Christie's stories. Silas Kane is missing only to find him later death. Who was it? Lots of suspects and Superintendent Hannasyde is going to tell us which one was it. I really enjoyed the book and I will continue the series.
July 4, 2022
Although this has not been my favourite Georgette Heyer mystery, it is still extremely interesting. It begins at the 60th birthday party of Silas Kane, whose business partner, Joseph Mansell, is keen for him to invest in a proposition in Australia. Kane is not keen and, when he goes for his evening stroll, disaster strikes and he falls and is found dead at the foot of a cliff. Next in line for inheritance is Clement Kane, whose wife, Rosemary, is unutterably idiotic. However, Clement seems to be in love with her, for some reason, and is glad to have become rich before Rosemary runs off with the caddish Trevor Dermott. Then, he is found dead. Enter third in line, Jim Kane, who is in love with Patricia Allison, the campanion to Emily Kane, mother to Silas.
This mystery has a huge cast. There are the Kane family, including Jim's explorer mother, Sir Adrian Harte, his step-father and his step-brother, Timothy. Then you have the Mansell's with Joseph's divorced son, Paul, his daughter and son-in-law, plus various others and that doesn't even count Detective Superintendent Hannasyde and Sargeant Hemingway. The spoilt and vacuous Rosemary, and film-loving Timothy, add humour, while we wonder who is killing off the Kane's and who is the next heir? Good fun, although the ending seemed to tail off and I was left wanting a little more.
This mystery has a huge cast. There are the Kane family, including Jim's explorer mother, Sir Adrian Harte, his step-father and his step-brother, Timothy. Then you have the Mansell's with Joseph's divorced son, Paul, his daughter and son-in-law, plus various others and that doesn't even count Detective Superintendent Hannasyde and Sargeant Hemingway. The spoilt and vacuous Rosemary, and film-loving Timothy, add humour, while we wonder who is killing off the Kane's and who is the next heir? Good fun, although the ending seemed to tail off and I was left wanting a little more.
February 3, 2021
A better done romance than is usual for Heyer mysteries, Terrible Timothy is a wonderful secondary character, as is the always welcome & sparkling Sergeant Hemingway. I did feel the story got bogged down a bit towards the end though.
But the murder & solution were good!
But the murder & solution were good!
July 23, 2017
Silas Kane, the rich bachelor who heads the successful firm of Kane & Mansell, literally walks off a cliff during a walk on the foggy night of his 60th birthday party. Police rule the death a terrible accident — until, not a month later, Kane’s great-nephew and heir is murdered. Who benefits from the deaths? And is the next heir the perpetrator? Or the next victim?
While They Found Him Dead is the third of the four novels Georgette Heyer’s Hannasyde series, readers can enjoy the novel without reading earlier books. In fact, having read the novel immediately before this one, Behold, Here’s Poison, I recommend skipping that stinker altogether. In contrast, They Found Him Dead is a breezy, fun read for fans of Dorothy L. Sayers or Patricia Wentworth. Sure, the characters here are somewhat less than believable, and readers will have figured out the culprit halfway through the novel; however, Heyer’s novel still includes enough thrills and clever wordplay to make the ride worth taking.
While They Found Him Dead is the third of the four novels Georgette Heyer’s Hannasyde series, readers can enjoy the novel without reading earlier books. In fact, having read the novel immediately before this one, Behold, Here’s Poison, I recommend skipping that stinker altogether. In contrast, They Found Him Dead is a breezy, fun read for fans of Dorothy L. Sayers or Patricia Wentworth. Sure, the characters here are somewhat less than believable, and readers will have figured out the culprit halfway through the novel; however, Heyer’s novel still includes enough thrills and clever wordplay to make the ride worth taking.
February 23, 2021
I have written many times, that detective stories aren't my genre. But I adore GH, so sooner or later I am going to read them all.
Like with two others (from three I have read so far) I really enjoyed it, but most of all, because of splendid characters (so Heyer-ish): Timothy, Betty, Sir Adrian, Jim, and Rosemary. The plot, who murdered, didn't grip me much (from around 80% of the book I knew who did it), but as I said, some dialogues were wonderful, a pure enjoyment. I would have preferred to see a bit more of a romance, but well, for that, I have her other novels.
As a whole, it was somewhere 3 and 4 stars for me.
Like with two others (from three I have read so far) I really enjoyed it, but most of all, because of splendid characters (so Heyer-ish): Timothy, Betty, Sir Adrian, Jim, and Rosemary. The plot, who murdered, didn't grip me much (from around 80% of the book I knew who did it), but as I said, some dialogues were wonderful, a pure enjoyment. I would have preferred to see a bit more of a romance, but well, for that, I have her other novels.
As a whole, it was somewhere 3 and 4 stars for me.
September 24, 2017
Enjoyed this very much on Audible. I had read this many years ago, and was reminded of who the murderer was early on. Jim Kane's mother and stepfather were a hoot. Rosemary was a well drawn type and suitably contemptible. All the other characters, except "Terrible" Timothy were bland: vaguely likable or unlikable as the case maybe. I look forward to reading Duplicate Death with features an adult Tim as the lead.
May 10, 2018
Slowly, but surely I've been making my way through Heyer's mysteries. Earlier this year, I read Duplicate Death and encountered Jim and Pat Kane along with Jim's half-brother, Timothy Harte. Chief Inspector Hemingway indicates that he had earlier dealings with the family. I was tickled to discover that They Found Him Dead was the story of those dealings.
While many of the author's mysteries lean more toward solving the case, this one read almost like one of her light and sparkling Regency Romance Comedies. The family members are color and eccentric and the story of their doings seems more focal than the investigation. This became especially true when Jim Kane's step father and mother made an appearance (they turned out to be my favorite characters in the story).
Though, that said, the murders are definitely on everyone's mind including the police. I admit to spending most of the book wondering if the first murder was even a murder at all. And, the truth is that everyone either had motive or opportunity or both.
I feel like the cat that got into the cream because this was one I had no trouble fingering the killer, the motive, and the method right away (its all that Agatha Christie reading). This took a bit of the shine off the story, but not much.
And, I don't mean to sound disloyal here, but between having Superintendent Hannasyde or Chief Inspector Hemingway as the leads for the police investigation, I think I prefer Hemingway. This is mostly because he cracks me up and seems more present. He was Hannasyde's sergeant in this one and his 'psychology' remarks had me smiling.
All in all, it was a moderately good outing and I had a good time slipping into an English Country House Murder set in the 30's, I think. The author never fails to pull me in with her overall storytelling or her characters.
While many of the author's mysteries lean more toward solving the case, this one read almost like one of her light and sparkling Regency Romance Comedies. The family members are color and eccentric and the story of their doings seems more focal than the investigation. This became especially true when Jim Kane's step father and mother made an appearance (they turned out to be my favorite characters in the story).
Though, that said, the murders are definitely on everyone's mind including the police. I admit to spending most of the book wondering if the first murder was even a murder at all. And, the truth is that everyone either had motive or opportunity or both.
I feel like the cat that got into the cream because this was one I had no trouble fingering the killer, the motive, and the method right away (its all that Agatha Christie reading). This took a bit of the shine off the story, but not much.
And, I don't mean to sound disloyal here, but between having Superintendent Hannasyde or Chief Inspector Hemingway as the leads for the police investigation, I think I prefer Hemingway. This is mostly because he cracks me up and seems more present. He was Hannasyde's sergeant in this one and his 'psychology' remarks had me smiling.
All in all, it was a moderately good outing and I had a good time slipping into an English Country House Murder set in the 30's, I think. The author never fails to pull me in with her overall storytelling or her characters.
July 9, 2022
One of the better ones in this series with an interesting plot and cast of characters.
January 29, 2015
The only other Heyer mystery I've read (No Wind of Blame) reminded me of Wodehouse. This one made me want to read Wodehouse instead.
September 17, 2021
*4.5 stars ⭐️
Took me a a few chapters to get into this because there were a lot of characters to keep track of. Once I got them somewhat figured out I had no problem enjoying this story. Very fast paced because not just one person died, so the investigation to figure out the culprit was going full steam. The characters were fun, especially Timothy. The investigation was interesting and kept my mind going in all directions.
Took me a a few chapters to get into this because there were a lot of characters to keep track of. Once I got them somewhat figured out I had no problem enjoying this story. Very fast paced because not just one person died, so the investigation to figure out the culprit was going full steam. The characters were fun, especially Timothy. The investigation was interesting and kept my mind going in all directions.
February 7, 2021
It's weird and wonderful that somehow this Golden Age detective novel still takes place in the same Heyerverse as Heyer's regency romances.
The cast of characters includes a fabulously wealthy matriarch; a sensible young lady; a very silly beauty; a bratty young boy; and a masterful, handsome hero. Behind these classic Heyer characters there's also a detective puttering around with his comedy sidekick, gently solving a murder.
I haven't read enough detective novels to say if this one is good in comparison, but it was good to me. I suspected nearly everybody at some point in the read, which I'm sure is very clever writing, as it kept me on my toes and also allowed me to be smug at the denouement.
Inspector whatshisface is no Hercule Poirot, but then again who is?
The cast of characters includes a fabulously wealthy matriarch; a sensible young lady; a very silly beauty; a bratty young boy; and a masterful, handsome hero. Behind these classic Heyer characters there's also a detective puttering around with his comedy sidekick, gently solving a murder.
I haven't read enough detective novels to say if this one is good in comparison, but it was good to me. I suspected nearly everybody at some point in the read, which I'm sure is very clever writing, as it kept me on my toes and also allowed me to be smug at the denouement.
Inspector whatshisface is no Hercule Poirot, but then again who is?
November 22, 2024
3-1/2 Stars
An enjoyable country house murder mystery though probably not one that will stick in my memory. One of its most interesting features is that our main detective, Hannasyde is hardly present at all. It made this feel much more like a character study than a straightforward mystery. I did figure out whodunnit fairly early on but still enjoyed the unraveling of the plot. And apparently some of these characters show up in another Heyer mystery, Duplicate Death, and I am very intrigued to find out what happens to everyone.
An enjoyable country house murder mystery though probably not one that will stick in my memory. One of its most interesting features is that our main detective, Hannasyde is hardly present at all. It made this feel much more like a character study than a straightforward mystery. I did figure out whodunnit fairly early on but still enjoyed the unraveling of the plot. And apparently some of these characters show up in another Heyer mystery, Duplicate Death, and I am very intrigued to find out what happens to everyone.
February 15, 2015
I enjoyed The Grand Sophy so much that I keep returning to Heyer's novels, hoping for such another light, fun read. So far - with Regency Buck, Why Shoot a Butler?, and now They Found Him Dead - I've been pretty disappointed. The Grand Sophy has brilliant characters, crackling wit, and just the kind of romance I enjoy; the others, especially the two mysteries, have either unlikeable or unremarkable characters and more banter than real wit. Jim Kane and Patricia Allison are nice enough, but since the narration moves around so much and is so omniscient, their characters are left one-dimensional and...well, average. I found that true of the mystery as a whole, especially compared to the psychological complexity of Agatha Christie or the deductive logic of Arthur Conan Doyle: They Found Him Dead is rather anticlimactic. I probably shouldn't judge a book by something else the author wrote, or by other, very different books in the same genre; all the same, though, I got to the end and just thought, "Meh."
December 12, 2018
This is a mystery by an author who is much better known for her regency romances. It turns out that she is also an accomplished writer of mysteries. I really enjoyed this easy to read, old fashioned, country house mystery. This book actually introduces a few characters (members of the Kane and Harte families) who reappear in a later novel, Duplicate Death, which I read before I read this one. It was interesting to meet them when they were younger. The detective duo of Inspector Hannasyde and Sergeant Hemingway are featured in this novel.
I found this novel to be well plotted, and sprinkled with red herrings, causing me to suspect first one character, then another. Although the motive seemed to be fairly obvious, I had a hard time ffiguring out who was actually behind the murders.
Generally speaking, the writing is a bit slower than that which we have come to expect from more recently published mysteries. Heyer doesn’t rely on overt violence or non stop action for effect. And being Georgette Heyer, she has included just a bit of romance in this novel as well.
Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a gentle, easy to read novel.
I found this novel to be well plotted, and sprinkled with red herrings, causing me to suspect first one character, then another. Although the motive seemed to be fairly obvious, I had a hard time ffiguring out who was actually behind the murders.
Generally speaking, the writing is a bit slower than that which we have come to expect from more recently published mysteries. Heyer doesn’t rely on overt violence or non stop action for effect. And being Georgette Heyer, she has included just a bit of romance in this novel as well.
Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a gentle, easy to read novel.
December 9, 2010
Another genuinely fun Golden Age mystery by Georgette Heyer.
On a foggy evening, conservative businessman Silas Kane irritably celebrates his 60th birthday with family and business associates and then proceeds to walk off a cliff - the apparent victim of an accidental fall. However, not 2 weeks later his heir, Clement Kane, is found shot through the head in his study. Afterwards, the 2nd heir to the Kane fortune, Jim Kane, is experiencing a series of misfortunes that may or may not be "accidents". Scotland Yard Superintendent Hannasyde arrives on the scene to determine what's going on in the Kane family that seems to be striking down each heir apparent. There's no shortage of suspects, and no solution within easy grasp. It takes the combined efforts of Hannasyde, Sargent Hemingway, and Jim Kane's prococious 15 year old step brother to solve the case and unmask the killer.
As usual, Heyer provides plenty of sparkling dialog and scatters enough red herrings within the plot to make this an enjoyable read.
On a foggy evening, conservative businessman Silas Kane irritably celebrates his 60th birthday with family and business associates and then proceeds to walk off a cliff - the apparent victim of an accidental fall. However, not 2 weeks later his heir, Clement Kane, is found shot through the head in his study. Afterwards, the 2nd heir to the Kane fortune, Jim Kane, is experiencing a series of misfortunes that may or may not be "accidents". Scotland Yard Superintendent Hannasyde arrives on the scene to determine what's going on in the Kane family that seems to be striking down each heir apparent. There's no shortage of suspects, and no solution within easy grasp. It takes the combined efforts of Hannasyde, Sargent Hemingway, and Jim Kane's prococious 15 year old step brother to solve the case and unmask the killer.
As usual, Heyer provides plenty of sparkling dialog and scatters enough red herrings within the plot to make this an enjoyable read.
November 24, 2010
This was so much fun right up until the rather abrupt and not so satisfying climax. I love how Heyer creates fabulous characters and maintains suspense but I find the endings of her mysteries not quite worth the previous 300+ pages. In this book, rich businessman Silas is found dead at the bottom of a cliff; possibly he lost his way in the fog, but when his heir is found shot to death it's obviously no accident....
Read
October 21, 2017One of Heyer's weakest mysteries, with the culprit painfully obvious from around a third of the way through. There is some leavening humour, from Timothy's exploits to Rosemary's incredible narcissism. The (already-settled) romantic relationship falls flat for me, since Jim switches from dismissing and not taking Patricia's concerns seriously to taking them seriously and trying to hide all developments from her. I really can't take "protect the fragile woman" stories.
March 29, 2015
I knew who did it and why about a third of the way in. I spent the rest of the book wondering why none of the characters could figure it out, and hoping I was in for some massive twist. Nope.
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May 28, 2019
I actually didn't guess the murderer in this one, so I'm being generous in my rating. As usual the plot is slightly thin but there's a wonderful cast of characters which make up for it. Unusually in a Heyer novel, there was absolutely no romance to even root for.
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February 8, 2021
On the evening of old Silas Kane's 60th birthday party, he disagrees with his business partners and as the party ends he declares his intentions of taking his usual nighttime walk along the cliffs in spite of the heavy fog. Fourteen-year-old Timothy Harte, in love with American gangster films, declares it's a night ripe for murder. He's told to shut up and go to bed, but in the morning, Silas's body is found over the cliffs. His death is ruled natural causes owing to Silas's heart condition but young Mr. Harte still believes it was murder. The heir, Silas's cousin Clement, and his wife Rosemary move in and take over Silas's house. Their arrival upsets Silas's mother, Emily, who prefers the young heir, Jim Kane, to the dramatic, greedy Rosemary Kane and her husband Clement. The household is stunned when Clement is shot to death in his own study. This time there's no mistaking murder and the local constable calls in Scotland Yard's Inspector Hannasyde and Sergeant Hemmingway for help. Everyone is a suspect and no one is telling the whole truth. Can they solve the murder before someone else gets killed?
This mystery is one of Heyer's better ones. The beginning chapters read like a play with lots of characters and a set stage. I got confused as to who was related to whom and how. A few pages later they explain it all but I went back and made a list of characters and a family tree. It helped to see all the characters in relation to one another. The first half of the novel is much better than the first. In the second half I easily guessed who the murderer was. They gave themselves away pretty quickly but the Inspector didn't have the benefit of seeing what the reader sees and has to rely on evidence. The way they find the murder weapon is silly and the motive for murder seems rather crazy. She toned down the period language and setting for the most part. People are smoking and drinking and the boy, Timothy, loves American gangster films. There are a few distasteful references that make the story dated. One is racist (a child is given a golliwwog doll and his mother takes it away because her children are only allowed beautiful, happy thoughts and things- the implication being a sweet lamby toy is more appropriate than an ugly Black doll.) It's very much vintage but whether 30s or 50s, I can't tell because I'm not into the mid-20th century.
The focus is more on characters than setting and as usual, Heyer has assembled a quirky and memorable bunch of wealthy people. This time, they're in "Trade" (GASP) and not nobility like in her Regencies. Matthew Kane was the founder of the family fortune. He apparently started a firm that makes nets? It was unclear but he made a fortune and that's all we need to know. He had four sons. They are now all deceased and leave only four descendants. The eldest son John was married to Emily. Emily Kane is elderly now, 80 years old, and still sharp. She may not have the energy she once had and may need to be pushed around in a wheelchair but she knows everything that is going on in her house. She's a cold woman and very authoritative. She's used to getting her own way and hates change. Emily is strongly resistant to doing anything that upsets her well-ordered, comfortable life, as she should be at her age but I fear she may have gone to extremes and done the unthinkable. Her alibi is majorly weak and sounds suspicious. I know she didn't/couldn't have killed her son. That may have been an honest accident, but Clement? I think she COULD have. Her son Silas was the present patriarch of the family. He was elderly and cautious in business. The younger generation sees him as too conservative and old-fashioned. I would probably feel that way too. I'd probably roll my eyes and go "typical old, white man. " but as he dies early on in the story, we don't get much of a chance to get to know him.
Old Matthew's second son had a son, Clement. Clement is kind of silly. He's devoted to his wife Rosemary who doesn't deserve his love. Rosemary is awful. She's a horrid, self-centered drama queen. She claims she has Russian blood which makes her sensitive, she can't possibly do housework - she's too bad at it and she needs money- lots of it! Rosemary is torn between her husband and running away with her lover. Good riddance! If Rosemary had been murdered, I think the whole family would have been glad except Clement. He keeps pandering to her awfulness and spoiled nature. Just divorce her already! She's not worth it. Clement is kind of weak and unsure of himself. His motivation for what he does and doesn't do in business is money- money he NEEDS to please his greedy wife. Could he have killed Silas? What about Rosemary? I think she's too lazy to have killed anyone but she wasn't motivated to kill her husband without knowing whether she would inherit the fortune or not. I don't think she is even in love with her lover.
The third branch of the family is more complex. Old Matthew's youngest son had a daughter who died a spinster and a son. This son, name unknown, had a son, James. James Kane died of wounds received in World War I, leaving behind his wife, Norma and his son Jimmy. Norma is now married to Sir Adrien Harte and the mother of young Timothy Harte. Jim Kane is a young, carefree adult in the beginning of the story. He likes to flirt and falls in love easily. His latest conquest is Patricia Allison, companion to Emily Kane. Jim flirts, teases and badgers Patricia into agreeing to marry him and I don't like it. I don't trust him at all. He grows up in a hurry though and shows that he has a brain in his head, unlike Clement. Jim is wise and cautious. While he doesn't believe his life is at stake, he believes in family and traditions and so isn't eager to make drastic business decisions that went against the family tradition. I grew to rather like him. His mother, Norma, is a hoot. She's a lady explorer and very self-sufficient. A bit scatterbrained here and there when it comes to practical things, she's smart, energetic and eager to be doing something. She doesn't appear until late in the story but when she does, she's memorable. Her husband, Sir Adrien, is more absentminded and a very hands-off parent. His son, Timothy, is terrible! Timothy, aged 14, sounds more like my 8 year-old-nephew than a teenager. Tim feels the way about gangster films and my nephew feels about zombies. My nephew was prepared for the zombie apocalypse (shelter-in-place = zombie apocalypse) as Tim is prepared for murder. Tim has picked up dreadful expressions from the gangster films and romantic ideas about being a detective. He's an annoying pain in the side of everyone, wanting to play amateur detective and sharing his theories. It's no wonder his father wanted to get rid of him for the summer! Yet, I kind of like Timothy. He's sweet and caring when it comes to his big brother, even though they fight sometimes and women have come between them. I think Tim holds the key to the mystery. No one will listen to him! There's also a branch of the family in Australia no one knows or cares anything about. Cousin Maude is just a name, or according to Emily, a grasping woman, even though no one has seen her since she was a child.
The Mansell family also plays a large role in the story as they are business partners with the Kanes.
Old Joe/Joseph, the patriarch is the business partner of Silas. They're at odds over a business deal that Joe needs to see through so he can make money. He's not so cold and callous as he appears at first but he is condescending and selfish. I don't THINK he would commit murder but I wouldn't count him out. His wife, Agatha, is a talkative bluestocking and a forceful woman. SHE seems like the type to get things done- if she stopped talking long enough to listen. Her daughter, Betty, is married to Clive Pembell. Clive isn't so bright or engaging but he seems nice. Betty is soo annoying! Like her mother, she never shuts up. She talks stream of consciousness about her children, places she's been with her family and anything having to do with her family. Even her sense of time has to relate to her children. She claims she's "sensitive" and spoils her children, refusing to discipline them and only allowing them light, happy, thoughts and things. I know she's not a murderer. She doesn't have the brains or the energy. Her brother Paul, on the other hand, is nasty. He's also in business with the Kanes and determined to make this Australian deal go through. Paul tries a variety of tactics and that might include murder. He's sleazy- constantly pressing "unwanted advances" on Patricia Allison (read: sexual harassment), "flashy" and DIVORCED (*gasp*) and has a lady friend (double *GASP*). I absolutely think he's the murderer. One of them anyway. He's certainly nasty enough. I'd love to see him in jail if only for harassing a woman.
Other characters include Miss Patricia Allison, companion to Mrs. Emily Kane. Patricia is calm, rational and cool. She's good at her job but of course she's only a companion and therefore available for men to harass. She doesn't seem to think anything of it except she doesn't like it when Paul does it. Patricia denies Jim's proposal because it's not entirely suitable. Her bugs her until she says yes. I don't like their relationship and I feel like she's desperate because Emily is getting on in years and there's not much else Patricia can do. Very Regency of her. There's a possibility she's a murderer. I don't think she'd kill her employer's son but what about a hated great-nephew? A more likely suspect in that regard is Ogle, the devoted ladies' maid. She adores Mrs. Emily and believes no one else cares for her mistress the way she does. Ogle snoops her way up at the top of my suspect list as the murderer of Clement. Her alibi is weak and she's so eager to make her mistress happy that I think she would do it, either under orders or on her own out of misguided loyalty. Pritchard, the butler, seems very proper but he's the one who sounds the alarm when Silas doesn't come home. Aw come on! The butler did it is a cliché and it's never ever the butler. I would think if he was that type of person he wouldn't be a most correct butler but a more Wodehousian butler like Beech in Blandings Castle or Uxbridge's aunt's butler.
More likely suspects for murderer include Trevor Dermott, Rosemary's lover. He's a passionate man and eager to have her to himself. He knows she needs money to be happy and with him she'd be comfortable. Would he commit murder to have her and enough money? It sure sounds like he would do it. No one likes him or trusts him. Less likely is Oscar Roberts, an Anglo-Australian-American man trying to broker a deal with Kane and Mansell for nets in Australia. He's very fun. He has a sense of humor and jokes with Patricia and allows Tim to idolize him. Roberts is keen to know what happened. Could he be an under cover private detective? I like the way he allows Tim to hang out with him. His sense of humor allows him to humor the boy and be kind to him. He genuinely likes the lad, I think.
Finally, the cast of characters is rounded out by our two detectives. Inspector Hannasyde, a shrewd detective from Scotland Yard doesn't have the patience to deal with young boys and amateur sleuths. He's too busy trying to solve the very real murder/s when everyone is lying and there's not much evidence to go on. His partner, Sergeant Hemmingway is a detective with sarcastic sense of humor. While he finds Tim annoying at times, he finds a way to include the boy in the investigation while simultaneously getting rid of him. It's very kind of him to make Tim THINK he's helping.
My theories:
I enjoyed this mystery very much, at least until the weak reveal. I can't believe Hollywood didn't pick this up and make it into a screwball noir film like The Thin Man. It would have been fun during the Depression. I want to know what happens to Terrible Timothy so I shall read Duplicate Death.
first read February 2021 group read with Georgette Heyer Fans
This mystery is one of Heyer's better ones. The beginning chapters read like a play with lots of characters and a set stage. I got confused as to who was related to whom and how. A few pages later they explain it all but I went back and made a list of characters and a family tree. It helped to see all the characters in relation to one another. The first half of the novel is much better than the first. In the second half I easily guessed who the murderer was. They gave themselves away pretty quickly but the Inspector didn't have the benefit of seeing what the reader sees and has to rely on evidence. The way they find the murder weapon is silly and the motive for murder seems rather crazy. She toned down the period language and setting for the most part. People are smoking and drinking and the boy, Timothy, loves American gangster films. There are a few distasteful references that make the story dated. One is racist (a child is given a golliwwog doll and his mother takes it away because her children are only allowed beautiful, happy thoughts and things- the implication being a sweet lamby toy is more appropriate than an ugly Black doll.) It's very much vintage but whether 30s or 50s, I can't tell because I'm not into the mid-20th century.
The focus is more on characters than setting and as usual, Heyer has assembled a quirky and memorable bunch of wealthy people. This time, they're in "Trade" (GASP) and not nobility like in her Regencies. Matthew Kane was the founder of the family fortune. He apparently started a firm that makes nets? It was unclear but he made a fortune and that's all we need to know. He had four sons. They are now all deceased and leave only four descendants. The eldest son John was married to Emily. Emily Kane is elderly now, 80 years old, and still sharp. She may not have the energy she once had and may need to be pushed around in a wheelchair but she knows everything that is going on in her house. She's a cold woman and very authoritative. She's used to getting her own way and hates change. Emily is strongly resistant to doing anything that upsets her well-ordered, comfortable life, as she should be at her age but I fear she may have gone to extremes and done the unthinkable. Her alibi is majorly weak and sounds suspicious. I know she didn't/couldn't have killed her son. That may have been an honest accident, but Clement? I think she COULD have. Her son Silas was the present patriarch of the family. He was elderly and cautious in business. The younger generation sees him as too conservative and old-fashioned. I would probably feel that way too. I'd probably roll my eyes and go "typical old, white man. " but as he dies early on in the story, we don't get much of a chance to get to know him.
Old Matthew's second son had a son, Clement. Clement is kind of silly. He's devoted to his wife Rosemary who doesn't deserve his love. Rosemary is awful. She's a horrid, self-centered drama queen. She claims she has Russian blood which makes her sensitive, she can't possibly do housework - she's too bad at it and she needs money- lots of it! Rosemary is torn between her husband and running away with her lover. Good riddance! If Rosemary had been murdered, I think the whole family would have been glad except Clement. He keeps pandering to her awfulness and spoiled nature. Just divorce her already! She's not worth it. Clement is kind of weak and unsure of himself. His motivation for what he does and doesn't do in business is money- money he NEEDS to please his greedy wife. Could he have killed Silas? What about Rosemary? I think she's too lazy to have killed anyone but she wasn't motivated to kill her husband without knowing whether she would inherit the fortune or not. I don't think she is even in love with her lover.
The third branch of the family is more complex. Old Matthew's youngest son had a daughter who died a spinster and a son. This son, name unknown, had a son, James. James Kane died of wounds received in World War I, leaving behind his wife, Norma and his son Jimmy. Norma is now married to Sir Adrien Harte and the mother of young Timothy Harte. Jim Kane is a young, carefree adult in the beginning of the story. He likes to flirt and falls in love easily. His latest conquest is Patricia Allison, companion to Emily Kane. Jim flirts, teases and badgers Patricia into agreeing to marry him and I don't like it. I don't trust him at all. He grows up in a hurry though and shows that he has a brain in his head, unlike Clement. Jim is wise and cautious. While he doesn't believe his life is at stake, he believes in family and traditions and so isn't eager to make drastic business decisions that went against the family tradition. I grew to rather like him. His mother, Norma, is a hoot. She's a lady explorer and very self-sufficient. A bit scatterbrained here and there when it comes to practical things, she's smart, energetic and eager to be doing something. She doesn't appear until late in the story but when she does, she's memorable. Her husband, Sir Adrien, is more absentminded and a very hands-off parent. His son, Timothy, is terrible! Timothy, aged 14, sounds more like my 8 year-old-nephew than a teenager. Tim feels the way about gangster films and my nephew feels about zombies. My nephew was prepared for the zombie apocalypse (shelter-in-place = zombie apocalypse) as Tim is prepared for murder. Tim has picked up dreadful expressions from the gangster films and romantic ideas about being a detective. He's an annoying pain in the side of everyone, wanting to play amateur detective and sharing his theories. It's no wonder his father wanted to get rid of him for the summer! Yet, I kind of like Timothy. He's sweet and caring when it comes to his big brother, even though they fight sometimes and women have come between them. I think Tim holds the key to the mystery. No one will listen to him! There's also a branch of the family in Australia no one knows or cares anything about. Cousin Maude is just a name, or according to Emily, a grasping woman, even though no one has seen her since she was a child.
The Mansell family also plays a large role in the story as they are business partners with the Kanes.
Old Joe/Joseph, the patriarch is the business partner of Silas. They're at odds over a business deal that Joe needs to see through so he can make money. He's not so cold and callous as he appears at first but he is condescending and selfish. I don't THINK he would commit murder but I wouldn't count him out. His wife, Agatha, is a talkative bluestocking and a forceful woman. SHE seems like the type to get things done- if she stopped talking long enough to listen. Her daughter, Betty, is married to Clive Pembell. Clive isn't so bright or engaging but he seems nice. Betty is soo annoying! Like her mother, she never shuts up. She talks stream of consciousness about her children, places she's been with her family and anything having to do with her family. Even her sense of time has to relate to her children. She claims she's "sensitive" and spoils her children, refusing to discipline them and only allowing them light, happy, thoughts and things. I know she's not a murderer. She doesn't have the brains or the energy. Her brother Paul, on the other hand, is nasty. He's also in business with the Kanes and determined to make this Australian deal go through. Paul tries a variety of tactics and that might include murder. He's sleazy- constantly pressing "unwanted advances" on Patricia Allison (read: sexual harassment), "flashy" and DIVORCED (*gasp*) and has a lady friend (double *GASP*). I absolutely think he's the murderer. One of them anyway. He's certainly nasty enough. I'd love to see him in jail if only for harassing a woman.
Other characters include Miss Patricia Allison, companion to Mrs. Emily Kane. Patricia is calm, rational and cool. She's good at her job but of course she's only a companion and therefore available for men to harass. She doesn't seem to think anything of it except she doesn't like it when Paul does it. Patricia denies Jim's proposal because it's not entirely suitable. Her bugs her until she says yes. I don't like their relationship and I feel like she's desperate because Emily is getting on in years and there's not much else Patricia can do. Very Regency of her. There's a possibility she's a murderer. I don't think she'd kill her employer's son but what about a hated great-nephew? A more likely suspect in that regard is Ogle, the devoted ladies' maid. She adores Mrs. Emily and believes no one else cares for her mistress the way she does. Ogle snoops her way up at the top of my suspect list as the murderer of Clement. Her alibi is weak and she's so eager to make her mistress happy that I think she would do it, either under orders or on her own out of misguided loyalty. Pritchard, the butler, seems very proper but he's the one who sounds the alarm when Silas doesn't come home. Aw come on! The butler did it is a cliché and it's never ever the butler. I would think if he was that type of person he wouldn't be a most correct butler but a more Wodehousian butler like Beech in Blandings Castle or Uxbridge's aunt's butler.
More likely suspects for murderer include Trevor Dermott, Rosemary's lover. He's a passionate man and eager to have her to himself. He knows she needs money to be happy and with him she'd be comfortable. Would he commit murder to have her and enough money? It sure sounds like he would do it. No one likes him or trusts him. Less likely is Oscar Roberts, an Anglo-Australian-American man trying to broker a deal with Kane and Mansell for nets in Australia. He's very fun. He has a sense of humor and jokes with Patricia and allows Tim to idolize him. Roberts is keen to know what happened. Could he be an under cover private detective? I like the way he allows Tim to hang out with him. His sense of humor allows him to humor the boy and be kind to him. He genuinely likes the lad, I think.
Finally, the cast of characters is rounded out by our two detectives. Inspector Hannasyde, a shrewd detective from Scotland Yard doesn't have the patience to deal with young boys and amateur sleuths. He's too busy trying to solve the very real murder/s when everyone is lying and there's not much evidence to go on. His partner, Sergeant Hemmingway is a detective with sarcastic sense of humor. While he finds Tim annoying at times, he finds a way to include the boy in the investigation while simultaneously getting rid of him. It's very kind of him to make Tim THINK he's helping.
My theories:
I enjoyed this mystery very much, at least until the weak reveal. I can't believe Hollywood didn't pick this up and make it into a screwball noir film like The Thin Man. It would have been fun during the Depression. I want to know what happens to Terrible Timothy so I shall read Duplicate Death.
first read February 2021 group read with Georgette Heyer Fans
February 27, 2019
The morning after the celebrations for Silas Kane’s 60th birthday he is missing then is found dead at the foot of a cliff. The theory that Silas accidentally lost his way in the fog is confirmed when the coroner returns a verdict of death by misadventure. then Kane's nephew and heir is murdered and threats are made on the next in line to the fortune. So Scotland Yard are called in & as the redoubtable Superintendent Hannasyde delves further into the case he discovers that nothing is quite as it seems.
The author is my all time favourite for Historical romances so I had to read her mystery novels & I haven’t been disappointed, there are plenty of red herrings & as always Hannasyde is his unflappable self, ably aided by Hemingway. The novel was written in the 1930’s & is evocative of the period. A well written story with well fleshed characters & a murder mystery that kept me engrossed from cover to cover
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
The author is my all time favourite for Historical romances so I had to read her mystery novels & I haven’t been disappointed, there are plenty of red herrings & as always Hannasyde is his unflappable self, ably aided by Hemingway. The novel was written in the 1930’s & is evocative of the period. A well written story with well fleshed characters & a murder mystery that kept me engrossed from cover to cover
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
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