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Double Doom
Minor creases/wrinkles on cover. Tanning inside covers and pages have light tanning due to age.
- GenresMystery
Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1957
23 people want to read
About the author
Josephine Bell
86 books17 followersJosephine Bell (the pseudonym of Doris Bell Collier Ball) was born into a medical family, the daughter of a surgeon, in Manchester in 1897.
She attended Godolphin School from 1910 to 1916 and then she trained at Newnham College, Cambridge until 1919. On completing her studies she was assigned to University College Hospital in London where she became M.R.C.S. and L.R.C.P. in 1922 and M.B. B.S. in 1924. She married Dr. Norman Dyer Ball in 1923 and the couple had a son and three daughters.
From 1927 until 1935 the couple practised medicine together in Greenwich and London before her husband retired in 1934 and she carried on the practice on her own until her retirement in 1954.
Her husband died in 1936 and she moved to Guildford, Surrey and she became a member of the management committee of St. Luke's Hospital from 1954 to 1962.
She began writing detective fiction in 1936 using the pen name Josephine Bell and her first published novel in the genre was 'Murder in Hospital' (1937).
Perhaps not surprisingly many of her works had a medical background and the first one introduced one of her enduring characters, Dr David Wintringham who worked at Research Hospital in London as a junior assistant physician. He was to feature in 18 of her novels, ending with 'A Well Known Face' (1960).
Overall she wrote more than 60 books, 45 of them in the detective fiction genre where, as well as medical backgrounds, she used such as archaeology in 'Bones in the Barrow' (1953), music in 'The Summer School Mystery' (1950) and even a wildlife sanctuary as background in 'Death on the Reserve' (1966).
She also wrote on drug addicition and criminology and penned a great number of short stories. In addition she was involved in the foundation of the Crime Writers' Association in 1953, an organisation in which she served as chair person in the 1959–60 season.
She died in 1987.
Gerry Wolstenholme
June 2010
She attended Godolphin School from 1910 to 1916 and then she trained at Newnham College, Cambridge until 1919. On completing her studies she was assigned to University College Hospital in London where she became M.R.C.S. and L.R.C.P. in 1922 and M.B. B.S. in 1924. She married Dr. Norman Dyer Ball in 1923 and the couple had a son and three daughters.
From 1927 until 1935 the couple practised medicine together in Greenwich and London before her husband retired in 1934 and she carried on the practice on her own until her retirement in 1954.
Her husband died in 1936 and she moved to Guildford, Surrey and she became a member of the management committee of St. Luke's Hospital from 1954 to 1962.
She began writing detective fiction in 1936 using the pen name Josephine Bell and her first published novel in the genre was 'Murder in Hospital' (1937).
Perhaps not surprisingly many of her works had a medical background and the first one introduced one of her enduring characters, Dr David Wintringham who worked at Research Hospital in London as a junior assistant physician. He was to feature in 18 of her novels, ending with 'A Well Known Face' (1960).
Overall she wrote more than 60 books, 45 of them in the detective fiction genre where, as well as medical backgrounds, she used such as archaeology in 'Bones in the Barrow' (1953), music in 'The Summer School Mystery' (1950) and even a wildlife sanctuary as background in 'Death on the Reserve' (1966).
She also wrote on drug addicition and criminology and penned a great number of short stories. In addition she was involved in the foundation of the Crime Writers' Association in 1953, an organisation in which she served as chair person in the 1959–60 season.
She died in 1987.
Gerry Wolstenholme
June 2010
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 7, 2017
To a great extent, this is a novel of psychological suspense. Although there are some sympathetic characters in it, one walks away with an impression of having spent time with a lot of unpleasant people. Old Mrs. Strongitharm is virtually blind. When her twin stepsons die in suspicious accidents the same week, she worries about the fate of her stubborn, ungainly daughter, who is developmentally delayed (in our current jargon). Now when Mrs. S. dies, the young woman will inherit her stepfather's vast fortune. And the young woman is madly in love with the lawyer, whose mistress is trying to insinuate herself into the Strongitharm household.
October 31, 2021
Josephine Bell writes a clever little which constantly muddies the waters to keep the reader guessing, Twins Hilary and Hugh Strongitharm (I've seen others use the name Evenett but this is the name used here) die within days of each other and there seem to be numerous possible murderers in the small town Farthing-on-Hone. A gentle whodunit with sinister undertones.
October 11, 2021
This book by Josephine Bell was much more interesting and enjoyable than the previous one I read. I won't say too much about it but I can recommend it thoroughly.
April 1, 2013
Hugh and Hillary – twin brothers – die within days of each other and their household all fall under suspicion. It seems impossible that their blind step-mother could have contrived to do away with them but there are others in the household who could have done so. Mabel, the faithful retainer, Joyce Morley the slightly simple step sister could also be guilty not to speak of the inhabitants of a nearby village. It makes an intriguing and frustrating case for both the police and the medical men involved.
I really enjoyed this Golden Age detective story with its twists and turns and interesting and well-drawn characters. It is well written and while some of the attitudes expressed may be abhorrent to modern readers the book needs to be read in the context of the attitudes of the era in which it was written.
One of the big advantages of the e-book revolution is that these older crime stories are appearing again and for those of us who enjoy crime stories without graphic violence and swearing they are very welcome. In addition these well written books are finding new readers and a new lease of life. I look forward to reading other books by Josephine Bell.
I really enjoyed this Golden Age detective story with its twists and turns and interesting and well-drawn characters. It is well written and while some of the attitudes expressed may be abhorrent to modern readers the book needs to be read in the context of the attitudes of the era in which it was written.
One of the big advantages of the e-book revolution is that these older crime stories are appearing again and for those of us who enjoy crime stories without graphic violence and swearing they are very welcome. In addition these well written books are finding new readers and a new lease of life. I look forward to reading other books by Josephine Bell.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews