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Leonidas Witherall Mystery #8
The Iron Clew
The mysterious arrival and subsequent disappearance of a package sets Leonidas off on a furious chase around Dalton, where he is only briefly interrupted by the discovery of the corpse of banker Fenwick Balderston, who has been bashed over the head with a small bust of William Shakespeare.
189 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 1947
11 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 2, 2019
This book was passed on to me by a friend.
This was a delightfully funny and convoluted mystery. The MC, Leonidas Witherall, runs a boys school, writes mysteries in secret, and looks so much like Shakespeare that his nickname is Bill. When a package wrapped in brown paper goes missing from his office while he is in the home, hijinks ensue as he attempts to recover it.
There is mayhem. There are shenanigans. There is a dead body and a kidnapped secretary and a random meeting with a long-forgotten friend.
Lots and lots of fun.
This was a delightfully funny and convoluted mystery. The MC, Leonidas Witherall, runs a boys school, writes mysteries in secret, and looks so much like Shakespeare that his nickname is Bill. When a package wrapped in brown paper goes missing from his office while he is in the home, hijinks ensue as he attempts to recover it.
There is mayhem. There are shenanigans. There is a dead body and a kidnapped secretary and a random meeting with a long-forgotten friend.
Lots and lots of fun.
September 17, 2019
I would describe story as - detecting on the lam. Witherall simply has events happen to him and suddenly he finds himself trying to duck a murder charge when he comes upon a dead body of an acquaintance killed with an object he gave him.
The trouble is that much of the story is filled with massive amounts of dialogue which, I believe are humorous but I found could go on and on and on and on.... if you catch my drift. Each person, and place that Witherall intersects with gives him a bit more information.
However, all these places and people, runs thin when he comes to the end and knows who did it, why and for what purpose. It’s a bit of a stretch for me to see him coming up with such a complete answer.
However, I do find the “fugitive” detecting being a fun idea of finding answers, I just feel that this story could have used a bit more detecting on the detective’s part. If you like chatty stories this is for you. If you like traditional mysteries - probably won’t be your kind of book.
The trouble is that much of the story is filled with massive amounts of dialogue which, I believe are humorous but I found could go on and on and on and on.... if you catch my drift. Each person, and place that Witherall intersects with gives him a bit more information.
However, all these places and people, runs thin when he comes to the end and knows who did it, why and for what purpose. It’s a bit of a stretch for me to see him coming up with such a complete answer.
However, I do find the “fugitive” detecting being a fun idea of finding answers, I just feel that this story could have used a bit more detecting on the detective’s part. If you like chatty stories this is for you. If you like traditional mysteries - probably won’t be your kind of book.
February 12, 2025
Leonidas Witherall, owner of a prestigious boys school and easy to recognize as he looks exactly like William Shakespeare. Unknown to many, he is also Morgatroyd Jones, author of the popular Lieutenant Haseltine adventure novels.
It’s the late 1940s, and Leonidas is at a road block. His next Lieutenant Haseltine book is due at the publisher’s in four weeks and he hasn’t an idea for it!
As an unnecessary distraction, there is the brown paper package that is delivered and then disappears before he can open it. Which leads to a valuable book, a murder, a quarterly bank report, a dinosaur foot print, two more brown paper packages and people who aren’t who they claim to be.
Witherall finds himself being considered to be a suspect and has to keep on the move to find out the real truth. It seems the murder was committed by bashing the victim with a small bust of Shakespeare!
A fast moving tale with a touch of the Keystone Kops, thanks to the characters that help, and hinder, Witherall’s investigating, it makes this a fun read.
It’s the late 1940s, and Leonidas is at a road block. His next Lieutenant Haseltine book is due at the publisher’s in four weeks and he hasn’t an idea for it!
As an unnecessary distraction, there is the brown paper package that is delivered and then disappears before he can open it. Which leads to a valuable book, a murder, a quarterly bank report, a dinosaur foot print, two more brown paper packages and people who aren’t who they claim to be.
Witherall finds himself being considered to be a suspect and has to keep on the move to find out the real truth. It seems the murder was committed by bashing the victim with a small bust of Shakespeare!
A fast moving tale with a touch of the Keystone Kops, thanks to the characters that help, and hinder, Witherall’s investigating, it makes this a fun read.
June 4, 2025
Goofy, preposterous, confusing, lots of fun.
August 30, 2014
Shakespeare Strikes Again
Taylor's use of dialogue, clever and mixed up Shakespearean plot devices, and understated humour made this a joy to read. I found it to be just as good as the other Leonidas mysteries.
Taylor's use of dialogue, clever and mixed up Shakespearean plot devices, and understated humour made this a joy to read. I found it to be just as good as the other Leonidas mysteries.
April 4, 2023
Last of the Witherall mysteries which means I have reread all of Phoebe Atwood Taylor books that I own. I think there is a stand alone that I do not own, so I may see if I can get it through the library. Such fun reading. Now I have to decide which author from my collection will be next….
June 14, 2017
For my full review click on the link below:
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...
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April 20, 2016Very funny!
Want to read
September 24, 2016AKA: Freeman Dana, Phoebe Atwood Taylor
November 3, 2016
See my review here:
http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2016/...
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews