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Mr. & Mrs. North #12
Murder Is Served
SHE WAS A PERFECT LADY -- ACCUSED OF PERFECT MURDER!
Tony Mott's murder left his widow sumptuously wealthy. And Pamela Mott had other reasons to kill the playboy restaurateur.
Clearly, murder a la carte. But for Pam and Jerry North, the culprit was presented on too gilded a platter. Indeed, they found other suspects who knew all too well exactly how MURDER IS SERVED.
Tony Mott's murder left his widow sumptuously wealthy. And Pamela Mott had other reasons to kill the playboy restaurateur.
Clearly, murder a la carte. But for Pam and Jerry North, the culprit was presented on too gilded a platter. Indeed, they found other suspects who knew all too well exactly how MURDER IS SERVED.
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1948
55 people are currently reading
115 people want to read
About the author
Frances Lockridge
96 books48 followersFrances Louise (Davis) Lockridge wrote popular mysteries and children's books with husband Richard Lockridge. They also published under the shared pseudonym Francis Richards.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 14, 2021
It Was The Steak 🥩
The Norths are called on to help investigate when a young student is suspected of killing her husband.
Professor Leonard is an old friend of Jerry North who believe his pretty Peggy Mott is plotting to kill her very rich husband.
Before you can sneeze 🤧, Mr. Mott is discovered in his office, dead, from a knife.
On the run with her boyfriend, Peggy Mott asks the Norths for help.
Knowing that he can’t stop Pam North from interfering, Lieutenant Weigand let’s her speculate on the evidence and motives, and hears her out.
As usual, Weigand has his part in capturing the murderer already planned ahead. Suspecting he’s up to something, Pam gathers her intuition and as usual, she interferes…and save the day.
When are they going to hire her?
The Norths are called on to help investigate when a young student is suspected of killing her husband.
Professor Leonard is an old friend of Jerry North who believe his pretty Peggy Mott is plotting to kill her very rich husband.
Before you can sneeze 🤧, Mr. Mott is discovered in his office, dead, from a knife.
On the run with her boyfriend, Peggy Mott asks the Norths for help.
Knowing that he can’t stop Pam North from interfering, Lieutenant Weigand let’s her speculate on the evidence and motives, and hears her out.
As usual, Weigand has his part in capturing the murderer already planned ahead. Suspecting he’s up to something, Pam gathers her intuition and as usual, she interferes…and save the day.
When are they going to hire her?
September 9, 2025
A college professor reads an essay that makes him think his pretty student seeks to murder someone else. Too thin for the police, Dr. John Leonard, associate professor of psychology at Dyckman University, instead tells Pam and Jerry North about student’s final exam in his evening course. Mrs. Peggy Mott, a blonde actress just starting out, seems an unlikely would-be murderer, but….
The very next day Peggy’s estranged husband. A.J. Mott, a millionaire playboy, has been stabbed in Restaurant Maillaux, the ritzy restaurant of which he is majority owner. Open and shut, right? Not if Pam North’s involved!
Authors Frances and Richard Lockridge add so many twists, turns and surprises into this twelfth novel in the Mr. and Mrs. North series that it was hard to put down! Loved it!
The very next day Peggy’s estranged husband. A.J. Mott, a millionaire playboy, has been stabbed in Restaurant Maillaux, the ritzy restaurant of which he is majority owner. Open and shut, right? Not if Pam North’s involved!
Authors Frances and Richard Lockridge add so many twists, turns and surprises into this twelfth novel in the Mr. and Mrs. North series that it was hard to put down! Loved it!
September 2, 2017
Professor John Leonard's psychology course has focused on human emotions--how they motivate people; how they can be misused and distorted; how they can fuel psychological disorders. He's expecting the usual run of mediocre final papers on the effects of a particular human emotion on the normal individual--with the bulk of the class writing on love. There are a handful of students from whom he expects very interesting papers indeed--students who have minds that seem to grasp the nuances and intricacies of human psychology. What he doesn't expect is for one of them to write a searing paper full of personal hate.
Who would have thought that the heart of the lovely Peggy Mott could harbor such ugly emotion? But it's right there on the paper for Leonard to see. He's been a psychologist long enough that he knows honest emotion when he sees it and he's quite sure that Peggy Mott is working herself up to kill someone. He's also quite sure that the police won't see a final paper in a college night course as anything like evidence--but he's got to do something about what he knows. What to do? Then he remembers that Mr. Gerald North, the man who published his last psychology book, has managed to get himself involved in several murder investigations. So, he calls up Jerry North to arrange a lunch-time meeting...
....thought of you. Because you know this detective, know about things like this. I tell you, I'm damn serious, North. I want help. Can I come around and talk to you?
He suggests that Jerry (and Pam, who of course comes along for the meeting) should present his story to Lt. Bill Weigand. If nothing else, telling someone about it will make him feel like he's done what he can. Weigand listens to the Norths and while he agrees that the paper was concerning, he confirms what they already knew...that there's nothing in it that he can take action on.
But then Tony Mott, Peggy's playboy husband, is found dead in his office with a steak knife buried in his neck. Mott had recently bought a share of the Restaurant Maillaux, providing a much-needed influx of cash for the exclusive dining spot. André Maillaux, the restaurant's owner and maître d', discovers the body of his new partner when he visits the office to consult him on a few matters (we never do find out what the consultation was supposed to be about). Weigand and Sergeant Mullins are on the case and even without prior knowledge of that revealing essay on hatred, their attention is soon focused on Peggy Mott. Motive? Bypassing base hatred, there's always the piles of cash that Tony Mott has left behind. Opportunity? Peggy was seen entering the office before the earliest possible time of death? Means? How fortuitous that the Restaurant Maillaux had just ordered a new style of steak knife and there happened to be a sample right there on the desk for anybody with a murderous bent to snatch up and use.
There's just one thing preventing Weigand and Mullins from bringing Peggy in for questioning. They can't find her. And the longer Pam North thinks about the situation and all the information that comes to the surface while the police hunt for Mrs. Mott, the more she's convinced that someone is serving Peggy up as the main course on a silver platter, hoping to escape their own just desserts as the true villain of the piece. Meanwhile, Bill Weigand is starting to think so as well and he set a trap that will bring the killer out into the open.
It was amusing to read a Mr. & Mrs. North book where, for most of it, it looks as though Artie O'Malley (Weigand's boss) is finally going to get his way. Bill Weigand is all set to go for the simple, straightforward solution. Those Norths aren't making things all screwy.
"We've wrapped it up," O'Malley said. "Nice going, Bill. Way I'd've done it myself. None of this fancy stuff, no Norths to make it screwy. Quick and simple."
But, of course, when the Norths are in it, you have to know that it won't be straightforward. It won't be that simple. And if Pam North takes a shine to your prime suspect you know that someone else must have done it.
One thing that I did find a little out of character for Bill Weigand was how harshly he treated Peggy Mott when she's finally brought in for questioning. Generally speaking, Bill's a pretty good guy. There's none of the bright lights and rubber hose treatment about him (not even implied) and yet while he's thinking how shaken Peggy is, while he's thinking "Poor kid" he's pretty harsh with his questioning of her. The approach goes against all previous examples of Bill's treatment of female suspects. Since the book starts out with psychology, I'm going to take a stab at a little armchair analysis and theorize that subconsciously Bill knows he's rushed his conclusions and picked the wrong candidate for the crime and he's taking his frustration at himself out on Peggy.
The other slight flaw with the book is that once you realize that Peggy must be innocent there really aren't that many suspects to choose from. It's not difficult to pinpoint the killer even if you might not know the precise motive. Fortunately for me, I read the Lockridge books more for atmosphere--you can't beat their descriptions of the 1940s/1950s New York City--and the enjoyable characters. They also have a way with dialogue among people who know each other well. There is an easy, short-hand style to the North's conversations with the Weigands and Mullins that is comfortable and fun. ★★★ and a half.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
Who would have thought that the heart of the lovely Peggy Mott could harbor such ugly emotion? But it's right there on the paper for Leonard to see. He's been a psychologist long enough that he knows honest emotion when he sees it and he's quite sure that Peggy Mott is working herself up to kill someone. He's also quite sure that the police won't see a final paper in a college night course as anything like evidence--but he's got to do something about what he knows. What to do? Then he remembers that Mr. Gerald North, the man who published his last psychology book, has managed to get himself involved in several murder investigations. So, he calls up Jerry North to arrange a lunch-time meeting...
....thought of you. Because you know this detective, know about things like this. I tell you, I'm damn serious, North. I want help. Can I come around and talk to you?
He suggests that Jerry (and Pam, who of course comes along for the meeting) should present his story to Lt. Bill Weigand. If nothing else, telling someone about it will make him feel like he's done what he can. Weigand listens to the Norths and while he agrees that the paper was concerning, he confirms what they already knew...that there's nothing in it that he can take action on.
But then Tony Mott, Peggy's playboy husband, is found dead in his office with a steak knife buried in his neck. Mott had recently bought a share of the Restaurant Maillaux, providing a much-needed influx of cash for the exclusive dining spot. André Maillaux, the restaurant's owner and maître d', discovers the body of his new partner when he visits the office to consult him on a few matters (we never do find out what the consultation was supposed to be about). Weigand and Sergeant Mullins are on the case and even without prior knowledge of that revealing essay on hatred, their attention is soon focused on Peggy Mott. Motive? Bypassing base hatred, there's always the piles of cash that Tony Mott has left behind. Opportunity? Peggy was seen entering the office before the earliest possible time of death? Means? How fortuitous that the Restaurant Maillaux had just ordered a new style of steak knife and there happened to be a sample right there on the desk for anybody with a murderous bent to snatch up and use.
There's just one thing preventing Weigand and Mullins from bringing Peggy in for questioning. They can't find her. And the longer Pam North thinks about the situation and all the information that comes to the surface while the police hunt for Mrs. Mott, the more she's convinced that someone is serving Peggy up as the main course on a silver platter, hoping to escape their own just desserts as the true villain of the piece. Meanwhile, Bill Weigand is starting to think so as well and he set a trap that will bring the killer out into the open.
It was amusing to read a Mr. & Mrs. North book where, for most of it, it looks as though Artie O'Malley (Weigand's boss) is finally going to get his way. Bill Weigand is all set to go for the simple, straightforward solution. Those Norths aren't making things all screwy.
"We've wrapped it up," O'Malley said. "Nice going, Bill. Way I'd've done it myself. None of this fancy stuff, no Norths to make it screwy. Quick and simple."
But, of course, when the Norths are in it, you have to know that it won't be straightforward. It won't be that simple. And if Pam North takes a shine to your prime suspect you know that someone else must have done it.
One thing that I did find a little out of character for Bill Weigand was how harshly he treated Peggy Mott when she's finally brought in for questioning. Generally speaking, Bill's a pretty good guy. There's none of the bright lights and rubber hose treatment about him (not even implied) and yet while he's thinking how shaken Peggy is, while he's thinking "Poor kid" he's pretty harsh with his questioning of her. The approach goes against all previous examples of Bill's treatment of female suspects. Since the book starts out with psychology, I'm going to take a stab at a little armchair analysis and theorize that subconsciously Bill knows he's rushed his conclusions and picked the wrong candidate for the crime and he's taking his frustration at himself out on Peggy.
The other slight flaw with the book is that once you realize that Peggy must be innocent there really aren't that many suspects to choose from. It's not difficult to pinpoint the killer even if you might not know the precise motive. Fortunately for me, I read the Lockridge books more for atmosphere--you can't beat their descriptions of the 1940s/1950s New York City--and the enjoyable characters. They also have a way with dialogue among people who know each other well. There is an easy, short-hand style to the North's conversations with the Weigands and Mullins that is comfortable and fun. ★★★ and a half.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
December 18, 2020
see review other edition
February 5, 2017
I figured out this one about the next to the last chapter... I was so convinced it was one specific person (I think Pam and I were on the same track and for much the same reason) that I ignored everyone else. I like being surprised at the end though; it was a good surprise and there were hints throughout the book as to the murderer but I was fooled. Bill Weigand really struggles in this one. His boss wants the easy, obvious answer and all the clues point in that direction but Bill isn't completely comfortable with it and examines all the evidence all over again... the evidence still points in one direction for the most part, but there are other suspects who throw doubt on it.
I'm enjoying these books very much. It's been decades since I last read them and I love the view of the 1940s and '50s life in New York that the Lockridges portray so well. Cocktails and cigarettes, cats and books, murders and police procedures -- on top of it you have wonderfully fun characters like Pam North and Sgt Mullins amid the "normal" folks like Bill Wiegand and his lovely wife Dorian and Jerry North.
I'm enjoying these books very much. It's been decades since I last read them and I love the view of the 1940s and '50s life in New York that the Lockridges portray so well. Cocktails and cigarettes, cats and books, murders and police procedures -- on top of it you have wonderfully fun characters like Pam North and Sgt Mullins amid the "normal" folks like Bill Wiegand and his lovely wife Dorian and Jerry North.
December 13, 2019
The Lockridge's Mr. and Mrs. North series may be a bit tame for modern mystery readers, but I am happy to binge on these books.
The appeal is largely in the dynamic between Mr. and Mrs. North and their detective friend, Bill Weigand. The detective is unbelievably (quite literally !) tolerant of the curiosity and interference of the North's in Manhattan's murders. It DOES suspend disbelief that he sits and chats about suspects over cocktail after cocktail after cocktail. BUT, I love those cozy evenings in the North's apartment.
I also love that Mrs. North doesn't ever seem to stretch to prepare dinner at home. So, there is a wonderful dithering over where to dine (in chapter after chapter of some books). Some readers may find this boring beyond belief. I find it much more fun than reading about autopsies and body farms.
So, these gentle post-war Manhattan mysteries provide me with many hours of light entertainment. And, I get to experience life in New York when couples DID wear "dinner suits" to parties and seemed to have a very civilized life indeed.
The appeal is largely in the dynamic between Mr. and Mrs. North and their detective friend, Bill Weigand. The detective is unbelievably (quite literally !) tolerant of the curiosity and interference of the North's in Manhattan's murders. It DOES suspend disbelief that he sits and chats about suspects over cocktail after cocktail after cocktail. BUT, I love those cozy evenings in the North's apartment.
I also love that Mrs. North doesn't ever seem to stretch to prepare dinner at home. So, there is a wonderful dithering over where to dine (in chapter after chapter of some books). Some readers may find this boring beyond belief. I find it much more fun than reading about autopsies and body farms.
So, these gentle post-war Manhattan mysteries provide me with many hours of light entertainment. And, I get to experience life in New York when couples DID wear "dinner suits" to parties and seemed to have a very civilized life indeed.
December 8, 2019
The Lockridges are back with another interesting case for the Norths to solve in the 12th series entry. The story begins with Professor John Leonard giving an essay exam to his Experimental Psychology Class at Dyckman University. The students are required to write about a specific emotion and its effect on human behavior. Looking around around the room, the professor tries to imagine what emotion some of his 43 students will choose for their essay. One of the blue book’s contents concerns him greatly, so he contacts Mr. North. The student has written about a fierce hatred. The professor is very worried that this student may take violent action. He knows that Jerry North solves crimes with the police. Can he contact the authorities about this matter? The Norths aren’t sure what to do in this situation. It all seems a little too vague, but they don’t want anyone to be die. What would you do?
And then a body is found...
And then a body is found...
December 31, 2022
This murder combines two of my favorite settings- academia and fine dining. Can a psychology student's essay be evidence of murderous intent? When the future of a restaurant is at stake, who has the most to lose? Have Siamese cats ever been so charming as Martini, Gin, and Sherry? (And why, oh why, as the sherry martini idea been resurrected? Surely Vermouth is available again...) I enjoyed the window into the inner life of Professor John Leonard, though I'm glad he's not in my department. And I'd love to peak at the menus- or better yet the cookbook- of the Maison Maillaux. On the whole, this was an engaging and fun visit to the Norths' New York.
Favorite quotation: "A problem had been presented and, almost simultaneously, a solution which appeared to be in all respects neat and adequate. Under such circumstances it was desirable, as always, to keep an open mind, but it was very difficult."
Favorite quotation: "A problem had been presented and, almost simultaneously, a solution which appeared to be in all respects neat and adequate. Under such circumstances it was desirable, as always, to keep an open mind, but it was very difficult."
January 20, 2018
A psych professor is alarmed: a student has written about hate a little too realistically for the final. He brings the problem to Jerry and Pam North. And then when the student's not-quite-ex is murdered in a restaurant office with a steak knife to the throat - suspicion falls on the student, who runs from police. But ... is that solution a little too pat? Is O'Malley right for once? (the answer is no). And when the student stops running, and is brought to the North's - the correct solution starts to emerge.
The cats (Martini, Sherry, and Gin) are fun. The case is a little convoluted. A good read, if you don't take it too seriously. And, fortunately, none of those murdered is anyone one feels particularly sorry for ...
The cats (Martini, Sherry, and Gin) are fun. The case is a little convoluted. A good read, if you don't take it too seriously. And, fortunately, none of those murdered is anyone one feels particularly sorry for ...
November 13, 2018
I read this book from the King County Library. This wonderful first edition book from 1948 has soft thick yellowed pages. The beautiful green cloth bound cover has a wonderful dark green geometric pattern on it, that's very art deco. The inside cover has two different due date stamp areas with the earliest dates being 1956 and the latest dates being 1996. It even has a card pocket. The story features the delightful husband and wife duo of Pam and Jerry North. While much of the story is dated, especially the police procedure, it is a fun intriguing story, well worth a read!
October 30, 2019
Early Bird Book Deal | Better red herrings than some in the series have had. | From the very start, I was struck by two small things. One turned out to be a good red herring, kept in play until the very end. The other turned my suspicion to the actual killer. But until that last moment, I wasn't entirely sure which would be which.
July 11, 2021
Another enjoyable Mr & Mrs North book. I didn't have a clue until the murderer showed themself. I should have seen who it was; I forgot the detectives' procedures on who to suspect. (But we all know it's *never* the most obvious person!) However, I have two new friends: Sherry and Gin, Martini's babies, who love to destroy newspapers. Recommended.
December 18, 2023
Solid
I enjoy this couple and Weigand the detective. Pam and Jerry are rather a hoot, and I love that they like each other and spending time with each other. Peggy and Carey definitely had issues, but it resolved itself properly. Enjoyed this installment of the series (which, for the record, don't actually need to be read in order).
I enjoy this couple and Weigand the detective. Pam and Jerry are rather a hoot, and I love that they like each other and spending time with each other. Peggy and Carey definitely had issues, but it resolved itself properly. Enjoyed this installment of the series (which, for the record, don't actually need to be read in order).
September 21, 2019
Terrific read. The tone is just right. Pam's verbal meanderings are decipherable, but not overt. The characterizations are realistic. Can't wait for the next one!
February 7, 2023
I love these mysteries. Just a classy series.
April 19, 2023
A good mystery, but one of the main characters was a little too teary and incoherent for my taste
September 1, 2024
Another great entry into the series. I had no idea who did it until the end.
September 15, 2019
When is a "perfect case" a bit TOO perfect?
A man is murdered in Manhattan. He's a jerk, but he has money and power. He finances plays and backs businesses. He's feared by some and admired by others. And one winter morning someone sticks a steak knife in his neck. So long, Tony.
Suspicion falls on his estranged wife, a beautiful young actress. She became disillusioned with her husband and wanted out of the marriage. As payback, he sabotaged her acting career. He's dumped plenty of women - wives and girlfriends - sometimes publicly and brutally. He can dish it out, but he can't take it.
Peggy Mott is appealing and some people are reluctant to imagine her as a murderer, but witnesses place her on the scene. And her psychology professor is so disturbed by a paper she handed in that he goes to Pam and Jerry North in hopes of preventing a murder. Or did he have another reason for alerting them to the supposedly murderous intentions of the young actress/wife?
The victim was killed at a famous eatery whose owner was born into a family of French restaurateurs and brought his expertise to New York City. For years the Maillaux is noted for gourmet food, attentive service, and high prices. But times change and even the most exclusive restaurants must change, too. With new money and a high-profile new partner, the restaurant attracts a younger crowd - less interested in gourmet food than in seeing and being seen. Andre Maillaux is devastated to lose his partner and hopes the NYPD will quickly solve the crime.
Lieutenant Bill Weigand has a ready-made suspect in the victim's wife. All the evidence points to her and a second murder adds even more proof of her guilt. But Pam North says there's too much evidence, all served up a little too neatly. Is she right?
It's 1948 and psychology is a hot topic. Not surprising since the end of WWII brought home a flood of young men who'd been taught to kill and had seen friends die horribly. That part of the book is handled well and the authors show how the damaged psyches of these returning warriors has affected every aspect of life in the post-war period.
But there's WAY too much time spent focusing on the suspect's numbing fear and detailing the victim's enemies and THEIR possible emotions. Professor Leonard sounds like the genuine article, especially when he points out to Weigand that an event (such as brutal rejection) can't cause great damage to a person unless he/she has an underlying emotional weakness. That's sensible, but doesn't fit into the kind of books that these authors are known for.
The Lockridge team wrote witty, intriguing detective stories featuring a recurring cast of likable people and introducing new characters who are beautifully drawn. The description of Andre Maillaux and his meticulously contrived persona is worth the price of admission all by itself. But when these authors try to explore darker themes, their books drag. It's still a good read, but be prepared to do some skipping. And if you're new to this wonderful series, please don't start with this one
A man is murdered in Manhattan. He's a jerk, but he has money and power. He finances plays and backs businesses. He's feared by some and admired by others. And one winter morning someone sticks a steak knife in his neck. So long, Tony.
Suspicion falls on his estranged wife, a beautiful young actress. She became disillusioned with her husband and wanted out of the marriage. As payback, he sabotaged her acting career. He's dumped plenty of women - wives and girlfriends - sometimes publicly and brutally. He can dish it out, but he can't take it.
Peggy Mott is appealing and some people are reluctant to imagine her as a murderer, but witnesses place her on the scene. And her psychology professor is so disturbed by a paper she handed in that he goes to Pam and Jerry North in hopes of preventing a murder. Or did he have another reason for alerting them to the supposedly murderous intentions of the young actress/wife?
The victim was killed at a famous eatery whose owner was born into a family of French restaurateurs and brought his expertise to New York City. For years the Maillaux is noted for gourmet food, attentive service, and high prices. But times change and even the most exclusive restaurants must change, too. With new money and a high-profile new partner, the restaurant attracts a younger crowd - less interested in gourmet food than in seeing and being seen. Andre Maillaux is devastated to lose his partner and hopes the NYPD will quickly solve the crime.
Lieutenant Bill Weigand has a ready-made suspect in the victim's wife. All the evidence points to her and a second murder adds even more proof of her guilt. But Pam North says there's too much evidence, all served up a little too neatly. Is she right?
It's 1948 and psychology is a hot topic. Not surprising since the end of WWII brought home a flood of young men who'd been taught to kill and had seen friends die horribly. That part of the book is handled well and the authors show how the damaged psyches of these returning warriors has affected every aspect of life in the post-war period.
But there's WAY too much time spent focusing on the suspect's numbing fear and detailing the victim's enemies and THEIR possible emotions. Professor Leonard sounds like the genuine article, especially when he points out to Weigand that an event (such as brutal rejection) can't cause great damage to a person unless he/she has an underlying emotional weakness. That's sensible, but doesn't fit into the kind of books that these authors are known for.
The Lockridge team wrote witty, intriguing detective stories featuring a recurring cast of likable people and introducing new characters who are beautifully drawn. The description of Andre Maillaux and his meticulously contrived persona is worth the price of admission all by itself. But when these authors try to explore darker themes, their books drag. It's still a good read, but be prepared to do some skipping. And if you're new to this wonderful series, please don't start with this one
August 1, 2011
A later book in the series of Mr. & Mrs. North than I was expecting, but a delight nonetheless. Extra points were immediately given for the names of the three cats in the North household - Gin, Martini, and Sherry. will definitely be getting the rest that the library has and start looking for them in bookstores.
June 21, 2015
Not the best in the series. Too many perspectives shown in the book. Pam North, Weigand, the main suspect, and various people from a restaurant. I prefer some of the others more.
April 7, 2017
When a man is killed at a restaurant he has an interest in, his estranged wife becomes the chief suspect, based on an essay on "Hate" she wrote for a psychology class. Of course, the Norths take her side and get involved. Several interesting twists to this one, with the killer's identity left until the very end. Very good story.
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