Mord in der Willow Street

The Sally and Johnny Heldar Mysteries #2

by Henrietta Hamilton, Dorothee Merkel (Translator)

In einem kleinen Cottage außerhalb Londons verbringen die Heldars den ersten Frühling mit ihrem Sohn Peter. Doch als die Verlobte von Johnnys Cousin, Prudence, des Mordes verdächtigt wird, eilt das Buchhändlerpaar zurück nach London, um die Ermittlungen aufzunehmen. Mitüberraschenden Twistsführt uns Henrietta Hamilton auf die Spur eines Verbrechens, das die Urfrage stellt, wem wir wirklich vertrauen können.

In Mr. Frodshams Haus in der Willow Street spielen sich geheimnisvolle Treffen und verbotene Liebschaften ab, Identitäten werden ausgetauscht, Erpresserbriefe verfasst und Plagiate vertuscht. Die Sekretärin des fragwürdigen Hausherren, Prudence, verstrickt sich immer weiter in diese Spielchen. Doch dann wird Mr. Frodsham in seiner Bibliothek ermordet. Die Tatwaffe, ein Revolver, ist verschollen. Schon sichert Scotland Yard den Tatort abund befragt Prudence als Verdächtige. Denn tatsächlich wurde sie am Abend zuvor ganz in der Nähe gesehen. 

Sally und Johnny Heldar nehmen die verschiedenen Fährten auf. Der Mordfall führt das Ermittlerduo von den Geschehen in der Willow Street bis hin zu Frodhams Rolle in der Französischen Résistance. Können sie Prudences Unschuld beweisen, oder ist sie stärker in den Mord verwickelt, als es die Heldars wahrhaben wollen?

Genres: Mystery

227 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1956

Reviews

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Man Who Wasn't There" is a mystery that was written in 1956 and set in England. It's the third in a series, but it works as a stand-alone. This was a clue-based puzzle mystery. Johnny (who is helped by his wife) used logic to puzzle out the solution. They made sure that anyone who came to them with information also gave it to the police. Much of the story was interviews, so the main characters were barely developed. They're likable people, but little was told about them outside of the crime. There were several suspects that could have murdered the victim. I was able to guess whodunit near the end and even the twist before it was revealed, but I was uncertain before then. There was no sex. There were only a few uses of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting puzzle mystery.

I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Kelly Furniss · Rating 4 out of 5]

I heard about this book from one of my mystery groups on Facebook .
It is always exciting when forgotten classics from the golden age of crime fiction are found and republished. This is a good one, set in London & written around 1956.
The plot shows skill with the clue puzzle mysteries and the many suspects makes for a entertaining read as you try fathom out who did it around the twist!.
I enjoyed this and would look forward to discovering others.
My thanks go to the publisher and Netgalley in providing this arc in return for a honest review.

[Jennifer (JC-S) · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘What are you going to do this afternoon?’

England, 1950s. Sally and Johnny Heldar envisaged a quiet weekend with their infant son Peter, when a telephone call from Johnny’s cousin Tim interrupts. His fiancée, Prudence Thorpe, has broken off their engagement after becoming a suspect in the murder of her employer. Tim is sure that Prue is innocent, and seeks the help of the Heldars, accomplished amateur sleuths, to find out the truth.

Prue’s employer, Frodsham, was murdered in the home he shared with his elderly mother and his manservant. It quickly becomes apparent that a few people had both a motive to murder Frodsham as well as the opportunity. Could it have been Prue? After all, she wrote a letter on Frodsham’s behalf which could have been construed as blackmail. What about the woman with whom Frodsham was having an affair? Or that tall thin man seen in the vicinity? And what information is Frodsham’s mother withholding?

'People who get mixed up in murder cases must expect to be bothered.'

Inspector Innes from Scotland Yard is leading the official investigation, and he and Johnny Heldar quickly discover that nothing about this murder seems straightforward. Blackmail, an affair, a mystery around Frodsham’s half-brother, and certain events during the war each need to be considered. A carefully constructed and well-written Golden Age mystery from beginning to end.
This is the second of Ms Hamilton’s Sally and Johnny Heldar Mysteries I have read, and I was delighted to read that several previously unpublished manuscripts have been discovered. ‘The Man Who Wasn’t There’ is the first of these to be published, and I will eagerly await the rest.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Agora Books for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

[Anjana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Heldars are a very traditional family, even with the dabbling in mysteries that they do. They even conform to the roles of their genders for the most part, and despite that, Sally and Johnny are a team that one can cheer, even in this era. The book was written in the 1950s, and as with the others in the series, reading about the author and how these books found their way to be printed again was fun and a whole experience in itself.
In this book, we find the couple in yet another stage of family life. They now are semi-sleep deprived parents who like the idea of a change in their routine. They speculate as people are wont to do, regarding slightly younger, single, family members' relationship status. As they rightly suspect, a younger cousin comes forward with information about the woman he wants to marry. All of this occurs in the first chapter itself to ensure our attention is well kept. This young woman is in trouble. The hows and whys are what they have to unravel.
It feels like a reasonably short investigation with a lot of leads and possibilities to follow. There's a steady drip of information that provides us with an emerging, changing picture of the deceased(obviously, there's one) and all the people who could have done him in.
I like the writing style, the picturization of the leading characters, the steadiness of them all. I believe there are more books to come in this series, and I am looking forward to reading them in a leisurely fashion.
I may not have mentioned anything about the plotline with regards to the mystery itself, and this is on purpose. It is not a large volume, and a significant part of it deals with the mechanics of the investigation and the elimination of suspects. It is something I feel is best encountered within the tale. It is not an exceptionally convoluted plotline, but the combination of factors make it a worthwhile addition to the series.

I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

[ShanDizzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

#TheManWhoWasntThere #NetGalley netgalley.co.uk/
Thanks to NetGalley for introducing me to this engaging mystery. The Heldar's are delightful characters. I look forward to reading more of them. In this first mystery, I especially liked the foreword by the author's nephew.

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a treat when previously unpublished books by an author I have read and enjoyed are discovered and published, as is the case here. While this one isn’t the best of Henrietta Hamilton I have read, it was enjoyable to spend time again in the company of Sally and Johnie Heldar. I appreciate the sleuthing with integrity- talking risks, but scrupulously reporting necessary details to police and being singularity clear to clients that they will do so.

While the plot was well developed and clues suitably laid, it needed, I think, tightening. There is, in places, far more detail than needed to further the plot. It held my interest, but I found myself skimming on some of the detailed conversations. It fell between three and four stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and Agora Books for a review copy.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Henrietta Hamilton is an author I discovered recently through Agora Books’ Uncrowned Queens of Crime series. Hamilton (a pseudonym of Hester Denne Shepherd) had four novels published between 1956 and 1959, all featuring the crime-solving husband and wife team of Johnny and Sally Heldar. I have read two of them – Answer in the Negative, which I didn’t particularly enjoy, and The Two Hundred Ghost, which I did. When I was given the opportunity to read The Man Who Wasn’t There, I assumed it was another of the four books, but I quickly discovered that the circumstances behind the publication of this novel are more intriguing.

After Hamilton’s death in 1995, her nephews found some typed manuscripts of thirteen books that had never been published in her lifetime – including several more Sally and Johnny mysteries. This is one of them, made available at last by Agora Books. As one of the author’s nephews suggests in the introduction, it may have been changing tastes in literature that led to his aunt’s books no longer being published; by the late 1950s the Golden Age of detective fiction was largely over and The Man Who Wasn’t There does feel like a book written a decade or two earlier.

Johnny and Sally Heldar are a young married couple who run an antiquarian bookshop and are gaining a reputation for themselves as amateur detectives. Therefore, when Johnny’s cousin Tim discovers that his fiancée, Prue, is involved in a murder case, he turns to Johnny and Sally for help. Prue had been working as secretary to the murdered man, Mr Frodsham, who has been found shot dead in his study and Prue herself has become one of the suspects. Tim is hoping the Heldars can prove her innocent – and it certainly seems that there are plenty of other people with motives, including Frodsham’s mistress and her husband, another woman he was blackmailing, and some old enemies from his days in the French Resistance.

I like Sally and Johnny and it was nice to spend some more time in their company (although I do wish Johnny would let his wife take a more active part in the investigations), but I found the plot of this particular novel a bit too complicated and detailed for such a short book. I struggled to keep track of all the characters, what time they arrived at or left the victim’s house, what they were all doing during the war, even the number of different guns involved. Most of this information is delivered in the form of long conversations as Johnny and Sally ‘think out loud’ to each other or interview suspects, so you also need to remember who said what and to whom. Still, I think Hamilton was fair to the reader and gave us all the clues we needed to be able to solve the mystery.

I probably won’t read any more books in this series as I’ve tried three now and only really enjoyed one of them, but I can see from looking at other reviews that lots of people love her books so I hope the rest of the unpublished manuscripts find their way into print very soon.

[Sue F · Rating 4 out of 5]

Light and fun…

In my last review of a Henrietta Hamilton book, I expressed hope that Agora Books would continue re-issuing her books. And not only have they done so, they’ve even managed to acquire the rights to some of her previously unpublished books, including this one, The Man Who Wasn’t There, which is part of her Sally and Johnny Heldar series. As Hamilton’s nephew, Nick Shepherd, mentions in his short introduction, the order of the books in the series is a bit uncertain, but the best guess seems to be that this is the third in the series. Regardless of series order, though, I was pleased to be offered an advance review copy, and to have a chance to retreat for a while into an easy-to-read mystery with lots of period details about England and France during and shortly after World War II.

As the story opens, Sally and Johnny get pulled into the goings-on by Johnny’s young cousin, Tim. Tim, who is really more like a younger brother to Johnny, is worried about his girlfriend, Prudence Thorpe. Prue is nineteen, but until recently she has been coddled by her wealthy parents, and doesn’t have much experience of the world. After completing a secretarial course at Mrs. Wisbech’s, however, she has obtained a part-time position as secretary to an author and diabolist, Adolphe Frodsham. It quickly becomes clear that Frodsham is not a nice character, but although Tim tries to get her to leave her post (and agree to marry him), Prue doesn’t want to give up her newly won independence. Then Frodsham is found dead, and matters accelerate from there, with missing guns, doubtful alibis, red herrings, and a nice twist or two leading to the final solution. Hamilton played fair with her clues, so I kind of thought I knew whodunnit, but I doubted myself right up to the end.

If I have a complaint to make about The Man Who Wasn’t There, it’s that I felt a little bit guilty after reading it - as if I had secretly eaten a really big candy bar, and ended up on a sugar high. Although Hamilton does write about how difficult things were during the war, and the victim, as mentioned above, is an unpleasant type, even perhaps a criminal, Sally and Johnny seem to live a pretty charmed life in post-war England. They have a “daily”, Mrs. Williams, who not only manages to keep their household running smoothly, but is almost always ready to babysit Peter in the off-hours, so Sally and Johnny can go off detecting. (And how does Mrs. Williams manage to conveniently live next door, even in a basement flat, on a daily’s wages? I’m not implying anything illegal – just that it seems part and parcel of Sally and Johnny’s somewhat-too-easy life…)

All-in-all, though, I don’t require that all of my reading-for-pleasure books have to have deeper meanings, and I quite enjoyed The Man Who Wasn’t There for what it was – a fun bit of escapism. I’ll definitely be looking forward to reading others in the series. Finally, please keep in mind that I don’t give many 5-star ratings, which I keep for truly exceptional books. So for me, a 4-star rating is a “read-this-book” recommendation. And my thanks again to Agora Books and NetGalley for the advance review copy!

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Agora Books for a review copy.
I first ‘discovered’ Henrietta Hamilton through the Uncrowned Queens of Crime series produced by Agora Books and fell in love with Johnny and Sally Heldar - an unlikely couple of amateur sleuths whose ‘day job’ is working in the family firm of antiquarian booksellers.
I was very pleasantly surprised to find that some previously unpublished manuscripts in the series had been unearthed and were finally going to see the light of day over sixty years after they were written. Lovers of Golden Age fiction have reason to be grateful to Henrietta Hamilton’s nephews for unearthing these wonderful stories from their late aunt’s belongings and allowing them to be published. ‘The Man Who Wasn’t There’ is the first of these newly discovered stories and and is, like the others in the series, a total delight.
Johnny and Sally are dragged into the midst of a mystery by Johnny’s younger cousin Tim who has fallen head over heels in love with Prue, a young girl who has inadvertently found herself suspected of murder.
As always with these novels Henrietta Hamilton has provided us with a completely ‘fair play’ mystery and a cracking storyline which sees an unpleasant person dispatched with a single gun shot wound. There are, of course, no shortage of suspects and Scotland Yard, in the person of the amiable Inspector Innes, reluctantly allows Johnny and Sally to assist in the untangling of the mystery.
Although the story is a lot of fun, to me the most enjoyable experience of reading one of these books is the exuberance with which Henrietta Hamilton draws her characters and settings. It is easy to picture the unusual house at the centre of this tale, behind hedges which border the Thames. The victim’s elderly mother, his valet, mistresses and their husbands all spring from the page as, of course, do Johnny, Sally, Tim and Prue. It is sad that these were not published in the author’s lifetime as she obviously took great joy in writing them and sharing her vivid imagination. At the time more psychological novels were becoming popular and the days of the Golden Age were waning. I am so grateful that publishers like Agora books are giving those of us who love crime fiction from an earlier and perhaps more innocent time, the opportunity to read these novels at an affordable price.
This story is self contained and does not link to any of the other novels although reading the first in the series prior to this would give a better introduction to the regular characters. I never thought that I would be in a position to read a brand new Golden Age story written at the time and hidden for so many years. I can’t wait for more.

[Roisin Shanahan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A previously unpublished Henrietta Hamilton book from her Sally and Johnny Heldar mystery series. It comes with an introduction from the authors nephew Nick Shepherd. Henrietta had 4 novels published but there are typed manuscripts of 13 other books which were found after her death, of which 4 are Heldar mysteries. Of the books that were previously published they were between 1956-59. but the author seems to have kept writing until 64/65. Changing tastes are given as the reason why her books were no longer accepted for publishing but luckily for us her manuscripts survived and Agora Books are now publishing the collection for a new audience that likes golden age books.
Johnny's cousin Tim finds himself in a pickle: his fiance Prue has reneged on their engagement after becoming a suspect in the murder of her employer. Tim pleads with the Heldars to clear Prue's name but it is a perplexing case, There are several suspects but motives seem thin on the ground. There is Mrs Addleston who was reported to be having an affair with the dead man. Then there is her husband Mr Addleston. Mrs Nantwich was being blackmailed by the dead man, Frodsham. Her husband may have killed Frodsham to extricate his wife. The victims mother asks the Heldars after the inquest to help solve the murder and gives them lots of information but always seems to be holding something back. His servant Jules was out at the cinema the night of the murder and came over from France with Frodsham and his mother and worked in the Resistance with Frodsham during the war.
There is talk of a half brother wanted for murder but now the main beneficiary in Frodsham's will. A girl in the Resistance was captured and killed during the war and it is suspected it was due to information being passed by someone in the Resistance so revenge may be a motive. There are plenty of suspects and a few attempts made on Prue's life but the Heldars are still a bit suspicious of Prue so she is not fully off the suspect list either.
It was an enjoyable story, well written and the explanation of how the murder was committed was well done. The only thing that really ages the book for me is the notion of an 18/19 year old getting engaged after a few months of knowing someone. But if you can suspend belief over that then then the rest of the story flows quite well and is enjoyable. I look forward to reading the rest of the unpublished manuscripts in time.

[Jack Gardner]

I worried that this may have been considered unpublishable by either author or publisher at or about the time it was written in the mid-1950’s. Needlessly. It does read more like an inter- rather than post-war novel, but by now has acquired a certain nostalgic charm.

The author seems to take for granted that the two previous Heldar-involved cases would be familiar to readers, and quite glosses over the cousin’s involvement in the first of these. Nevertheless, it works as a stand-alone tale.

Johnny is taken on by the victim’s mother to investigate privately, but insists on evidence and information being passed to Scotland Yard, which perhaps explains the tolerant attitude of the Inspector there - Yard detectives, especially Scots ones, are generally portrayed as dour and uncompromising.

Sally may here be relegated to a less active role because they have a young baby (although they have a most accommodating babysitter). The one time she takes the initiative on her own , she unearths a very useful clue.

Complications abound, with the victim being a WWII French Resistance operative, suspected of complicity in the death of a fellow Maquis; both his mistress and a female blackmail victim visit the house on the night of the murder; Johnny’s favourite cousin Tim’s fiancée had been the victim’s secretary, and becomes a prime suspect. The blackmail victim’s husband also entered the house, intending to beat up the Frenchman, but is chased off with a pistol similar to his own, which he then tries to throw in the river.

Johnny works it all out, and lays this before the Yard man, who is sceptical until one vital piece of evidence convinces him, and the murderer is rounded up.

One small niggle - the overuse of place-names for most of the characters.

Thanks to Crime Classics Advanced Readers Club for the opportunity to read this.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in 1950s England, young couple Sally and Johnny Heldar are contentedly at home at their cottage with their baby when an unexpected interruption adds excitement to their domestic gardening day. Johnny's cousin, Tim, seeks urgent advice regarding his girlfriend, Prue, secretary to cantankerous Frodsham. She may be complicit in a certain letter. After agreeing to marry Tim, Prue gives her boss notice. However, Frodsham is found murdered and Prue is a key suspect so she backs out of the engagement No wonder Tim is desperate for help!

Amateur sleuths Johnny and Sally become involved in the case and go about seeking information in their own way and encounter blackmail, betrayal and links to the Resistance. They discover looks can be deceiving. Inspector Innes from Scotland Yard officially investigates and finds murder is never straightforward, of course. One by one suspects are eliminated with bends and roadblocks en route to the ending. Though predictable, this is a fun (and short!) read. I really enjoy Sally in particular. The descriptions of Poplar Hall and Willow Walk add to the atmosphere.

This book is not quite as fetching as others I have read by this author (my favourite so far is The Two Hundred Ghost) but I am itching to read everything by her I can. I really enjoy her writing style and cleverness. Still well worth getting lost in something light and cozy.

What really fascinates me is that this is one of 13 manuscripts discovered by relatives of the author and this is the first time this book has been published! I am grateful the family decided to share their precious find, a very special important piece of personal history. My sincere thank you to Agora Books and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this book which would appeal to Golden Age readers especially.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

After Hester Denne Shepherd aka Henrietta Hamilton died in 1995, her nephews found the unpublished manuscripts of 13 books including four which feature her detective duo, the Heldars. This is the first of those to be published, and is designated the third in the series.

I have read the three already reissued by Agora Books and found them entertaining and easy-to-read. This was a little different.

While the characterisation was fresh and vivid, I thought that the plot was rather slight to sustain even a fairly short novel. There were red herring aplenty, the murdered man being a blackmailer, a philanderer and a former member of the French Resistance, as well as extremely wealthy, made sure of that. However much of the book is taken up with slightly wearing discussions and speculations about, and rehashing of, what the obvious suspects did on the night of the murder.

For intrepid GAD readers, the murderer and motive were not too hard to spot, although the cracking of an alibi depended on a detail not revealed until late on.

Despite my reservations, I can recommend this to lovers of the traditional, well-written detective novel. I just found it slightly harder going than the others.

3.25 stars.

Thank you to Crime Classics Advance Readers Club for the digital review copy.

[Verity W · Rating 4 out of 5]

****Copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review****

Sally and Johnny Heldar have helped solved mysteries before, so when the woman that Johnny’s cousin Tim wants to marry finds herself caught up in a murder case, it’s only natural that Tim turns to them for help. Prue’s employer has been murdered and as a result she’s called off their engagement. Tim is desperate for Sally and Johnny to clear Prue’s name and win her back for him; but the more they investigate, the more complicated the mystery gets, with infidelity and blackmail and wartime treachery to contend with.

I read a previous Heldar mystery, Answer in the Negative, last year and really enjoyed it. I like Sally and Johnny as characters in both books - they have a nice relationship where they both get to do investigating. This is a previously unpublished entry in the series that the author’s nephew discovered in a stash of manuscripts. It’s not known when exactly this was written, but I would guess around the time that it was set - which is the early 1950s. The introduction says it went unpublished because tastes changed, which makes me sad because it’s too good to have only come to light now.

I’ve read a lot of mysteries with roots in the First World War and a lot set in the Wars but not a lot in set in the fifties with links to the Second World War. So this is a nice change. It’s also interestingly twisty, but follows the rules that the clues are there if you know where to look. On the basis of this, I’m hoping that more of the unpublished Heldar books find their way into the light soon.

[Mary M · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is a good reason that this book, "The Man Who Wasn't There" was not published; it is just a bewildering overstuffed plot outline. I don't know if the physical location of the activity around the murder house is actual or fictional, but it is certainly confusing. The author was not adept at managing the stream of suspects on or under the various bridges, towpaths, gates, windows, etc. She got completely bogged down in the mess of tall dark men, good-looking men with French accents hiding behind bushes, adulterous women, extorted women, suspicious husbands, long-lost relatives all coming and going from the scene of the crime. The various references to the WWII French resistance, diabolism, overheard conversations, missing girlfriends, bribery, numerous hand guns, inheritance issues , car chases, kidnapping, crying babies, antiquarian bookstores are tossed into this mess being handled by the Heldar couple, their relatives, the police and maybe another mysterious character . This leaves no room for character development, which consists of character occasionally sitting down and having tea or a drink together. then rushing out to do some detecting.

Henrietta Hamilton certainly got in over her head and couldn't find her way out; neither can the poor reader.

[Homerun2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Very readable recently discovered mystery from the 50s featuring appealing married couple Johnny and Sally Heldar. They have a reputation as reluctant amateur sleuths and this time around get involved in an odd situation involving Johnny's nephew Tim and his girlfriend. The girlfriend works for a mysterious and somewhat unsavory man who ends up murdered, and she falls under suspicion.

As is the case in mysteries of this vintage, there are lots of plausible red herrings. The murder victim had been in the French Resistance, but also had possibly betrayed his comrades. He was a minor blackmailer, and was having an affair with a married woman. He was also quite wealthy so his will comes under scrutiny.

It is refreshing to read a mystery with no romantic angst and Johnny and Sally are solid and communicate very well. There are some machinations with a locked door that are also typical of this era. I enjoyed this mystery and will look for others featuring the Heldars. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Gregory · Rating 2 out of 5]

This mystery from the 1950s features a young married couple as amateur sleuths. Apparently, the husband or both of them are involved in the book trade. The author assumed her readers had read the 2 previous books in the series and gave few details about her recurring characters. The murder occurs fairly soon and the plot mostly involves trying to determine which characters were on the scene at the time of the murder. The sleuths soon learn that there was a constant stream of suspects in and out of the murdered victim’s house, as is often the case in who-done-it novels. In this novel, the tracking of suspects is not particularly interesting. The author does do a good job of providing suspects with plausible motives and the solution to the crime is interesting. I found the characterization weak. The young husband is named Johnny Heldar and the author wants us to believe the Heldars are a colorful family. This didn’t come across. Overall, there’s nothing to distinguish this work from countless other mysteries of the period.

[Scilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a newly published story written by Hamilton probably written in the 1950's.

Johnny's cousin Tim calls; Tim wants to marry Prue, but she has some kind of trouble. She has been secretary to Frodsham, who has been murdered, and the police think she might be involved. Johnny and Sally agree to help. It seems that Frodsham was sleeping with a married female neighbor, and blackmailing another. Frodsham and his mother have moved to England from France after the war, and Frodsham was involved with the Resistance during the war, and may have made some enemies.

The husband of the woman who was involved with Frodsham disappears early in the case. When someone seems to be trying to kill Prue, they realize she must know something she isn't aware of.
Johnny and Sally need to find the murderer before he commits another murder. The book keeps the reader guessing, and is a great classic crime.

[Robin Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is always a pleasure to read the latest 'find' as Agora Books republish some of the forgotten classics from the golden age of crime fiction. This is a particular gem, written around 1956, but unpublished until now.
Sally and Johnny Heldar are surely one of the most likeable crime-solving couples ever written with their domestic life of intellectual integrity and background in antiquarian bookselling.
The plot here is clever, with a setting on the banks of the River Thames, and links to the French Resistance.
I applaud Agora Books and Henrietta Hamilton's nephews for allowing a new generation to enjoy this beautifully written mystery.

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book even if i found a bit slower and less compelling that the others I read.
I am very happy to learn that we will be able to read some newly discovered books by this author as I really love Sally and John.
The plot is quite complex, events from the present and past can be the motive, lots of red herring and twists.
The mystery is solid, a bit slow paced, and the solution came as a surprise.
i thoroughly enjoyed and can't wait to read the other books.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

1956 Amateur sleuths Sally and Johnny Heldar become involved in a murder case when their cousin Tim asks for their help when his fiancée, Prue's, employer has been discovered shot, and she has become a suspect. The case is complicated by the lies they are told, blackmail, and wartime treachery in France.
An entertaining and well-written crime story with its likeable two main characters.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Verity Halliday · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this never-before-published 1950s murder mystery in the Sally and Johnny Heldar series. There were many plausible suspects and the ending was satisfying.

I do worry about the baby being always foisted on a babysitter, although I suppose it’s better than putting him in the line of fire of a desperate murderer.

More please!

Thanks to the author’s family, publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for honest feedback.

[PeggySue · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Man Who Wasn’t There by Henrietta Hamilton.
Absolutely loved it. So much in fact that I’ve already bought a copy of another book in the series. This duo reminds me somewhat of the Norths in the series written by Frances and Richard Lockridge in the 1930’s and 40’s. That series is set in New York, with a lot more cocktails and no baby, just a cat named Pete.
I’m looking forward to more in this mid-century cozyish series.
Thanks to Netgalley.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty good book! As someone who enjoys older mystery books, I didn't mind that it wasn't set in present days. I enjoyed Sally and Johnny, and also appreciated that this book was pretty clean. That is hard to find! I wasn't sure why the book was named this, as it wasn't obvious to me, but I really don't have many complaints about the book. I will definitely read more by this author!

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Miriam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I requested an ARC of this book, and all opinions are my own.

I am a fan of 'old-fashioned' mysteries, and this one hit all the right notes. It's definitely not groundbreaking, but it is extremely entertaining, and the twist was only obvious at the end. I enjoyed it very much, and think it would make a terrific beach/vacation read.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle by Agora and #NetGalley for my honest opinion.

Lovely vintage mystery featuring quaint sleuths in Sally and Johnny. The Man Who Wasn’t There will have you wanting more from this series.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great style, Great Characters

The Heldar family are a terrific cast of players in every chapter! Really good writing, plot & mystery every time!

[Bookbeard · Rating 4 out of 5]

story line: ****
main characters: *****
side characters: ****
world building: ***
editing: *****
audio: ****

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

My habit is to give my take on the book without giving the broad description. That part is already provided by the publisher.

Now for my take. I have enjoyed the series thus far but this one not quite as much. The outline of it, the mystery itself, was good but there was too much exposition! Way too many dry recitations of who they talked to, what they said, etc. It was too much tell and not enough show this time around.

Now for the positive. I love these characters and how their lives together are progressing. They have added a home in the country and a son. I love how well they work together and complement one another. I did, however, wish there’d been more of the bookshop and extended Heldar family members present.

On the whole, it is still better written and more enjoyable to me than 90% of what’s being produced currently. I will continue to anticipate more “found” manuscripts from this writer.

Thank you to NetGalley and Agora Books for providing a copy of this book in return for a fair and honest review.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read and enjoyed Henrietta Hamilton’s three available mysteries on Agora Books’ Uncrowned Queens Of Crime list featuring the very appealing young couple Sally and Johnny Heldar, I was pleased to find that Hamilton’s family had come across some previously unpublished works and Agora are planning to publish six over the coming year.
The Man Who Wasn’t There is the first of the six newly discovered manuscripts to be released and what a treat it is.
Johnny’s cousin Tim is engaged to the lovely Prue who finds herself chief suspect in a murder case involving the shooting of her boss, Frenchman Adolphe Frodsham at home in his study. Frodsham’s own mother is so alarmed by this that she calls in Johnny and Sally to help.
This mystery has a good range of suspects and motives to pick from including a long lost criminal brother and various mistresses of Adolphe and their husbands as well as a shady past with the French Resistance during the war. The police don’t feature too much and are amiable about Sally and Johnny’s investigations when they are mentioned. A twist at the end had me totally wrong footed about the identity of the murderer which I always enjoy.
All in all this is a welcome addition to my collection of classic crime and I eagerly await the other five.
Thanks to Agora Books and Netgalley for the ARC.