The Wrong Way Down

Henry Gamadge #11

by Elizabeth Daly

Miss Julia Paxton has a mystery that only Gamadge could solve. the framed etching of Lady Audley had always hung in the hallway of the Ashbury mansion. Miss Paxton remembered it from her girlhood, and she was now a hale and hearty seventy-five. But never in al those years had she seen one word written on the portrait. In fact, none had been there - until after the visit last Sunday of Iris Vance, professional medium. Then the inscription, dated 1793, appeared. But how? Gamadge could tell the writing was genuine, he could even explain its presence without invoking the supernatural... but he couldn't stop Lady Audley's secret from leading to a most horrible murder.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Cozy, New York, Golden Age Mystery

165 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1946

About the author

Elizabeth Daly (1878-1967) was born in New York City and educated at Bryn Mawr College, Pennsylvania and Columbia University. She was a reader in English at Bryn Mawr and tutored in English and French. She was awarded an Edgar in 1960. Her series character is Henry Gamadge, an antiquarian book dealer.

Daly works in the footsteps of Jane Austen, offering an extraordinarily clear picture of society in her time through the interactions of a few characters. In that tradition, if you knew a person's family history, general type, and a few personal quirks, you could be said to know everything worth knowing about that person. Today the emphasis is on baring the darkest depths of psycho- and socio-pathology; contemporary readers raised on this style may find Ms. Daly both elitist and somewhat facile. But fans of classic movies and whodunits know that a focus on polished surfaces brings with it the possibility of hidden secrets and things unsaid; for those who disdain the obvious confessional style of today, the Gamadge books have much to recommend them.

Elizabeth Daly now seems sadly forgotten by many which a shame as all her books are superbly crafted and plotted, indeed she counted none other than Agatha Christie as one of her fans. She published sixteen books all of which featured her main series character Henry Gamadge. He is a bibliophile and expert on rare books and manuscripts which makes her books particularly appealing to fans of the bibliomystery. There was some disparity between UK and US releases some being published out of sequence, the bibliography shown follows the US editions which are the true firsts. Murder Listens In and Shroud for a Lady are re-titled reissues of earlier books.

Reviews

[Marina Kahn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was drawn to this book because on the cover it said that this author was one of Agatha Christie's favorite mystery writer and so this had to be really good. I enjoyed reading this, I think the language was dated sort of vintage 1940's crime drama but you really got the feel of post war New York Manhantan, the architecture and neighborhoods. It's a quirky tale, moving through a maze of plots and red herrings including a wild car chase from one rough neighborhood to another. I must say I was thrown for a loop at the end and wasn't prepared to face the true identity of the killer. I did like the Gamadge, Harold and Nordhall characters. Best of all was Martin the Cat.

[Vintagebooklvr · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok. The cover is very spooky. IRL it is much more effective than seeing it in miniature on the website.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my favorite Henry Gamadge mystery so far. What begins as a simple theft quickly becomes murder. As is often the case in Elizabeth Daly tales, there is an inheritance at stake, and someone among the heirs seems the likeliest killer. But is it the cousin with a history as a psychic medium? The belligerent daughter? The hapless son? And who are their curious friends? When Gamadge becomes a target, he quickly identifies the killer. But even he doesn't realize that person has been under his nose the entire case.
Daly was really hitting her stride by the time she penned The Wrong Way Down. Gamadge has more personality than in the early books, and his assistant Harold is an enjoyable addition to the set characters. I also very much enjoy Nordhall, Gamadge's friend on the police force (whom I picture as very much like actor Wendell Corey's "Rear Window" character, Lt. Doyle. Must be that dry sense of humor). The murderer was never among my suspects as I read the book, but I'm getting used to Daly's unexpected twists. And like a good Sherlock Holmes story, it sounds so obvious once Gamadge explains it! A good series for lovers of classic mysteries.

[Susan Beecher · Rating 2 out of 5]

I find it hard to believe that Agatha Christie found this series to be her favorite as the blurb says. It was dreadful. Way too wordy; lots of explaining, silly plot.

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

All the way through this post-WWII mystery, I was reminded of the writing styles of Rex Stout and Ngaio Marsh, although not as good as either of those. If Elizabeth Daly was really Agatha Christie's favorite author, then she needed to spend more time re-reading her own meticulous work!
The story began well with a curious puzzle regarding a substituted low-value Holbein print of a certain "Lady Audley." The charming custodian of her cousin's collection, Miss Paxton, is a 75-year-old who has been given the sole responsibility of arranging for assessments of her late cousin's effects, when she discovers the altered print. Henry Gamadge, (an unofficial accessory to the NYPD, apparently) is visiting Miss Paxton in lieu of his wife whose relative she is.
He volunteers to try to get to the bottom of the switched art piece and lands himself in several pots of hot water, including his own attempted murder!
From this high point, with new conundrums added to the first, the action takes a dive into a morass of confusion and for the remainder of the book (about the last third,) police operatives, cleaning ladies, fiancees, and hired PI's are crisscrossing Manhattan like lemmings as they chase each other through secret paths adjoining clubs, rooftops, houses and apartments! It gets crazy and it's all served up in 1940's vintage slang!
I admit I was surprised at the unveiling of the killer, but I also think the author didn't provide any clues that would have led to the solution. The path Henry Gamadge took to get there didn't ring true, or even possible to me.

[Vee Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wrong Way Down by Elizabeth Daly was written in the 1940s and is well-deserved to be included among the trove of enjoyable mystery novels of that time including those written by Agatha Christie, Josephine Tey, and Dorothy Sayers.

Henry Gamadge's wife and small son are away from their home in NYC so it falls on Gamadge to visit an elderly friend of his wife's, Miss Julia Paxton. It seems that Miss Paxton has come into quite a large inheritance and she's in town to sell and dispose of the possessions of the house belonging to the deceased. When Gamadge visits, Miss Paxton shares a small mystery that has been bothering her. A picture that had been hanging in the house has suddenly been found to now have engravings on it. Gamadge is sure that someone has replaced the original valuable picture and that it's related to the recent visit to Miss Paxton of an estranged relative. He decides to try to recover the stolen portrait and that's when the roller coaster ride of this novel takes off. There's murder, mayhem, and mystery to be solved by Henry Gamadge, and he's just the man to do it.

Side note: this is not just an enjoyable mystery, but it also gives you a vignette of what NYC was like in the 1940s.

Family Corner: Nothing off-color in the book.

[Chazzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miss Julia Paxton, a friend of Henry Gamadge’s wife, has asked Gamadge to help her solve a problem regarding the authenticity of an etching hanging in the Aubury Manson, which she is currently settling for the owner’s family.

When Paxton is found dead after Gamadge’s visit, it becomes more serious…is the etching key to the murder?

Gamadge finds himself dealing with a varied cast of characters — a medium who may or may not be a thief; a 40-ish flashy female, a short and heavyset man, a stylish dressing man and a woman with a snobbish demeanor. Then there is the housekeeper….

Gamadge has his hands full investigating the relationship between this group and the owner of the house — who lives on the other side of the country.

An enjoyable read that keeps your attention through the whole book.

[Robyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Early Bird Book Deal | Not as interesting as the previous two, Daly falls back on her old standbys | Lots of manufactured tension through rushing from place to place, even when some of those are just standing in a doorway exchanging a couple sentences with people who barely figure in the story. Killer clear early if the reader just considers the *feel* of the various mentioned characters and discards everyone who doesn't feel likely. Why did Daly have Gamadge get married, if she was just going to have Clara be away from home for the rest of his life? Apparently Daly's niece later wrote a Clara Gamadge mystery series, I may look into it, but it'll probably be too contemporary for my taste.

[Deb Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read several of the books in the Henry Gamadge series; I would read all of them if they were available through my library system, but alas it is hit and miss.

Henry Gamadge is something of an eccentric personality; if not eccentric, he is certainly his own man. A collector and expert on rare books, he finds himself embroiled in mysteries from time to time. This series of books follows him through these.

I've enjoyed each of the Gamadge novels, but this one most of all thus far. I'm unable to pinpoint why that is so, but I do know this is a novel I will read again in the future with pleasure.

[Pat Camalliere · Rating 3 out of 5]

An oldie but goodie published in 1946. Elderly Miss Paxton is helping a relative prepare a house for sale. She is visited by friend Gamadge, and tells him a painting in the owner's collection has been altered. Before Gamadge can investigate the situation, Paxton is killed. The suspects are interesting, the motive elusive. A Christie-like read. Nothing outstanding, but fun and entertaining. Back in the day I probably would have been a regular Elizabeth Daly fan. 3 stars, May 2021

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoy the Gamadge series, but about half-way through I find I'm having difficulty keeping the characters straight. Otherwise, great stories! (Oh, and I'm unclear as to the meaning of the title...)

[Cindy Ladensack · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like all of her books start with a great premise—spooky writing on an old picture—but the way they unravel just doesn’t always live up to that initial cool idea. This one lost steam in the middle, but to its credit wrapped up fairly well in the end.

[Marsha Valance · Rating 4 out of 5]

After octogenarian Miss Julia Patton, an old friend of his wife's family, is murdered the day after he pays her a call in post WWII NYC, bibliophile Henry Gamadge feels obliged to track down her murderer.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I see I need to read more Henry Gamadge mysteries, since this one was so good. The characters and setting came to life, and the mystery was sufficiently mysterious.

[Rosana Adler · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5.

[Meowingme · Rating 2 out of 5]

The plot feels too far-fetched, the only book in the whole series where I was gaping all the way through the reveal chapter.

[M. White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another in a great series

Elizabeth Daly's books are cleverly plotted and filled with complex, fascinating characters. I have read and can highly recommend all of them.

[Golden Age of Detective Fiction · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read my review:

https://goldenageofdetectivefiction.c...

[Jlnpeacock Peacock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nice mystery with some of my favorite characters.

[Ciro Pinto · Rating 3 out of 5]

'L'altra uscita' è il titolo corretto in italiano

[Allison Henle]

One of my less-favorite in the series. Things happen too fast to really connect.

[Ralph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Portentous events always begin with small, seemingly trivial events, and, in fiction at least, those same events will lead to a villain's undoing and the service of justice, which is one of the main reasons we are attracted to fiction -- it portrays the world as it should be. And while that sense or order, that sense of justice served is part of the appeal in The Wrong Way Down, and that applies to all of Elizabeth Daly's well-plotted mysteries, the main appeal is found in her detective Henry Gamadge, the bringer of order, the server of justice, the Nemesis who runs the villain to ground no matter what he has to do. As Gamadge says of himself: "...it's the gory details that drive peace-loving persons like me into action, against instinct; even against the instinct of self-preservation." When you have a bloodhound on your train who puts the service of justice above even his own survival, you don't stand a chance; Henry Gamadge makes the "Hound of Heaven" look like an ill-trained pup.

The small event which brings Gamadge into this mystery is a framed print which was free of printed words one day, but had printed words the next, brought to his attention by the elderly Miss Paxton, a friend of Gamadge's wife, who is inventorying the contents of a house for a cousin. Could it be Miss Paxton made a mistake? Could it have something to do with a visit by Miss Vance, another family member supposed to be a medium, around whom odd things always happened? Larceny? Something else? It seems a small matter to Gamage since the difference of value between the two prints is only $50 (about $1,000 in our debased currency), but Miss Paxton is his wife's friend and she is a very nice old lady who deserves some peace of mind. It begins with the questionable print (Gamadge is a documents expert and erudite bibliophile) and ends with two murders, deceptions, attacks on Gamadge, dark family secrets and madness.

Henry Gamadge is not tough, not bitter, not particularly smart-aleck (though he can get snarky at times), not arrogant, and doesn't have a vocabulary that came out of a sailor's duffle bag. Otto Penzler writes of Gamadge: "...his poor posture keeps him from looking well dressed. His good physique has been marred by long hours spent pouring over old volumes in his scholarly researches. He is charming and genteel, and most people consider him a well-mannered and relaxed young man." And he has the good fortune to live in a time (40's & 50's) when genteelty is not completely a thing of the past, when old ladies are treated with respect and not ridiculed or held in disdain for recalling even better times. Although Gamadge at times carries a gun for his protection, he is very much a bibliophile's detective -- knowledgeable, erudite, well-read, affable, witty and ethical. He can, and will, talk about anything, except, of course, what he did during the war...too secret still.

Although Miss Daly's books were long out of print, they are being re-issued by Felony & Mayhem Press and are available as e-books as well. They will certainly be of interest to fans of classic (Golden Age) mysteries, as well as to those who like cozies with a literary bent, excellent characterization and genuinely perplexing plots solved with intelligence and very little luck.

Addendum: Although the last Henry Gamadge mystery appeared in the early 50's, the baton was picked up in the 80's by Miss Daly's niece, Eleanor Daly Boylan, who wrote well-plotted cozy mysteries featuring Clara Gamadge, Henry's widow. Unfortunately, the series ended with her death in 2007.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Henry Gamadge goes to help an elderly lady who's cleaning out a house for her cousin, and finds that she's been killed in a freak accident. By the time he finishes explaining to the police just why her death was murder, he's in the midst of a ghostly adventure.

[robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The way the larger crime is revealed by what barely seems a crime at all - the way events twist in a seemingly meaningless and arbitrary way - this is a feverish story. Very very engrossing. Very vivid characters, and tricky in terms of who you think you can trust or discount.

[Lisa Kucharski · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a peculiar mystery. As usual, a small detail gone awry alerts Gamage to a graver situation afoot. But the paths to solve this mystery are twisted. A nice return of Harold helping Gamage out.

[Lynda Cole · Rating 3 out of 5]

These mysteries by Elizabeth Daly are like comfort food. I'm happy and content to read them sometimes even though they aren't taste treats.

[Lljones · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 really. Good, old-fashioned mystery. I'll have to read them all now, if for no other reason than to spot Martin, the cat.

[tinfoilgrrl]

Readable but not cozy enough.