Miss Betony in Gefahr

Chief Inspector Dan Pardoe #4

by Dorothy Bowers, Jan Wilm (Translator)

Die frühere Hauslehrerin Emma Betony hadert noch mit ihrem Vorhaben, sich für den Ruhestand in einer Seniorenresidenz einzumieten. Da kommt ihr die Einladung ihrer ehemaligen Schülerin Grace Aram gerade recht, die inzwischen selbst Lehrerin gewor­den ist und ein kleines Internat leitet. Grace braucht Hilfe, denn in dem Internat, das im Gebäude eines Pflegeheims untergekommen ist, gehen merkwürdige Dinge vor Eine der beiden alten Damen, die dort noch untergebracht sind, scheint allmählich vergiftet zu werden.
Miss Betony macht sich auf den Weg, um Grace zur Seite zu stehen und im Internat nach dem Rechten zu sehen. Bald wird sie selbst in die komplizierten Beziehungen der dortigen Schülerinnen und Lehrerinnen verwickelt, die nur eines zu verbinden Sie alle pilgern regelmäßig zu einem myste­riösen Wahrsager, dem Großen Ambrosio …

Genres: Mystery, British Literature, Crime, Golden Age Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Womens

319 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1941

About the author

Dorothy Violet Bowers (1902-1948) was born in Leominster. Bowers graduated from the Society of Oxford Home-Students (now St Anne’s College) with a third-class honours degree in Modern History. Temporary jobs teaching history and English did not inspire her, and she turned to writing.
Between 1938 and 1941, Bowers published four Inspector Pardoe novels in rapid succession. The outbreak of war brought Bowers to London, where she worked in the European News Service of the BBC. Her final book, The Bells at Old Bailey, was published in 1947. Never of robust health, Bowers contracted tuberculosis during this period and eventually succumbed to the disease in August 1948. She died knowing that she had been inducted into the prestigious Detection Club, the only writer selected for membership in 1948.

Reviews

[Alwynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dorothy Bowers’s WW2 mystery’s been billed as having more in common with Dorothy L. Sayers’s work than with writers like Agatha Christie, one of the things that attracted me to it. In Bowers’s elegantly-written novel, the plot unfolds inside a structure that emphasises richly-drawn characters and atmospheric scene-setting. At its centre is retired educator Emma Betony who reluctantly comes to the aid of former pupil Grace Aram, now headmistress of Makeways, a less-than-buoyant boarding school for girls. Makeways has been evacuated to a rambling, gothic mansion in Dorset, where it shares space with a former nursing home. There’re only two patients left but even these are proving more than Grace can handle, particularly when it's discovered elderly, wealthy Miss Thurloe’s somehow being dosed with arsenic. A crime in motion that’s possibly connected to the nearby presence of fortune-teller the Great Ambrosio: a sinister figure, with a passing resemblance to Aleister Crowley, whose superficial charm’s a magnet for lonely women. It’s up to Miss Betony to find out whether he’s an innocent suspect or a charlatan whose actions are more malign, perhaps devilish, than they appear.

Bowers’s amateur sleuth Miss Betony’s a marvellous creation and I liked Bowers’s attention to detail here: particularly her sensitive depiction of the inner lives of isolated women. I also appreciated her careful combination of claustrophobic, psychological crime and social commentary, as well as the unexpected flashes of understated humour. But her story’s decidedly slow-burning – Bowers takes an average of two pages to cover what Christie might in a paragraph - so it was only during the second half, when Bowers finally ramps up the tension, that I was completely hooked, although I’m not entirely convinced by how she wrapped things up. For me nothing beats Sayers where golden age crime’s concerned and there were times when this reminded me of her, enough to get the comparison anyway, but it also made me think of Josephine Tey’s work, so perhaps Bowers is best described as falling somewhere in between.

Rating: 3.5 stars

[Published in U.S.A. under the title Fear and Miss Betony]

[Shauna · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was well written but I didn't like it. There are pages and pages of prose with just description which I found very boring and the mystery was not particularly interesting . I found the constant references to Miss Betony's advanced age and decrepitude (she is 61 for goodnesss sake) depressing. In fact, the whole book was odd. The detective only came into it right at the end as a way of mopping up all the loose ends. As a whodunnit it was very unsatisfactory.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was billed as a 'psychological mystery' where if you paid attention to the various personalities at work, the murderer would emerge from seemingly unconnected clues.
Which is true. Unfortunately. It was painfully obvious who did it.
Or rather, who was going to do it. The actual murder takes forever. The plan is convoluted and by the end I was skimming in hopes of a big twist.
I did like Miss Betony. The story is clever. Seemingly unconnected rambles all tie in together by the end.
However, if you want to read about a girls school with looming danger and psychological ambiance, I'd recommend Miss Pym Disposes instead.

[Judy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this started well, with an interesting character in Miss Betony, but the crime plot was very convoluted and didn't really make sense. Although it was well-written, I became increasingly bored and frustrated at the slow and repetitive development of the story. Still, it is great to see so many Golden Age authors being republished, even if I can't like all of them.

[Anna Catharina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Sterne, überraschender Twist am Ende, die Auflösung hat mich allerdings nicht ganz überzeugt.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Um--well. Two things to say, briefly:
1. Ms. Bowers is very good with character and atmosphere. I can see why she's considered one of the great mystery writers of the golden age of detection, and why some people rave about her.

2. Compared to the other greats like Tey and Sayers, she is difficult to read. It took me quite a while to get into this story. That said--

I could absolutely see why Dorothy Sayers herself enjoyed this writer. There are things in this book that seem to hark back to early Sayers, and particularly one of my favorite books, Strong Poison. And Miss Betony is, indeed, a strong and memorable character. When she got to the school, and the nefarious doings began actually happening in real time, I was very intrigued. I think one thing Bowers does particularly well is to convey evil. Her spiritualist seemed to me to be a character Charles Williams might have written.

So I did enjoy this, and I'm bumping it up to four stars because of the quality of the descriptions and characterizations. The villain made sense, too. In fact, it was a marvel to me that Miss Betony didn't spot her much earlier, once all was revealed.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing in this was so sharp—really clear and incisive descriptions, well drawn characters. And Emma Bettany was a very appealing main character/detective—and since what I care about most is a delving into the detective’s character, I was definitely here for this. But in the end, I’m not sure the crime made a lot of sense. I’m sure lots of crimes don’t in real life, but I found it hard to understand how anyone could have thought the whole plot a good idea. Still, I would like to read more by Bowers, if I can find them.

[Mary Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still had questions when I finished this mystery but it was very suspenseful and creepy. I just don't think it answered all the questions. Or maybe it's just me?

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent novel and demonstrates clearly the reasons why Dorothy Bowers would have rivalled Agatha Christie had she lived longer and published more. The plot is well-contrived, with misdirection and red herring, while the characterisation and prose style are in every way superior in comparison to the Queen of Crime. Miss Betony is more interesting than either Marple or Silver and would have made for a good series.

The build-up to the murder and attempted murder is slow, but never lacks tension or atmosphere.The clues mount up, and Bowers introduces Chief Inspector Pardoe and DS Salt in the last three chapters to finish the case and confirm all Miss Betony's suspicions.

The choice of name for the main character is apt. Betony is a highly regarded medicinal herb and was believed to be effective against sorcery and bad dreams.

This is a must read for all who love Golden Age detective novels.

[Ms Jayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unjustly overlooked Golden Age detective story from the mysterious Dorothy Bowers. I heard about this writer on the fabulous Shedunnit podcast written and presented by Caroline Crampton from whom I have learnt so much. I go around urging people to listen to it.

This is a deft and serious story which has sex and money at its heart but it elevated by the character of the fabulous Emma Betony. Intelligent and resourceful, Emma is called by an ex-pupil to help investigate strange events in a girls' school in Dorset.

The other great factor is the wartime setting, particularly the blackout. The tension is increased by characters having to navigate a labyrinthine building in the total darkness unable to light so much as a candle. It would make a great TV series and would be a nice change to endlessly remaking Agatha Christie for new audiences.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a really bitsy and disjointed reading experience with this book. Partially this was because of poor timing as my father unexpectedly passed away and I was trying to distract myself with the story but found it difficult to get into until the last third or thereabouts. Partially I think it was the style of storytelling - there are many, many separate threads that seem random and confusing and certain clues are kept from us to the end, making it difficult to tie everything together into a coherent whole. It just felt messy and foggy. This is supposed to be Dorothy Bowers' masterpiece but I liked her last book, The Bells At Old Bailey, much more pulled together and taut.

[H F · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and enjoyable read.

I learned three brand new words (for me), which is always a pleasure. The story was engaging and very different to other detective stories I have read. The plot was good although a bit mean on clue sharing with the reader and it is a definite ‘page turner’. If you are a Christie fan I think you’ll love this book.

[Ruthiella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Miss Betony throws caution to the wind and instead of accepting a coveted place at a local home for retired gentlewomen, she takes a position at a girls boarding school which has been evacuated to the country due to WWII. The school headmistress is a former pupil of Miss Betony, who was a governess prior to her retirement. The former pupil, Miss Aram, wants Miss Betony to assist in solving a mystery. The school is housed in a former nursing home and actually two of the former patients are still in the building. One believes she is being poisoned. It is a very strange atmosphere that Miss Betony is introduced to. An isolated country house with frightened girls, dwindling staff and one dramatic old lady who may or may not be being murdered under everyone’s nose.

This was new to me author. I found the book to be a little too description heavy for my taste and the mystery plot to be overly convoluted. I prefer the slicker style of Agatha Christie. Read for Litsy #GlodenAgeMurderClub.

[L · Rating 3 out of 5]

So...this was fine, enjoyable. I read it for my golden age detective fiction book club, so was expecting more of a mystery. And while there is mystery/crime in the plot, it's pretty slow paced and doesn't feel like a detective/mystery novel at all. More like a novel about a creepy old building that's half school, half nursing home, and some weird goings on, and women getting older and how they feel. With a fortune-teller who seems randomly chucked into the plot.
I thought the writing was very good, and I really liked the main character. Although she's at times portrayed as totally ancient - she's 61!! Maybe that's just changing ideas about age since the book was published but it doesn't seem very old to a modern reader.
So I liked the writing style, the main character, the creepy atmosphere. It just doesn't feel like a mystery novel, the detective only turns up right at the end. It's more a novel with mystery in it.
I'd read more by this writer, but would go into it with different expectations.

[Frances · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5* This was an odd book with a very interesting premise, a weak middle, and quite an exciting denouement. Emma Betony is an older spinster, unsure what to do with her life as her resources are limited, who receives an entreaty from a former pupil to go to help her out at the boarding school she currently runs, as she is having trouble managing the school and the two elderly women boarders she "inherited" when she took on the lease of the building. Is someone being poisoned? Are the teachers dabbling in witchcraft? Can the school survive the dwindling numbers of pupils? Miss Betony attempts to assist in sorting out the muddle, but will she be drawn into danger by doing so?

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting writing and described a certain time period that was fascinating. The role of single older women was elaborated on and gave an interesting historical perspective. The mystery itself was very hard to follow even by the end. There was the supernatural which didn't make a lot of sense to me. I know this is an important book in the history of detective novels so I'm glad I read it.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely mystery book written in 1941.
Emma Betony is set to live out her years in a home for decayed gentlewomen… until she receives a letter for help.

An interesting read based in wartime England and with poison on the menu in a boarding school and former nursing home…

[Juan Carlos · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very long introduction to setup the mystery. Kinf of boring book. The final three chapters are as usual with Dorothy Bowers not fair play.

[Rhona Macgregor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read!!!

A little confusing at times but kept me reading right to the end - a good book. Would likes to read more from mbps this author

[Sewingdervish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good! More substance than Christie (no shade to the Dame) and easier reading than Sayers.

[Katharine · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting “Golden Age” crime novel from an author I hadn’t read before. Stronger on atmosphere and characterisation than plot but an enjoyable read.

[Ken · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. A quarter of the way in. Nothing happening.

[David Evans · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

I do like having my attention drawn to authors of Golden Age detective stories that I’ve somehow overlooked. Thanks to Shedunnit for that. This is supposedly her best book and it’s pretty good. Written in 1940; we are in southern England and WWII is the background. Miss Betony is 61 and considering moving from her rented room to an Almshouse for retired gentlewomen but feels, as the daughter of a greengrocer, that she would be despised for coming from “trade”. Oh dear. She’s been a governess, and a former pupil, Grace Aram, has sporadically kept in touch by letter. Grace is now a teacher herself and been forced my the blitz to relocate her girls’ school to a mansion in Dorset that also contains the last two elderly patients of a nursing home. Grace thinks one of the old ladies is being poisoned and has asked Emma Betony to take some classes while investigating the poisoning. There’s some nice period detail of the town of Bugle, the local railway packed with troops, Heinkels chugging overhead and recalcitrant blackout curtains. Miss Betony is disconcerted to find Grace a bit offhand with her and it becomes clear that somebody is already suspicious of her reasons for being there. There also seems to be a lot of interest in a local fortune teller who appears to have undue influence on the minds of teachers and pupils alike. The description of his room above a pet shop is particularly creepy. Miss Betony’s fear that someone is on to her is made certain when an attempt is made to silence her permanently.
I knocked off a star due to some confusing bits that I had to read twice (my problem - I’m older than Miss B). The mention of TB in the text presages the unfortunate fate of the author at a young age a few years later.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although psychological suspense is not my favorite genre, I loved this book by 1940's English author Bowers. Retired governess Emma Betony has to make some decisions about the rest of her life, and agrees to help an old student who is now running a school that's been evacuated to a remote country estate. The estate used to be a convalescent center, and the school has agreed to let two elderly (and wealthy) ladies stay on. But someone seems to be poisoning one of the ladies, and the small staff is antagonistic. You may guess who's behind the mischief, but Bowers weaves a fascinating and surprising tale all the same.

[Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fine golden age of mystery book by Dorothy Bowers, a classic by an author who only wrote 5 mysteries before she died at 42. All her books are must reads.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is quite a good book with a very clever and imaginative plot. The author is one of the "Golden Age" mystery writers, but only wrote 5 novels before dying fairly young of tuberculosis.