The Historical Society Murder Mystery

Harriet Bushrow Borderville Mysteries #4

by Graham Landrum

The small Southern town of Borderville, so named for its location on the border of Virginia and Tennessee, has experienced its share of crime. Law and order have always prevailed, though, owing to the remarkable sleuthing efforts of Borderville's social clubs, considerably aided by the members of the local DAR.
First, the chapter's ladies joined together to solve a very modern murder. Then the Rotary Club had to track the culprit responsible for shooting its regional governor, and the music club found itself trying to discover who poisoned a not-so-popular patron of the arts. Now, led by historical society president Helen Delaporte and ably assisted by octogenarian sleuth Harriet Bushrow, Borderville's team of amateur detectives are on the case after a valuable painting left to the historical society is stolen.
Mrs. Alberta Chamberlain had bequeathed a family heirloom portrait of Louis-Philippe by Charles Willson Peale to the historical society, but when Helen asks an expert to evaluate it, she discovers that the painting is a fake - the original Peale has been stolen. Indignant over this affront to the society, the members team up to locate the missing painting and nab the unfortunate thief.

Genres: Mystery

233 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1996

Reviews

[Lacey Raymond · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, quick read! I am a history fan and I work part-time for a historical society that gets donations of beautiful things like paintings. I could imagine this happening to the organization that I work for, and I also liked the structure of the book with the characters involved telling the story that had already happened. They were able to tell the story without giving the ending away until pretty close to the very end. Definitely an enjoyable book.

[Linda Brue · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY MURDER MYSTERY, Graham Landrum, 1996
The fourth in a series of five "Social Club" mysteries set in Borderville, a town straddling the line between Tennessee and Virginia. When a local society lady dies, she leaves a portrait of the young Louis-Philippe, the future French king, painted by artist Charles Wilson Peale to the Ambrose County Historical Society. As head of the historical society, Helen Delaporte takes possession of the painting, and when by chance a friend of hers who is an art expert happens by, shows him the painting. He has the painful task of informing her that the painting is a fake, and has been only recently painted. A short time later a celebrated local artist and supposed renaissance man, Randy Hartwell, is found stabbed to death in his home. Helen Delaporte wants only to get her valuable painting back for the historical society, but it soon seems as though unraveling Randy's murder is the key to doing that. The story is told in parts by the various characters involved; one of them, Helen's octogenarian friend Harriet who is recovering from hip surgery in a nursing home, fancies herself quite the amateur detective, so the narrative varies from the seriousness of Helen's husband to the theories of amateur sleuths. Very well done, a fun and interesting story, very cozy in tone. I've only read one of the others in the series, I really need to try to find the others. Mr. Landrum died in 1995, so the next book in the series, the last one, was completed by his son.

[RJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a bit hard to get into, Antiquated writing style and all. However, it proved to be a very enticing book the more you delved into it. I would not recommend to the average reader, it was a book I picked up at the library that peeked my interest. I'm glad I read it. Good ol murder mystery to the very end.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A valuable painting is left to the Borderville historical society, and president Helen Delaporte proudly displays it to her friend, an art expert--only to learn it's a recent forgery. Helen--and her lawyer husband Henry--are not about to leave it at that. They want to find out who stole the original, and where it is now. They soon find a suspect, but he's just been murdered. Enlisting the help of nonagenarian Hattie Bushrod and retired postal employee Bob Kelsey, they start an investigation that puts one of them in danger.

[Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Only for a completist.

[J M]

cant wait to read them all

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an entertaining quick read. I very much like the small town setting.