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John Putnam Thatcher #15
Sweet and Low
ePub version. Non profit trust controls the for profit Dreyer Chocolate bar company with conflicts in purpose, with non profit trustee clashing with for profit executives. Excitement, humor, Lathen ever present wit, with the usual charming group of Sloan people, with John Putnam Thatcher again solving the mystery.Consumer
- GenresMystery
189 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1974
8 people are currently reading
65 people want to read
About the author
Emma Lathen
41 books22 followersAka R.B. Dominic
Emma Lathen is the pen name of two American businesswomen: an attorney Mary Jane Latsis (July 12, 1927 -October 29, 1997) and an economic analyst Martha Henissart (b. 1929),who received her B.A. in physics from Mount Holyoke College in 1950.
http://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/31/boo...
Emma Lathen is the pen name of two American businesswomen: an attorney Mary Jane Latsis (July 12, 1927 -October 29, 1997) and an economic analyst Martha Henissart (b. 1929),who received her B.A. in physics from Mount Holyoke College in 1950.
http://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/31/boo...
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 28, 2011
John Putnam Thatcher, the financial executive who tends to solve mysteries via a serendipitous, synchronous presence wherever corporate intrigue intersects with murder, gets involved in his latest conundrum due to philanthropic largesse. Asked to sit on the board for a charitable trust tied to a major chocolate company, he interacts with first one murder victim and then, another. As usual in this series, the mystery is relatively straightforward. The “red herrings” are relatively obvious and the villain isn’t a huge surprise.
Yet, there are three factors that keep me coming back for more of these Emma Lathen novels. First,
I am bemused at how Thatcher tries to get out of obligations with regard to various clients. He would much rather be keeping his own counsel, yet his skill set gives him tremendous leverage in dealing with skittish clients and delicate situations. Like Michael Corleone in Godfather III, he could lament that they keep pulling him back in. Second, each novel offers an opportunity to look at different aspects of the financial world. In Sweet and Low, one learns about commodities trading and its relationship to the industries which rely on making markets in a given commodity. Obviously, this book speaks of cocoa futures, but one could mentally substitute coffee, oil, soybeans, etc. to get a broader picture. Third, I enjoy a lot of mirth in view of each novel having at least one overblown, blustering prig of an executive that says the most preposterous things at just the wrong time. Sweet and Low has more than one. I can’t help but wonder, as I’m reading these novels, if these overblown characters aren’t composites of all the incompetent and overbearing bosses the two authors who rest behind the Emma Lathen persona have had over the years.
In Sweet and Low, there are two murder mysteries to be solved. One is the murder of a relatively junior executive and one is the murder of an extremely powerful senior executive. Both murders are intricately interwoven with the complex realities of commodities trading and the novel allows alert readers to develop more than one hypothesis on how the murder(s) might interconnect with the trading floor (although one such murder reaches its climax on the trading floor—that would be a spoiler except for the fact we’re told about it on the back cover). The connection proves reasonable, interesting, and satisfying—as the solutions within the series usually do. The mystery isn’t complex enough to compare with some of the mature Lescroart mysteries, but it’s short and satisfying—perfect for the kind of commuter reading where I usually devour such volumes.
Yet, there are three factors that keep me coming back for more of these Emma Lathen novels. First,
I am bemused at how Thatcher tries to get out of obligations with regard to various clients. He would much rather be keeping his own counsel, yet his skill set gives him tremendous leverage in dealing with skittish clients and delicate situations. Like Michael Corleone in Godfather III, he could lament that they keep pulling him back in. Second, each novel offers an opportunity to look at different aspects of the financial world. In Sweet and Low, one learns about commodities trading and its relationship to the industries which rely on making markets in a given commodity. Obviously, this book speaks of cocoa futures, but one could mentally substitute coffee, oil, soybeans, etc. to get a broader picture. Third, I enjoy a lot of mirth in view of each novel having at least one overblown, blustering prig of an executive that says the most preposterous things at just the wrong time. Sweet and Low has more than one. I can’t help but wonder, as I’m reading these novels, if these overblown characters aren’t composites of all the incompetent and overbearing bosses the two authors who rest behind the Emma Lathen persona have had over the years.
In Sweet and Low, there are two murder mysteries to be solved. One is the murder of a relatively junior executive and one is the murder of an extremely powerful senior executive. Both murders are intricately interwoven with the complex realities of commodities trading and the novel allows alert readers to develop more than one hypothesis on how the murder(s) might interconnect with the trading floor (although one such murder reaches its climax on the trading floor—that would be a spoiler except for the fact we’re told about it on the back cover). The connection proves reasonable, interesting, and satisfying—as the solutions within the series usually do. The mystery isn’t complex enough to compare with some of the mature Lescroart mysteries, but it’s short and satisfying—perfect for the kind of commuter reading where I usually devour such volumes.
September 5, 2011
Emma Lathan is an unexpectedly solid mystery author; unexpected because her novels begin seeming so breezily light-weight and facilely witty that one tends to doubt characterization or plot will achieve much depth. Before you know it, however, one gets to know the people as if they were long-time friends and coworkers, and a plot emerges etched with bold, arresting strokes. Perhaps I generalize a bit too much, as I've not read many of her works, but the above definitely describes my experience with Sweet and Low. The mystery is surprisingly well-clued, and I withhold two stars only because I sense she can be even better. I look forward to four- and five-star Lathens.
May 16, 2020
Emma Lathen gives her readers a look at various interlocking worlds in this cleverly titled tale involving cocoa and murder. Bankers interact with charitable trusts set up by industrial magnates and commodities traders cultivate clients wherever they can, including suburban golf courses. As in the others of her books that I've read, Lathen is good at misdirecting the reader, keeping the suspense alive until the very end, when all is revealed and things make sense. She's got a great sense of humor and a healthy amount of cynicism regarding the world's movers and shakers, be they in finance, industry, politics or the arts. Written almost fifty years ago, Lathen's stories feel surprisingly fresh. This was a good read.
October 4, 2018
I got a good introduction to the buying and selling of commodity futures on Wall Street from SWEET AND LOW. The death of an upset cocoa buyer sets Dreyer Chocolate all on end, just when John Thatcher is co-opted for the steering committee of Dreyer's charity trust. I got some thoroughly enjoyable laughs, especially from the planning of a documentary set on the trading floor of the Exchange. I believe I've said it before: Don't miss this series.
Read 3 times
Read 3 times
August 7, 2019
Sadly another book that is in the lower half of Ms Lathen's ouevre.
It's still quite a good read though with some highly enjoyable moments. There is a scene in the chocolate factory that, being laden with information about making chocolate, is one I always remember. Other good vingettes too - mostly very short.
It's still quite a good read though with some highly enjoyable moments. There is a scene in the chocolate factory that, being laden with information about making chocolate, is one I always remember. Other good vingettes too - mostly very short.
October 15, 2020
Commodities trading in cocoa, related to a company that's clearly a parody of Hershey, is the setting for this now somewhat dated murder-and-finance novel. Still, the action is swift, the puzzle is difficult, and the sidelights on (at least mid-to-late 20th c) commodities trading are intriguing.
September 18, 2020
This is an oldie but a goodie.
September 8, 2021
I am a big fan of John Putnam Thatcher. Detective stories these days are very bloody, these books are written from a more cerebral point of view. Love them!
August 12, 2010
#77 - 2010.
Only Emma Lathen could make Wall Street riveting as happened in every one of her mysteries (yes, I know the author's name was a pseudonym for two cowriters ... don't care). Written with understated humor, these books are a joy to read.
John Putnam Thatcher, Wall Street senior vice president at The Sloan (one of the largest banks in the world), has been named as a trustee on the Dreyer's Chocolate charitable board. Think "Hershey's" and you'll get a good idea of Dreyer's power and money. Early in the series of meetings, a cocoa buyer is found murdered in the hotel pool. Luckily Thatcher's long experience on Wall Street means he has a deep experience of that always-present commodity, human nature.
Only Emma Lathen could make Wall Street riveting as happened in every one of her mysteries (yes, I know the author's name was a pseudonym for two cowriters ... don't care). Written with understated humor, these books are a joy to read.
John Putnam Thatcher, Wall Street senior vice president at The Sloan (one of the largest banks in the world), has been named as a trustee on the Dreyer's Chocolate charitable board. Think "Hershey's" and you'll get a good idea of Dreyer's power and money. Early in the series of meetings, a cocoa buyer is found murdered in the hotel pool. Luckily Thatcher's long experience on Wall Street means he has a deep experience of that always-present commodity, human nature.
February 26, 2012
Since this is the 15th book in the series, that means that John Thatcher has been involved with about 30 murders (each book has at least 2). Yet he never reflects on this, nor do the police come to him, even though he's been the one to figure out the mystery each time. I guess that's the fate of a non-professional sleuth. Some interesting characters here, dealing with the Cocoa Exchange. It seems to work pretty much like any other commodity exchange, with plenty of money to be made or lost. A satisfying read.
August 10, 2012
Chocolate and murder. Well, cocoa beans and murder... a great way to find out about insider trading and chocolate candy. Also, in this story Thatcher is prominent. When Thatcher is in the story more the ladies Lathen seem to really have a fun time writing and observing people- very enjoyable read.
August 28, 2016
The clever combination of social satire with murder breathes life in the best books in this series, and this one is no exception. A candy bar manufacturer is rocked by multiple murders and a crash of the cocoa market, at the very moment when it launches a new product with a wave of advertising. But as far as the American consumer cares, there is no such thing as bad publicity...
April 11, 2022
Really curious if there is a Cocoa Exchange.
March 31, 2011
average series book, forgettable villain
January 30, 2013
Reread - did not remember the murderer but loved the atmosphere.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews