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The Bungalow Mystery
"He had his tea as usual; when I knocked at the door with the tray (he always had afternoon tea), I found him—like this."Dr Roger Lavington is dreading his debut performance with the village amateur dramatic society. But real-world drama takes over when Lavington's neighbour, a reclusive artist, is found murdered in his own sitting room. Also found on the scene are a lady's glove, a diamond ring, and a mysterious young woman who begs Lavington for his protection. Her safety will depend on her ability to take a role in the forthcoming village play—but is Lavington sheltering a wronged woman or a clever murderess?The Bungalow Mystery (1923) was the first of Annie Haynes's golden age crime novels, and announced a major talent. This new edition, the first in over eighty years, features an introduction by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans."The ingredients in this story are skilfully mixed." Times
"Contrived and worked out with considerable craftsmanship—drawn with sympathy and power."Sunday Times"Contains many cunning devices." Outlook"The mystery is a real mystery." Guardian"Plenty of mystery and drama." Queen"This author has a sure hand at a crime story…strongly recommended to every type of novel reader." Liverpool Courier
"Contrived and worked out with considerable craftsmanship—drawn with sympathy and power."Sunday Times"Contains many cunning devices." Outlook"The mystery is a real mystery." Guardian"Plenty of mystery and drama." Queen"This author has a sure hand at a crime story…strongly recommended to every type of novel reader." Liverpool Courier
228 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1923
80 people are currently reading
106 people want to read
About the author
Annie Haynes
143 books20 followersAnnie Haynes was born in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire, UK, in 1864. After her father abandoned the family, she lived with her grandparents, mother and brother on the country estate of Coleorton Hall in Leicestershire, where her grandfather Montgomery Henderson was the landscape gardener.
After her mother's death in 1905 she moved to London, where she lived with a friend, Ada Heather-Bigg. Interested in detective novels and subjects related to crime and criminal psychology, Haynes visited murder scenes and attended trials.
Her first novel, The Bungalow Mystery, was published in 1923, but she had already had several long stories serialised in newspapers, some of which were published as books later. The last of her twelve novels, The Crystal Beads Murder, published after her death, was completed by an anonymous writer.
Haynes died in 1929, having suffered from crippling rheumatoid arthritis for some fifteen years.
From Wikipedia
After her mother's death in 1905 she moved to London, where she lived with a friend, Ada Heather-Bigg. Interested in detective novels and subjects related to crime and criminal psychology, Haynes visited murder scenes and attended trials.
Her first novel, The Bungalow Mystery, was published in 1923, but she had already had several long stories serialised in newspapers, some of which were published as books later. The last of her twelve novels, The Crystal Beads Murder, published after her death, was completed by an anonymous writer.
Haynes died in 1929, having suffered from crippling rheumatoid arthritis for some fifteen years.
From Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
March 17, 2016
Annie Haynes has moved from obscurity to every work in print so quickly that I hardly knew what to read first:
• Should I continue to read the Inspector Stoddart books?
• Should I introduce myself to Inspector Furnivall?
• Or should I read one of her stand-alone novels?
I dithered for a while but in the end I had to pick up The Bungalow Mystery, the first of those stand-alone books, because I loved the title, I loved the sound of the story, and because it was the first – I am told – the most obscure of all of Annie Haynes’ twelve novels.
It proved to be a wonderfully entertaining mixture of sensation novel and golden age murder mystery.
It was far from perfectly executed – it had extraordinary coincidences, ridiculous scenarios, and significant plot holes – but the story rolled forward with conviction, the writing was engaging, and so I had a lovely time reading.
The murder came at the very start of the story.
Dr Roger Lavington was new to his small town medical practice when he answered an urgent summons from the housekeeper of the reclusive neighbour he had never met. He found that Maximilian Von Rheinhart had been shot dead; and he sent the housekeeper to fetch the police while he waited with the body.
As he waited he sensed that he was not alone; and he wasn’t. He found a terrified young woman hiding behind the curtains. Thinking of his dead mother and sister – and not thinking of what she might have done or of the consequences of what he was doing – he agreed to her plea to be allowed to escape and sent her to hide in his house while he dealt with the police.
Dr Lavington’s next problem was how to explain the presence of his houseguest. He presented her to his housekeeper as his cousin, who had been going to visit before going abroad, who had called off her visit, but who had found that she had time and couldn’t leave without seeing her cousin.
The young woman played the part with aplomb – she made quite an impression – before suddenly disappearing ‘with friends’.
The next day a woman fitting her description, and papers connecting her to Rheinhart, was among the fatalities in a train crash. The police believed that explained the evidence of the presence of a woman at the scene; and Dr Lavington sadly concluded that his involvement with the murder case was over.
He was wrong.
Two years later Dr. Lavington, who had decided that the life of a small town doctor was not for him, was a resident medical supervisor for his friend Sir James Courtenay, who had lost his legs in that train crash. Since then Courtenay has refused to see his fiancée, Daphne Luxmore, breaking her heart and leading her to become a recluse. Daphne had a sister, Elizabeth, and when Dr. Lavington met her he was struck by her resemblance to the young woman he had helped.
He fell in love with her. That made his life – and his relationship with his employer – rather complicated.
Meanwhile, the police had found new evidence and had reopened the murder case.
Dr. Lavington found that he had been a suspect all along ….
The mystery – and a contrivance or two – kept the story rolling along nicely.
There was an arrest.
There was a trial.
But that might not be the end ….
Following Dr. Lavington through the story was interesting; giving a different perspective on a murder mystery. He didn’t want his subterfuge to be discovered, but he did want a resolution. It was frustrating, but I understood why, once he had made that first fateful decision. he acted as he did.
There were many familiar elements in this story – particularly towards the end – but I can’t remember coming across them put together as they were in this book before.
It works – in spite of its failings – which I can’t explain without spoiling the plot – because I could understand the motivations and the actions of every character I met; and because Annie Haynes had a way of telling her stories that was so very engaging.
Now I have to work out which of them to read next ….
• Should I continue to read the Inspector Stoddart books?
• Should I introduce myself to Inspector Furnivall?
• Or should I read one of her stand-alone novels?
I dithered for a while but in the end I had to pick up The Bungalow Mystery, the first of those stand-alone books, because I loved the title, I loved the sound of the story, and because it was the first – I am told – the most obscure of all of Annie Haynes’ twelve novels.
It proved to be a wonderfully entertaining mixture of sensation novel and golden age murder mystery.
It was far from perfectly executed – it had extraordinary coincidences, ridiculous scenarios, and significant plot holes – but the story rolled forward with conviction, the writing was engaging, and so I had a lovely time reading.
The murder came at the very start of the story.
Dr Roger Lavington was new to his small town medical practice when he answered an urgent summons from the housekeeper of the reclusive neighbour he had never met. He found that Maximilian Von Rheinhart had been shot dead; and he sent the housekeeper to fetch the police while he waited with the body.
As he waited he sensed that he was not alone; and he wasn’t. He found a terrified young woman hiding behind the curtains. Thinking of his dead mother and sister – and not thinking of what she might have done or of the consequences of what he was doing – he agreed to her plea to be allowed to escape and sent her to hide in his house while he dealt with the police.
Dr Lavington’s next problem was how to explain the presence of his houseguest. He presented her to his housekeeper as his cousin, who had been going to visit before going abroad, who had called off her visit, but who had found that she had time and couldn’t leave without seeing her cousin.
The young woman played the part with aplomb – she made quite an impression – before suddenly disappearing ‘with friends’.
The next day a woman fitting her description, and papers connecting her to Rheinhart, was among the fatalities in a train crash. The police believed that explained the evidence of the presence of a woman at the scene; and Dr Lavington sadly concluded that his involvement with the murder case was over.
He was wrong.
Two years later Dr. Lavington, who had decided that the life of a small town doctor was not for him, was a resident medical supervisor for his friend Sir James Courtenay, who had lost his legs in that train crash. Since then Courtenay has refused to see his fiancée, Daphne Luxmore, breaking her heart and leading her to become a recluse. Daphne had a sister, Elizabeth, and when Dr. Lavington met her he was struck by her resemblance to the young woman he had helped.
He fell in love with her. That made his life – and his relationship with his employer – rather complicated.
Meanwhile, the police had found new evidence and had reopened the murder case.
Dr. Lavington found that he had been a suspect all along ….
The mystery – and a contrivance or two – kept the story rolling along nicely.
There was an arrest.
There was a trial.
But that might not be the end ….
Following Dr. Lavington through the story was interesting; giving a different perspective on a murder mystery. He didn’t want his subterfuge to be discovered, but he did want a resolution. It was frustrating, but I understood why, once he had made that first fateful decision. he acted as he did.
There were many familiar elements in this story – particularly towards the end – but I can’t remember coming across them put together as they were in this book before.
It works – in spite of its failings – which I can’t explain without spoiling the plot – because I could understand the motivations and the actions of every character I met; and because Annie Haynes had a way of telling her stories that was so very engaging.
Now I have to work out which of them to read next ….
January 12, 2020
I just finished reading The Bungalow Mystery by Annie Haynes. This is the second novel of hers I have read, but it is the first one she wrote in 1923. I kept wanting to change the name of the book since we spend about the first five minutes of the book in the Bungalow and never return to it again, but that is where the murder happens, so I guess we'll have to stick to that name. I thought about something like The Lady in Red, but I don't think the girl we meet hiding behind the curtain in the room where the dead body is laying is wearing red, and The Lady in Blue just doesn't sound right. I also thought of Dr. Lavington's Dumb Idea since everything he does from the murder on is just, well.....dumb.
The story begins with Dr. Roger Lavington trying to memorize his lines for the upcoming town play, he isn't very happy about it:
"What a nuisance this confounded play is! What a fool I was to promise to take a part in it!" Dr. Roger Lavington flung the paper-covered book in his hand on the ground, and then aimed a kick at it as a further vent to his feelings.
Miss Minnie Chilton, the maiden aunt who had been acting for the past three months as his housekeeper looked at him in mild surprise. "Really, Roger."
"I am sick of the whole thing," the doctor went on, in a much exasperated tone. "Here I come in, wet and tired from a long day's work and, instead of a little peace, I have to learn these wretched lines, and I suppose tomorrow when Zoe arrives there will be nothing but rehearsing. Plague take it all!"
Poor Dr. Lavington. Something good is about to happen, I guess, Zoe is about to send a note telling him that she won't be coming after all, she is sick, so he won't have to spend the next day rehearsing. Of course, the play is only two days away, so who they are going to get to fill her part I don't know. Zoe only agreed to it when the lady who was originally going to play it fell ill only five days before the play, and now Zoe, who was known for her acting, was not able to come, but the doctor won't have to worry about this for long because right about now this happens:
He threw the door open; a woman, hat-less, her uncovered grey hair floating wildly about her face, her eyes wild and frightened, almost flung herself upon him.
"You'll come, sir, you must come at once!" she cried, catching desperately at his arm as if afraid he would escape her, her breath breaking forth in long strangulating sobs between her words, as she tried to pour out her story. It, it is the master, he is dying, dead! Oh, hurry, hurry!"
In an instant Lavington became the brisk business-like doctor.
"What is the matter?"
"I don't know!" The woman shuddered, casting furtive, frightened glances into the shadows around. "He was quite well at tea-time. But now he is lying on the floor and there is blood."
The "master" is the doctor's next door neighbor, he lives at the, get ready, Bungalow. The doctor hasn't met the neighbor, but has heard curious rumors about the tenant of the Bungalow, he is supposed to be a middle-aged artist, possessed of considerable means, and has absolutely refused to make any acquaintances in the time he has been living there. The doctor has only had glimpses of him in his garden until now. Now he finds him stretched upon the floor, shot through the head. The doctor sends the housekeeper for the police leaving him alone with the dead man. But he isn't alone, and this is where all his dumb choices begin. He sees movement behind the curtain, and springs forward and flings it aside. Just that doesn't seem to be the brightest thing to do, what if the murderer is hiding behind the curtain? If he used his gun once, he probably would use it again on the doctor, but he doesn't do what I would have which would be to get out of there and wait for the police outside, he flings the curtains aside. Inside is a young woman, crouching against the wall. She begs him to help her, help her get away before anyone comes. She tells him that if he has a mother or sister, please let her go for their sakes. That would get nowhere with me. But instead of trying to figure out what she is so afraid of, instead of keeping her there until the police arrive, he hears the police coming and.....
All Lavington's compassion was roused by the very forlornness of her attitude, by her despairing cry. He glanced round. Had he indeed left it too late? Was there no way of saving her even yet, this girl who had cried to him for help?
A sudden thought struck him; he stepped to the French window and opened it softly.
"See, he said, taking something from his pocket, as with a swift grateful glance she slipped through. "The garden will be searched, and all round will be watched; you cannot get away. But if you go across the lawn, step over the low fence and go up to that door next to the window where you will see a bright light, you can let yourself in with this latchkey. Stay quietly in my consulting-room until I come to you, and do not open the door to anyone."
So the first part of his plan to "help" this girl is to get her out of the house, the next thing he does is tell everyone she is the now not coming cousin of his, Zoe, and gets her to take Zoe's part in the town play, which putting her on stage in front of the entire town the day after a murder doesn't seem very bright, just in case someone saw a woman hanging around the neighborhood before the murder, do you want to take a guess on whether that happened? But now the play is over, and Zoe will be leaving with the doctor, the next part of his plan is to get her far away, but before he can go backstage to get her he receives this note:
Dear Roger,
Some friends of mine are here and have offered to give me a lift home, and, as I am anxious to get back to my father, I think it will be best for me to go with them, as it might be inconvenient for you to drive me to the station the first thing in the morning. I am so glad that the theatricals have been such a success. Please remember me to Miss Chilton, and thank her for her kindness to me, and with many thanks to yourself,
Believe me,
Your affectionate cousin,
Zoe
And so "Zoe" has left the stage, the town, the doctor, and the bungalow. Who she is the doctor never bothered to ask, if she was the murderer he also didn't bother to figure out, if she is, he just let her get away with it. Now, all this sounds so silly to me, the things he got this girl to do, assuming she was innocent, the things he did would only make her look guilty when the police figure out she was there right? It only gets stranger when I find out later that he thought she was guilty all along. He helped a girl who just committed murder get away? And if you were going to help her get away, would you put her on stage first?
But now we have the railway accident and this changes everything. This makes Lavington’s longtime friend, Sir James Courtenay struggling to adjust to life after losing both his legs in the railway accident. And this takes the story ahead two years where we now have Lavington living with and taking care of Sir James, who for reasons I won't mention I am sure is the murderer of the man in the Bungalow. Whether I'm right or not I won't say, I won't even tell you how he manages to get pulled into all this at all, and when it was becoming obvious it had to be Sir James, I thought it was probably the doctor himself. Or we could go back to the beginning and find that "Zoe" was the murderer all along. I liked the book, it was fun, but I hope if I ever get in trouble the doctor isn't there to get me out of it. Happy reading.
The story begins with Dr. Roger Lavington trying to memorize his lines for the upcoming town play, he isn't very happy about it:
"What a nuisance this confounded play is! What a fool I was to promise to take a part in it!" Dr. Roger Lavington flung the paper-covered book in his hand on the ground, and then aimed a kick at it as a further vent to his feelings.
Miss Minnie Chilton, the maiden aunt who had been acting for the past three months as his housekeeper looked at him in mild surprise. "Really, Roger."
"I am sick of the whole thing," the doctor went on, in a much exasperated tone. "Here I come in, wet and tired from a long day's work and, instead of a little peace, I have to learn these wretched lines, and I suppose tomorrow when Zoe arrives there will be nothing but rehearsing. Plague take it all!"
Poor Dr. Lavington. Something good is about to happen, I guess, Zoe is about to send a note telling him that she won't be coming after all, she is sick, so he won't have to spend the next day rehearsing. Of course, the play is only two days away, so who they are going to get to fill her part I don't know. Zoe only agreed to it when the lady who was originally going to play it fell ill only five days before the play, and now Zoe, who was known for her acting, was not able to come, but the doctor won't have to worry about this for long because right about now this happens:
He threw the door open; a woman, hat-less, her uncovered grey hair floating wildly about her face, her eyes wild and frightened, almost flung herself upon him.
"You'll come, sir, you must come at once!" she cried, catching desperately at his arm as if afraid he would escape her, her breath breaking forth in long strangulating sobs between her words, as she tried to pour out her story. It, it is the master, he is dying, dead! Oh, hurry, hurry!"
In an instant Lavington became the brisk business-like doctor.
"What is the matter?"
"I don't know!" The woman shuddered, casting furtive, frightened glances into the shadows around. "He was quite well at tea-time. But now he is lying on the floor and there is blood."
The "master" is the doctor's next door neighbor, he lives at the, get ready, Bungalow. The doctor hasn't met the neighbor, but has heard curious rumors about the tenant of the Bungalow, he is supposed to be a middle-aged artist, possessed of considerable means, and has absolutely refused to make any acquaintances in the time he has been living there. The doctor has only had glimpses of him in his garden until now. Now he finds him stretched upon the floor, shot through the head. The doctor sends the housekeeper for the police leaving him alone with the dead man. But he isn't alone, and this is where all his dumb choices begin. He sees movement behind the curtain, and springs forward and flings it aside. Just that doesn't seem to be the brightest thing to do, what if the murderer is hiding behind the curtain? If he used his gun once, he probably would use it again on the doctor, but he doesn't do what I would have which would be to get out of there and wait for the police outside, he flings the curtains aside. Inside is a young woman, crouching against the wall. She begs him to help her, help her get away before anyone comes. She tells him that if he has a mother or sister, please let her go for their sakes. That would get nowhere with me. But instead of trying to figure out what she is so afraid of, instead of keeping her there until the police arrive, he hears the police coming and.....
All Lavington's compassion was roused by the very forlornness of her attitude, by her despairing cry. He glanced round. Had he indeed left it too late? Was there no way of saving her even yet, this girl who had cried to him for help?
A sudden thought struck him; he stepped to the French window and opened it softly.
"See, he said, taking something from his pocket, as with a swift grateful glance she slipped through. "The garden will be searched, and all round will be watched; you cannot get away. But if you go across the lawn, step over the low fence and go up to that door next to the window where you will see a bright light, you can let yourself in with this latchkey. Stay quietly in my consulting-room until I come to you, and do not open the door to anyone."
So the first part of his plan to "help" this girl is to get her out of the house, the next thing he does is tell everyone she is the now not coming cousin of his, Zoe, and gets her to take Zoe's part in the town play, which putting her on stage in front of the entire town the day after a murder doesn't seem very bright, just in case someone saw a woman hanging around the neighborhood before the murder, do you want to take a guess on whether that happened? But now the play is over, and Zoe will be leaving with the doctor, the next part of his plan is to get her far away, but before he can go backstage to get her he receives this note:
Dear Roger,
Some friends of mine are here and have offered to give me a lift home, and, as I am anxious to get back to my father, I think it will be best for me to go with them, as it might be inconvenient for you to drive me to the station the first thing in the morning. I am so glad that the theatricals have been such a success. Please remember me to Miss Chilton, and thank her for her kindness to me, and with many thanks to yourself,
Believe me,
Your affectionate cousin,
Zoe
And so "Zoe" has left the stage, the town, the doctor, and the bungalow. Who she is the doctor never bothered to ask, if she was the murderer he also didn't bother to figure out, if she is, he just let her get away with it. Now, all this sounds so silly to me, the things he got this girl to do, assuming she was innocent, the things he did would only make her look guilty when the police figure out she was there right? It only gets stranger when I find out later that he thought she was guilty all along. He helped a girl who just committed murder get away? And if you were going to help her get away, would you put her on stage first?
But now we have the railway accident and this changes everything. This makes Lavington’s longtime friend, Sir James Courtenay struggling to adjust to life after losing both his legs in the railway accident. And this takes the story ahead two years where we now have Lavington living with and taking care of Sir James, who for reasons I won't mention I am sure is the murderer of the man in the Bungalow. Whether I'm right or not I won't say, I won't even tell you how he manages to get pulled into all this at all, and when it was becoming obvious it had to be Sir James, I thought it was probably the doctor himself. Or we could go back to the beginning and find that "Zoe" was the murderer all along. I liked the book, it was fun, but I hope if I ever get in trouble the doctor isn't there to get me out of it. Happy reading.
Read
August 10, 20191923. The 3.5 overall rating seems right to me, so we'll leave it at that.
http://www.crimesegments.com/2019/08/...
I've been flat on my back all week with a seriously bad back (caused by moving books!) so I brought a stack of novels upstairs where I've done nothing but read. Among them was this book, and I have to say that along with this author's The Abbey Court Murder, also from 1923, I had several hours of page-turning entertainment.
If you are asking yourself the question "who the hell is Annie Haynes," you're probably not alone. I had never even heard of this author prior to this year, when somehow I landed at the crime and mystery section of the website of Dean Street Press while looking up lesser-known women writers of the Golden Age period. Oh lordy -- no one can imagine how excited I was to find not one, but several women whom I'd never heard of before
In the introduction, Curtis Evans states that Haynes' novels
"retain, in stripped-down form, the emotionally heady air of the nineteenth-century triple-decker sensation novel, with genteel settings, shocking secrets, stormy passions and eternal love all at the fore..."
and that description is completely spot on. At the same time, underneath the secrets, passions and eternal love, The Bungalow Mystery is at its heart an intricate, well-plotted mystery that does not get resolved until the finish when all is revealed and I never guessed the who, so that was a good thing. I will also say that there are a few surprises along the way, and that skimming should be totally out of the question while reading this novel since even small details are relevant. I won't say why, but after a second read, I had a greater appreciation for Haynes' ability to pull off quite a nice sleight of hand here, a sort of literary misdirection definitely deserving of major kudos.
It is probably best appreciated by true lovers of vintage mystery; modern readers may find it a bit tame and somewhat archaic. I quite enjoyed it.
http://www.crimesegments.com/2019/08/...
I've been flat on my back all week with a seriously bad back (caused by moving books!) so I brought a stack of novels upstairs where I've done nothing but read. Among them was this book, and I have to say that along with this author's The Abbey Court Murder, also from 1923, I had several hours of page-turning entertainment.
If you are asking yourself the question "who the hell is Annie Haynes," you're probably not alone. I had never even heard of this author prior to this year, when somehow I landed at the crime and mystery section of the website of Dean Street Press while looking up lesser-known women writers of the Golden Age period. Oh lordy -- no one can imagine how excited I was to find not one, but several women whom I'd never heard of before
In the introduction, Curtis Evans states that Haynes' novels
"retain, in stripped-down form, the emotionally heady air of the nineteenth-century triple-decker sensation novel, with genteel settings, shocking secrets, stormy passions and eternal love all at the fore..."
and that description is completely spot on. At the same time, underneath the secrets, passions and eternal love, The Bungalow Mystery is at its heart an intricate, well-plotted mystery that does not get resolved until the finish when all is revealed and I never guessed the who, so that was a good thing. I will also say that there are a few surprises along the way, and that skimming should be totally out of the question while reading this novel since even small details are relevant. I won't say why, but after a second read, I had a greater appreciation for Haynes' ability to pull off quite a nice sleight of hand here, a sort of literary misdirection definitely deserving of major kudos.
It is probably best appreciated by true lovers of vintage mystery; modern readers may find it a bit tame and somewhat archaic. I quite enjoyed it.
December 29, 2020
This felt in some ways more like a novella, ignoring the unities of time and place and bringing in new characters at a late stage. The way the clues and characters were revealed as the story progressed meant that it wasn’t possible to work what had happened till a long way into the book (since clearly the early obvious suspect had to be innocent), and was why I didn’t feel completely engaged in the novel at the beginning. Witnesses and suspects seemed to multiply alarmingly towards the end.
The author writes well but the plot left a little to be desired. Cases of mistaken identity, wearing disguises, thwarted young love - it all seemed a little implausible and the stock in trade of a comedy rather than a murder mystery. The attempt to create tension by involving the main character in the escape of one suspect was pointless since he could hardly be mixed up in anything nefarious, even though for no good reason he compromised himself by helping this person to escape.
All in all, a promising first novel.
The author writes well but the plot left a little to be desired. Cases of mistaken identity, wearing disguises, thwarted young love - it all seemed a little implausible and the stock in trade of a comedy rather than a murder mystery. The attempt to create tension by involving the main character in the escape of one suspect was pointless since he could hardly be mixed up in anything nefarious, even though for no good reason he compromised himself by helping this person to escape.
All in all, a promising first novel.
April 23, 2021
How would you respond if someone described you with the following adjectives?
Gay -plump - dainty - clinging - fresh - plaintively sweet. I for one would not be
flattered. Yet these are the words Annie Haynes used to paint a portrait of her heroine.
Times sure have changed in 100 years! That said, this was a surprisingly good mystery,
well written and plotted.
Gay -plump - dainty - clinging - fresh - plaintively sweet. I for one would not be
flattered. Yet these are the words Annie Haynes used to paint a portrait of her heroine.
Times sure have changed in 100 years! That said, this was a surprisingly good mystery,
well written and plotted.
August 25, 2019
The Bungalow Mystery is a Golden Age Mystery (generally 1920s and 1930s) published by Dean Street Press, a digital publisher specialising in the genre. And thank god for them. I think I paid about $2.00 and there was a mystery to read written and set in the 1920s.
Annie Haynes was a contemporary of Agatha Christie. Her first mystery was the above written in 1923 and another nine mysteries were published before her untimely death in 1929. I think her early death accounts for her being almost completely forgotten these days. Hopefully now that her novels are accessible her place as a writer of Golden Age Mysteries will be reassessed.
“Dr Roger Lavington is dreading his debut performance with the village amateur dramatic society but suddenly Lavington’s neighbour - an unsavoury character - is found murdered in his sitting room in the bungalow. Also found on the scene are a lady’s glove, a diamond ring, and a mysterious young woman who begs Lavington for his protection. Her safety will depend on her ability to take a role in the forthcoming village play - but is Lavington sheltering a wronged woman or a clever murderess?”
That’s the question of course. I found the book very entertaining. Yes, there are a lot of coincidences and there seems to be a hell of a lot of mistaken identities but unlike Agatha Christie’s novels of the early 1920s, there is a real feel of the period. One of the female character’s walks around at dusk wearing a thick motor-veil, there is a railway accident (the sort or grounding event I'm sure never feature in a Christie mystery), I love the fact that the Inspector has a garden, there a lot of quite convincing minor characters and the story just races along. I also found the romance more believable than the one in Agatha Christies The Man in the Brown Suit. Highly recommended for lovers of old fashioned mysteries.
Annie Haynes was a contemporary of Agatha Christie. Her first mystery was the above written in 1923 and another nine mysteries were published before her untimely death in 1929. I think her early death accounts for her being almost completely forgotten these days. Hopefully now that her novels are accessible her place as a writer of Golden Age Mysteries will be reassessed.
“Dr Roger Lavington is dreading his debut performance with the village amateur dramatic society but suddenly Lavington’s neighbour - an unsavoury character - is found murdered in his sitting room in the bungalow. Also found on the scene are a lady’s glove, a diamond ring, and a mysterious young woman who begs Lavington for his protection. Her safety will depend on her ability to take a role in the forthcoming village play - but is Lavington sheltering a wronged woman or a clever murderess?”
That’s the question of course. I found the book very entertaining. Yes, there are a lot of coincidences and there seems to be a hell of a lot of mistaken identities but unlike Agatha Christie’s novels of the early 1920s, there is a real feel of the period. One of the female character’s walks around at dusk wearing a thick motor-veil, there is a railway accident (the sort or grounding event I'm sure never feature in a Christie mystery), I love the fact that the Inspector has a garden, there a lot of quite convincing minor characters and the story just races along. I also found the romance more believable than the one in Agatha Christies The Man in the Brown Suit. Highly recommended for lovers of old fashioned mysteries.
May 30, 2016
I bought this book on kindle completely because of the title, being an old Nancy Drew fan. I was enchanted with the period piece mystery story. This book was apparently the author's first and was published in the 1920s, only to become obscure after her 1929 death. Annie Haynes' books were resurrected and republished. What a treasure they are!
England: The murder occurs during the beginning of the book when the housekeeper of Dr. Roger Lavington's next door neighbor comes asking for help; her master has been shot. Maximilian von Rheinhart was not a nice or friendly person. Dr. Lavington finds him dead. But behind the curtains steps a beautiful woman with golden hair. She begs him for help and he helps her to escape. The police know that she was there but know nothing of her and the murder weapon, a pistol, cannot be found. Soon after, a woman answering to her description is found dead in the wreckage of a train and so the matter is believed concluded. Not so.
It's two years later. Dr. Lavington's old friend, Sir James Courtney, was also in that train wreck and lost both of his legs. Now a bitter cripple, he persuades Roger Lavington to move to his home in the country to care for him as his personal physician. But there is drama in the background. Sir James was engaged to be married to a neighbor, Daphne Luxmore, but he has refused to see her since his accident. Roger meets her sister, Elizabeth, and falls in love with her. There are many twists and turns to the plot before the story draws to a successful close that has tied up all the loose ends.
I have read two of this author's mysteries and I want them all!
England: The murder occurs during the beginning of the book when the housekeeper of Dr. Roger Lavington's next door neighbor comes asking for help; her master has been shot. Maximilian von Rheinhart was not a nice or friendly person. Dr. Lavington finds him dead. But behind the curtains steps a beautiful woman with golden hair. She begs him for help and he helps her to escape. The police know that she was there but know nothing of her and the murder weapon, a pistol, cannot be found. Soon after, a woman answering to her description is found dead in the wreckage of a train and so the matter is believed concluded. Not so.
It's two years later. Dr. Lavington's old friend, Sir James Courtney, was also in that train wreck and lost both of his legs. Now a bitter cripple, he persuades Roger Lavington to move to his home in the country to care for him as his personal physician. But there is drama in the background. Sir James was engaged to be married to a neighbor, Daphne Luxmore, but he has refused to see her since his accident. Roger meets her sister, Elizabeth, and falls in love with her. There are many twists and turns to the plot before the story draws to a successful close that has tied up all the loose ends.
I have read two of this author's mysteries and I want them all!
June 30, 2017
I like to read crime fiction beside fantasy and science fiction.
Today we still know Agatha Christie but who knows Annie Haynes.
Born in 1865 she wrote a dozen crime novels until she died in 1929.
I'm more than happy that her books are now available in digital format.
I bought copies of all of them and then I had to decide which book to start with -
stand-alone novel or Inspector Furnivall or Inspector Stoddart.
I decided to go for a stand-alone novel.
The Bungalow Mystery is not perfect. But there is something in Annie Haynes' writing which kept me on reading.
The story is set between 1900 and before the Great War.
I like the depiction of the scene and te description of the characters ad their motifs.
Now I look forward to discover the rest of her books.
Today we still know Agatha Christie but who knows Annie Haynes.
Born in 1865 she wrote a dozen crime novels until she died in 1929.
I'm more than happy that her books are now available in digital format.
I bought copies of all of them and then I had to decide which book to start with -
stand-alone novel or Inspector Furnivall or Inspector Stoddart.
I decided to go for a stand-alone novel.
The Bungalow Mystery is not perfect. But there is something in Annie Haynes' writing which kept me on reading.
The story is set between 1900 and before the Great War.
I like the depiction of the scene and te description of the characters ad their motifs.
Now I look forward to discover the rest of her books.
October 1, 2024
This early mystery reminds us of the terrible conditions endured after the first war, when the medical injuries were far behind what we would expect later. A doctor is called to the house of a neighbour who has been found shot. The doctor alone finds a young woman hiding behind a curtain and allows her to escape to his neighbouring house before the police can be summoned. He then aids the woman to take on a role of his cousin who should have been acting in a play, but was unable to make the journey. We then move forward in time, when this doctor gives up his practice and moves live with his old school friend who has lost both his legs in the war, and has chosen a life of single landowner ,refusing to see once fiancée. The doctor then realises that the young woman who he had previously helped escape is in fact the spurned fiancée.
This book reads in an old fashioned manor , with the thought that all females of the upper classes should be protected ,regardless of their actions.
An interesting story but not a compelling read.
This book reads in an old fashioned manor , with the thought that all females of the upper classes should be protected ,regardless of their actions.
An interesting story but not a compelling read.
September 2, 2016
The Bungalow Mystery, published in 1923, was the first of many golden age crime novels written by Annie Haynes. This new 2016 edition features an introduction by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.
Dr Roger Lavington is summoned by his next-door neighbors maid, who has just found her master lying dead. After checking to be certain he can do nothing for the man, he sends the maid for the police, but while waiting for their arrival, he finds a woman hiding behind the drapery. She begs him to help her escape, which he does.
I have tremendously mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, it is an extremely well-plotted mystery. On the other, it features annoying prose wherein the protagonist, Lavington, is so smitten by every woman's wiles that he can't think straight. All the "quivering lips" and "tear-laden eyelashes" you may want hide within its pages. Blech! If that sort of thing doesn't bother you, then it is a good mystery. If, like me, you start to tear out your hair, then it probably isn't.
Haynes was a fairly prolific writer, and many of her mysteries have been re-released. Has someone else read any of these, and are they any better? I hate to give up with just the first story, but I'm certain I can't read another like this!
Dr Roger Lavington is summoned by his next-door neighbors maid, who has just found her master lying dead. After checking to be certain he can do nothing for the man, he sends the maid for the police, but while waiting for their arrival, he finds a woman hiding behind the drapery. She begs him to help her escape, which he does.
I have tremendously mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, it is an extremely well-plotted mystery. On the other, it features annoying prose wherein the protagonist, Lavington, is so smitten by every woman's wiles that he can't think straight. All the "quivering lips" and "tear-laden eyelashes" you may want hide within its pages. Blech! If that sort of thing doesn't bother you, then it is a good mystery. If, like me, you start to tear out your hair, then it probably isn't.
Haynes was a fairly prolific writer, and many of her mysteries have been re-released. Has someone else read any of these, and are they any better? I hate to give up with just the first story, but I'm certain I can't read another like this!
May 24, 2021
Annie Haynes wrote a series of murder mystery novels - ten, I believe - in the 1920s before passing away due to heart failure in 1929. Her books went out of print a decade later and remained so for eight decades until Dean Street Press began republishing them. The Bungalow Mystery (1923) was her first mystery. A terrific ending capped a well-written and charming early 1900s mystery.
September 14, 2016
Who killed the scoundrel next door? An old-fashioned mystery and frankly a little slow.
May 31, 2022
Entertaining enough, and kept me reading, but two things drag it down in my rating.
1) For some reason this seems to be a feature of the Golden Age mystery, but the women - at least the "good" ones, particularly the MC's love interest, always seem to be described in this over-the-top, over-romanticized way. "He could not tear himself away while she was there, though; it was absolute joy to know that she was present, to feast his eyes on the wealth of dark, bronze hair—bronze that the sun, kissing, turned to burnished copper; on the delicate pink and white of the half- averted cheek, to hear her pretty, caressing tones as she talked to Mary Ann." Not to mention snarky comments about women in general (always excepting the love interest, of course), even when the author is female. Needless to say, of course, the absolute worst thing you can say about a woman is that she is "masculine." About one of the "bad" women: "There was something in the glance of her big black eyes, a masculine strength about the modelling of chin and jaw, which he found almost repellent."
2) The coincidences - OMG, the coincidences!
1) For some reason this seems to be a feature of the Golden Age mystery, but the women - at least the "good" ones, particularly the MC's love interest, always seem to be described in this over-the-top, over-romanticized way. "He could not tear himself away while she was there, though; it was absolute joy to know that she was present, to feast his eyes on the wealth of dark, bronze hair—bronze that the sun, kissing, turned to burnished copper; on the delicate pink and white of the half- averted cheek, to hear her pretty, caressing tones as she talked to Mary Ann." Not to mention snarky comments about women in general (always excepting the love interest, of course), even when the author is female. Needless to say, of course, the absolute worst thing you can say about a woman is that she is "masculine." About one of the "bad" women: "There was something in the glance of her big black eyes, a masculine strength about the modelling of chin and jaw, which he found almost repellent."
2) The coincidences - OMG, the coincidences!
December 22, 2024
Thought it was okay.
Dr. Lavington is called to the house next door. His unlikable neighbor has been attacked. He grabs his bag and goes to see what is going on. The neighbor is dead. I believe he was shot and is laying dead on the living room (maybe that's not what they call it) floor. He discovers a woman hiding behind the drapes. He takes her to his house. For whatever reason she agrees to take part in a theatrical (possibly church?) and disappears after the performance.
An old friend from college has been paralyzed in a train accident and asks him to come and help him. A cantankerous fellow. Can you blame him? After almost getting killed in a train wreck? He lives on an estate with a private park that is open to the public one day a week.
I had some problems with this. Lavington assumes the woman is guilty of the murder since he found her hiding. But can he bothered to ask any questions about what happened? If she did it, what did she do with the gun? But when the police come and ask if there was anyone around he says no. Making himself an accomplice after the fact, if nothing else.
So I had some problems with this book. But it was published in 1923. Maybe some leeway needs to be allowed. Not sure if this was my first Annie Haynes book or not. I know I have a few other on my Kindle.
Dr. Lavington is called to the house next door. His unlikable neighbor has been attacked. He grabs his bag and goes to see what is going on. The neighbor is dead. I believe he was shot and is laying dead on the living room (maybe that's not what they call it) floor. He discovers a woman hiding behind the drapes. He takes her to his house. For whatever reason she agrees to take part in a theatrical (possibly church?) and disappears after the performance.
An old friend from college has been paralyzed in a train accident and asks him to come and help him. A cantankerous fellow. Can you blame him? After almost getting killed in a train wreck? He lives on an estate with a private park that is open to the public one day a week.
I had some problems with this. Lavington assumes the woman is guilty of the murder since he found her hiding. But can he bothered to ask any questions about what happened? If she did it, what did she do with the gun? But when the police come and ask if there was anyone around he says no. Making himself an accomplice after the fact, if nothing else.
So I had some problems with this book. But it was published in 1923. Maybe some leeway needs to be allowed. Not sure if this was my first Annie Haynes book or not. I know I have a few other on my Kindle.
October 1, 2024
Published in 1923, this is a fairly early Golden Age mystery and, although interesting, has not aged particularly well.
Our main character is Dr Roger Lavington, who, called to the house of his neighbour, finds him shot dead and a beautiful young lady hiding behind the curtains. Rather bizarrely, he hides her, pretending she is his cousin and helps her avoid being questioned by the police. Fast forward two years, and Dr Lavington has given up his practice and is working for an old school friend, who has lost both his legs in an accident. Embittered, Sir James Courtenay, refuses to see his fiancée, believing he cannot marry her with his disability.
Of course, the fiancée looks a lot like the young lady that Dr Roger Lavington hid. Before long, the police are on the trail, there is a lot of falling in love and coincidences, rather like a farcical play. For readers like me, who is just happy to have so many authors and books from that period back in print, it is very interesting. For casual readers, perhaps not a good place to start. Still, I am happy I read it and I am overjoyed so many long out of print authors are now finding a new audience.
Our main character is Dr Roger Lavington, who, called to the house of his neighbour, finds him shot dead and a beautiful young lady hiding behind the curtains. Rather bizarrely, he hides her, pretending she is his cousin and helps her avoid being questioned by the police. Fast forward two years, and Dr Lavington has given up his practice and is working for an old school friend, who has lost both his legs in an accident. Embittered, Sir James Courtenay, refuses to see his fiancée, believing he cannot marry her with his disability.
Of course, the fiancée looks a lot like the young lady that Dr Roger Lavington hid. Before long, the police are on the trail, there is a lot of falling in love and coincidences, rather like a farcical play. For readers like me, who is just happy to have so many authors and books from that period back in print, it is very interesting. For casual readers, perhaps not a good place to start. Still, I am happy I read it and I am overjoyed so many long out of print authors are now finding a new audience.
December 17, 2017
The writing is a little old fashioned and the plot moves along quite slowly compared to writing these days. However, it is an interesting mystery - somewhat complicated. A nice ending makes it all worthwhile.
September 16, 2018
Intriguing English cozy from the 1920s.
February 19, 2021
Wonderful
March 12, 2021
I suspect my three stars is generous, since a month later I barely remember this book and what does stick out is what I found utterly ridiculous about it ...
May 6, 2016
I thought this novel showed many of the characteristics of a debut title: the author trying a little too hard to provide red herrings and misdirection. The plot devolved around mistaken identity and incomplete knowledge, a train crash in which the murder suspect is thought to have been killed, a policeman who works on the case long after he has been taken off it, a vindictive wife who wants a killer brought to justice, and a central character who muddies the waters by giving the wrong advice.
There is at least one change of narrative voice and so a number of points of view are presented. The original police investigation misses gathering an eye witness statement which would have tied the whole thing up in a matter of hours.
Nevertheless it is a true forerunner of the Golden Age and the convoluted plot is well worked with a number of almost Gothic elements to it.
May 1, 2016
Aah,that was a tasty bit of mystery. so art nouveau.
I enjoyed the story, The characters and the writing style. To tell a story in a conversational way is charming and understandable . I look forward to reading more of her stories.
I enjoyed the story, The characters and the writing style. To tell a story in a conversational way is charming and understandable . I look forward to reading more of her stories.
May 25, 2016
My first Haynes book. Captivating and enjoyable.
May 26, 2016
Decent golden age mystery that kept my attention.
July 17, 2016
Interesting peek back in time.
It took a bit of time to get used to the extremely proper dialogue. The story was strange but intriguing from the start.
It took a bit of time to get used to the extremely proper dialogue. The story was strange but intriguing from the start.
Read
December 16, 2016Too much dragging
March 21, 2017
Ugh, the way women are portrayed...
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