The Unfinished Clue

by Georgette Heyer

Everyone had a reason to hate the late Sir Arthur Billington-Smith. His arrogance and abrasive manner had alienated his wife, her sister, his house guests, his wayward son, even a desperate friend. Of course, his attentions to one attractive young guest in plain view of her husband simply multiplied the possible suspects in his murder.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Crime, Historical, Classics

306 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1934

About the author

Georgette Heyer was a prolific historical romance and detective fiction novelist. Her writing career began in 1921, when she turned a story for her younger brother into the novel The Black Moth.

In 1925 she married George Ronald Rougier, a mining engineer. Rougier later became a barrister and he often provided basic plot outlines for her thrillers. Beginning in 1932, Heyer released one romance novel and one thriller each year.

Heyer was an intensely private person who remained a best selling author all her life without the aid of publicity. She made no appearances, never gave an interview and only answered fan letters herself if they made an interesting historical point. She wrote one novel using the pseudonym Stella Martin.

Her Georgian and Regencies romances were inspired by Jane Austen. While some critics thought her novels were too detailed, others considered the level of detail to be Heyer's greatest asset.

Heyer remains a popular and much-loved author, known for essentially establishing the historical romance genre and its subgenre Regency romance.

Reviews

[Christmas Carol ꧁꧂ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could there be any greater happiness for a Heyer devotee to discover a book of hers that you haven't read - one that is actually excellent!

Ok, I have come back to earth now. I powered through the book in less than 24 hours.

Believe anyone that tells you this is the best GH mystery - it quite definitely is!

It has everything I want in a murder mystery - a loathsome victim, a colourful cast of characters, most of whom have plenty of motives to kill the unlovely General Sir Arthur Billington-Smith. Just when I was reading, smugly thinking I had guessed the solution - there is The Twist. & she twists again. Wow.

My only quibble. It is Heyer. So there was a romance. Heyer just can't help herself.

Heyer in this mystery proves the equal of my personal big three in Golden Age mysteries - Christie, Sayers and Tey. Read it. I know I'm right.

Reread July 2023 I'm not going to reduce my rating, but for me this book isn't quite as strong on the reread. This is only the third mystery GH wrote so it is still an excellent book for an author so early on in her detective story career. But when you take out the Double Twist & The Romance there isn't that much left.

But still highly recommended to those who haven't read it before.

& I guess I need to think about which Heyer is my favourite mystery! Death in the Stocks is my sentimental favourite - it is the first of her mysteries I read - but it is a flawed book. Hmmmm.

https://wordpress.com/view/carolshess...

[Christina ~ Brunette Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tyrannical host found stabbed to death in his study, a group of guests each having a reason to hate him and a young and clever detective from Scotland Yard. The stage, an English country house weekend interspersed with cocktails, teas and politely traded barbs. Written back in 1934, The Unfinished Clue is a classic Golden Age mystery abounding in wit, atmosphere and old-fashioned charm, where the intricate web of suspicions is subtly interwoven and the tension is conveyed through engaging and polished dialogues leading to the climactic final revelation. The sparkle is more subdued compared to her inimitable Regency romances, but the delightful writing nonetheless delivers an as much sophisticated comedy of manners.

Buddy-read with Anne :)

[mark monday · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is my nominee for Most Perfectly Realized Country House Mystery. it includes the following:

- an actual Country House as the setting. I've been surprised at how little country houses (or rather, Country Mansions) actually feature in certain books advertised as a Country House Murder Mystery. tsk tsk, false advertisers!

- a sensible & forthright protagonist who, due to certain circumstances, is a Character Who Is Not A Suspect. this is ideal for both audience identification and for sardonic commentary on the mystery

- a dapper, wry, and highly intelligent detective who arrives at the country house, and the novel itself, about one-third of the way through the story

- fun cast of supporting characters & suspects, including such luminaries as Old Rich Asshole Who Gets What's Coming To Him, Young Rich Asshole Who Is Actually In Debt, Lady On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown, Artistic Young Fool, Trashy Gold-Digger, Prime Suspect Who Clearly Can't Be The Killer Because Too Obvious, Capt. Reliably Manly, Big Personality Foreigner, The Vicar, The Gossip, and of course various domestics, policemen, a doctor

- SLIGHT SPOILER: a major red herring who all the clues are subtly leading too, but joke's on you smarty pants, it's not that person despite all those subtle clues. those tasty little breadcrumbs that you thought only you saw, they led you astray! I guess I'm talking to myself here LOL

- surprise killer! well, I was surprised.

- best of all, an author who is top of form in her ability to set a stage, create some atmosphere, and plant some enjoyable characters and fun dialogue in this country house setting. kudos, as always, to the amazing Georgette Heyer

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

March 2021 - I did manage to figure out with the help of vague recall who the culprit was this time!
-----------------
2016 review:
One of the best benefits of a bad memory is the ability to reread mysteries! I didn't remember this at all when I started rereading it -- I know I have read it as I own it and I love Heyer but nothing about the blurb seemed familiar. About halfway through I suddenly did recall a big part of the solution (though as it turned out, not the guilty person!) but by that time I was caught up in the book & could enjoy it even knowing (as I thought) whodunit. So it was a fun surprise to find out I didn't know who did it after all at the end!

This is a wonderful Golden Age mystery (first published in 1933) and it has the features which have become stereotypical for a country house murder mystery. What lifts this one to above average is Heyer's characters such as Lola, the Mexican cabaret dancer whom the son of the household has brought home as his fiancée. Being a Heyer, it is no surprise that there was a romantic subplot but it was unusually low key.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, this was so good! Witty, fun, and completely engaging!

Entering Georgette Heyer's magical world of Regency romances was one darn good decision I made, but branching out and trying some of her mysteries is definitely one as well. The characters might not be quite so loveable, the dialogue perhaps not as hilarious, and there might not be as many clothing description and everyday details, but on the other hand there is suspense, secrets, and the wonderful 1930's English country-house atmosphere. Clever dialogue and eccentric characters who all had a motive for hating and murdering the victim are at the heart of this clever mystery. There isn't much action, and it's not spooky like Footsteps in the Dark, but I guarantee it will keep you highly entertained and guessing until the last minute. I had my suspicions, but I was totally unable to guess all the particulars, and I loved the feeling of being held on the edge of my seat until the last chapter.

When General Sir Arthur Billington-Smith is found stabbed to death in his study, it raises a lot of suspicion, and a lot of questions. Any number of people could have done the deed, but who actually did it? His meek, tired young wife who’s had enough of being brow-beaten at every turn? Stephen Guest who has been in love with her for years? Geoffrey the disinherited son who seemed to me to be unstable of mind the whole time? La Lola la Diva who drove everybody batty (ok, me)? The very correct butler? Camilla Halliday who only came over to flirt with the General? Her jealous husband Basil? Or could it be someone else from outside?

The Unfinished Clue had me wondering “WHO IS IT??!” the entire time, and as soon as I thought maybe I’d found the culprit, something happened to throw my suspicions off, a new track was embarked on by the detective, and I was left guessing once again. I strongly recommend it, it’s splendidly written, and so cleverly conceived!

Buddy-read with Christina :D

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much. I've only started reading Heyer's mysteries since I joined the group on GR and I'm so glad I did. I like a murder mystery when I can't guess who the murderer is and this was certainly one of those! I hadn't a clue who it was and was gob smacked when it was revealed.
There were some really unpleasant characters in the book and some vacuous ones. Some of them could have been a bit more fleshed out but all in all it was very well written.

For this re read I'm upping it to 5 stars. I loved it this time around. I had forgotten most of it so still didn't guess the murderer. What a shock!! Great writing, great characters, what's not to like!

17/07/2025
Thoroughly enjoyed this again. So far, of her mysteries I've read this is the best one I think.

[Melisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first Georgette Heyer book, and I'll most definitely be back for more!

Really enjoyed this whodunnit, involving a large cast of characters and an English country manor. The plot was reminiscent of Agatha Christie, but the writing and the language was most enjoyable for me. Loved being thrown back to 1930's England. A strong mystery, one which I certainly did not solve!

[Jennifer Kloester · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Georgette Heyer's third detective novel and I'd actually forgotten how good it was. If you like cosy, English country house mysteries from the Golden Age of detective fiction then this one is for you. One of Heyer's fortes was creating great characters and she certainly does that here. General Sir Arthur Billington-Smith is a truly ghastly man - the kind of person we have all encountered and will avoid at all costs. He's a bully, intolerant, bigoted, rude and lascivious and it's a relief when someone kills him (not a spoiler as the blurb of most editions tells you this much). The mystery that follows is a clever one with almost every houseguest undersuspicion and some solid motives for doing the old curmudgeon in. One of the things I loved about the book was Lola, the Mexican dancer, who has been brought to the weekend party by the General's son to whom she is engaged. Lola alone is worth the price of the book and I have to say I am in complete agreement with Dorothy L Sayers who reviewed The Unfinished Clue in 1934 and said:
"And yet, simply because it is written in a perfectly delightful light comedy vein, the book is pure joy from start to finish. Lola, the fiancée, by herself is worth the money, and, indeed, all the characters from the Chief Constable to the Head Parlourmaid, are people we know intimately and appreciatively, from the first words they utter. Miss Heyer has given us a sparkling conversation-piece, rich in chuckles, and all we ask of the plot is that it should keep us going until the comedy is played out." Hear hear!

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I rather hope you won't find out who killed him because...it's a jolly good thing for everybody all round that he is dead.".

The Unfinished Clue is a 1933 mystery novel set at the Grange, and English Country house, belonging to Sir Arthur, who was murdered on the heels of a weekend guest party. The local police call Inspector Harding of Scotland Yard when the case seems unsolvable.

Right from the start it is obvious numerous people despise Sir Arthur and would likely dance on his grave given the chance. Moreover, practically everyone had opportunity to commit his murder.

Nowhere could I find a character list for this book, so I made one myself. Unlike with other Heyer books, after the initial start, I came to know the characters well enough to not need to refer to the list. Though having one at the start would have been helpful. This list contains no spoilers:

1. General Sir Arthur Billington-Smith (60)
2. Arthur’s 1st wife (not named)- ran off with another man.
3. Lady Fay Billington-Smith - Arthur's 2nd wife 15-20 years Arthur’s junior
4. Miss Dinah Fawcett – Fay’s younger sister
5. Geoffrey Billington-Smith - Arthur's son, engaged to Lola.
6. Lola de Silva - cabaret dancer.
7. Concetta - Lola's maid.
8. Captain Francis Billington-Smith – Arthur’s nephew.
9. Basil Halliday - late 30s, met Arthur last winter in Nice.
10. Mrs. Camilla Halliday – Basil’s wife.
11. Stephen Guest – family friend.
12. Reverend Hilary Chudleigh - local Vicar.
13. Mrs. Emmy Chudleigh - Vicar's wife
14. Mrs. Julia Twining - widowed neighbor and Arthur’s longtime acquaintance.
15. House staff:
a. Mrs. Moxon
b. Miss Joan Dawson
c. Finch
d. Peckham, the head housemaid,
16. Dr. Raymond - family doctor
17. Police:
a. Chief Constable - Major Grierson
b. Divisional Surgeon - a sergeant
c. Superintendent Lupton (50)
d. Sergeant Nethersole (37)
18. Inspector Harding - from Scotland Yard

The introduction of the characters was well-done, and the reader could feel the tension building. You know a clash between these people was imminent. I enjoyed being privy to the guest’s thoughts as they prepared for dinner that first evening. You get to know them, their grievances, and their purposes for being there.

And, oh, what a tangled web it was!

For me, the star of the house party was Lola who was newly engaged to Arthur’s son. The beautiful, enchanting Lola. The attention-seeking, self-absorbed, entitled, high maintenance Lola. She was always saying how things were “incomprehensible” to her when she didn’t get her way. I had a good laugh when she changed on a dime to best suited her interests. So dramatic. She thought everything revolved around her. Plus, she had some of the best lines in the book.

This took me longer than usual to finish reading. Not because I wasn’t interested in the entire story. It’s just not a fast-paced mystery. It’s more about logically working out the clues, scrutinizing the timeline, and looking for discrepancies in statements. You get an insider’s look at the whole police procedural process.

The conclusion was a slight gasp for me, though truly you may form assumptions from the evidence. I don’t always guess the plot, but here I completely missed the mark. Heyer brought about a satisfying and tidy ending.

And like many of Agatha Christie’s works, Heyer affected a love match between a couple by the book’s end. It’s little more than an acknowledged attraction and promises, but, nevertheless, it added a happy feeling on top of the resolved case.

This was my first golden age Heyer mystery, and I plan to try more of them. The excellent writing and well-form, multi-layers characters engaged my attention throughout the book. Recommended for readers who enjoy the focus being on the investigation of the “whodunit.”



Note: I read Madeline’s excellent review of this book. She claims the film Gosford Park is “almost a carbon copy” of The Unfinished Clue. I’ve never seen this film before or even heard of it. Nevertheless, I plan to watch it soon.

Update: 8/13/2021
After viewing Gosford Park, I agree that there are uncanny similarities between this film and The Unfinished Clue. I really enjoyed the film, but I liked the book better. The book was strong in dialogue and characterization. While the film offered an overview of the inner workings, both above and below stairs, of a country manor house. The strength of the movie was seeing this historical setting brought to life. Both book and film have an interesting plot – similar yet different. Character introduction, without a doubt, was better in the book. Overall, I am glad I watch the film because it gave me a better feel for the period, especially through the eyes of servants, and how busy a large house party can be, and how easy it would be for a murder to lurk about.

[Lady Wesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Georgette Heyer, best known for her Regency romances, also wrote several mysteries, and The Unfinished Clue was the first that I have read. Actually, I listened to the Audible audiobook, narrated by Ulli Birve, who also has narrated several other Heyer mysteries. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and plan to try some of the others.

Given that I am a big fan of Agatha Christie and that I also love house party settings, this book was right down my alley. It features an ill-assorted group of house guests, a victim that everyone hated, lots of red herrings, and a cool, calm Scotland Yard inspector, along with Heyer's trademark humor and sparkling dialogue. The reveal of the murderer was quite a surprise; I never saw it coming. There is a touch of romance, which really didn't add anything to the story.

For the first time, however, I noticed a problem with listening to a book rather than reading it. The "unfinished clue" of the title was a scrap of paper upon which the victim had scrawled "there." Or was it "they're?" Or was it "their?" I didn't know the answer until the end, although I don't believe that knowing would have helped me in the least to guess the identity of the murderer.

Ulli Birve's narration was a bit on the slow side, but her ability to voice the myriad characters was excellent. Like I said, I will try some of the other Heyer mysteries.

It was "there."

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first foray into the murder mysteries of Georgette Heyer, and it won't be my last.

Heyer, while better known for her regency and Georgian romances, also wrote a fair number of mysteries along the lines of Agatha Christie.

This novel, written in 1934, has all the classic elements of an English "Golden Age" mystery:

- The bucolic country setting complete with stately home, a rose garden, and a staff of well-trained servants who know their place.

- A crusty old curmudgeon of a victim, who no one (including the reader) is sorry to see meet his maker.

- A large cast of suspects to choose from, including the staples of a golden age mystery: the younger second wife, her lover, the scapegrace step-son, the vixen, the vicar's wife, and...dare I say it...the butler?

- Classic interrogation techniques worthy of Monsieur Poirot himself, in which the suspects are each interviewed in the sitting room (or was it the morning room?) by the dapper Scotland Yard Inspector. Their alibi, motives and secrets are all bewilderingly exposed during these polite interrogations - so much so that I feel I need to put together a spreadsheet in order to keep up with who was where, at what time, and with whom. (You know the drill, don't you? Miss Scarlett, in the Library, with the Lead Pipe).

- Dialogue that is witty, arcane and spare. Heyer throws in some terms and phrases that are incomprehensible to my 21st century American brain, but that's ok, because it lends authenticity to the story and is fun to try and work out.

- A low-key romance as a side story. Nothing too much with this love story, but it's nice to have in the background.

- A nice red herring and an unexpected twist at the end. I use the term, unexpected, loosely, because I can never figure out whodunit and my track record on this one remains unbroken (drat! I really, really thought I had the murderer pegged this time. Foiled again).

Really fun, frothy escapism with this one. Not as well detailed as a Christie, but worth a few hours of your reading time.

[Madeline · Rating 4 out of 5]

For real, is there anything as fun as an old-fashioned murder mystery in an English country house? They're like catnip to me, to the extent that I've seen Gosford Park at least six times and aren't even close to getting sick of it.

Speaking of which, Georgette Heyer's The Unfinished Clue is almost a carbon copy of that movie. We have a motley assortment of guests gathered together in a country home for the weekended (they include the host's mistress, the man in love with the host's wife, and the host's son with his new fiancee), and the host is an insufferable dick to everyone, giving everyone a motive. It's so similar to Gosford Park, in fact, that murder itself is almost exactly like the movie - the host, Sir Arthur Billington-Smith, is found stabbed to death in his study. Actually, the solution to the mystery is pretty similar to Gosford Park as well, and that's all the detail I'll go into without spoiling it.

The whole thing is a fun, classic detective adventure, with fantastic characters. The detective is great, the suspects are all fully realized and complex, and Heyer also has a running joke where multiple characters remark on their own suspicious actions and how they totally could have done the murder themselves. The best example of this is Billington-Smith's son, who brings home his Mexican dancer girfriend, Lola, to meet the family (it goes over about as well as can be imagined). Once the murder occurs, Lola instantly dons excessive mourning clothes and goes around loudly telling anyone who will listen that the police might arrest her because she had the most reason for wanting to kill her boyfriend's father. Then she has a talk with her agent and decides that it's probably better if she doesn't get arrested and backs off. I only wish there had been more of her, but then again, her schtick might have gotten old pretty quickly.

I have to admit, however, that I guessed the ending to this mystery almost immediately. More accurately, I guessed the motive behind the murder, but was wrong about the identity of the killer - but I was still damn close, much closer than I should have been, since I'm usually so bad at guessing how these stories end. But transparent ending aside right down to the detective proposing to one of the female suspects at the end - ugh, Heyer, not again, this was still enormously entertaining, and a good addition to the Georgette Heyer canon.

[Susan in NC · Rating 5 out of 5]

6/2023: reread with Heyer group - still a favorite Heyer! I love the low-key romance between the Scotland Yard Inspector Harding and Dinah, one of my favorite Heyer “straight” characters. Heyer seemed to insert a strong, levelheaded, self-deprecating ‘normal’ person into each of her mysteries, to serve as a foil against the quirky, obnoxious, and/or highly-strung characters that generally make up the house party full of suspects.

And of course, the brilliant dancer Lola da Silva is one of my favorite characters. I put this in my original review, but have to move it up, makes me guffaw every time: when Lola is interviewed by the inspector, she speaks one of the best lines I have ever read:

...it was quite easy for me to go down in my négligée and stab the general. I did not stab the general, because I did not think of it, and besides, in England I find it does not make one popular to kill people.”

From a mystery point of view, I also felt there was just enough timetable discussion among Harding and his sergeant to be a respectable GA police procedural without making the reader’s eyes glaze over in boredom. And finally, there’s a very well-done (IMHO) red herring toward the end about the killer; I’ve read it several times, and I’m still almost taken in! For all of these reasons, I think this might be my favorite Heyer mystery.

2021: Reread with Reading the Detectives group. Still a favorite Golden Age mystery, Heyer’s humor and quirky characters make it a fun and entertaining read (or listen - I have the Audible). I noticed more about the low-key romance developing between two favorite characters, and appreciated the way Heyer handled it, didn’t let it take away from or overshadow the mystery at all. I still love the flamboyant, pragmatic and rather mercenary dancer, Lola de Silva; as Dinah says, “she’s good value”!

2019: I have read this book at least once before, years ago, but had forgotten most of it. I vaguely remembered who might have done it, but wasn’t sure until at least the last few chapters, but greatly enjoyed this reread.

Heyer wrote some of my favorite golden age murder mysteries - she brings her gift for creating quirky, humorous characters and sparkling, clever dialogue, adds in solid, satisfying puzzles, and gives me delightful, entertaining stories. I think this book gives us one of her best comic characters, Mexican dancer Lola de Silva. She has become engaged to high-strung, sensitive Geoffrey Billington-Smith, and the couple’s arrival to a country house party at his father’s estate sets the conflict in motion.

The father in this case is Sir Arthur, the eventual victim, and a right nasty blowhard he is! Inspector Harding of Scotland Yard, eventually called in to solve the case, has his hands full, between the loathsome victim’s many potential enemies and the houseful of possible suspects...

But the totally self-involved Lola is hilarious! Naturally, Sir Arthur was appalled at his son and heir’s choice of her as a fiancée, and made his dissatisfaction clear to everyone. Not that Lola cared; when he’s found murdered, she begins to wonder aloud if it would do her career good to be arrested for the crime!

When she is interviewed by the inspector, Lola speaks one of the best lines I have ever read: “...it was quite easy for me to go down in my négligée and stab the general. I did not stab the general, because I did not think of it, and besides, in England I find it does not make one popular to kill people.”

Delightful - I love this book, and won’t let such a long time go by before I reread it again!

[Barb in Maryland · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite of Heyer's mysteries. For fans of Agatha Christie or Dorothy Sayers.

11 July 2023--another re-read with the Georgette Heyer fan group. My 5 star rating holds firm. So. Much. Fun.

10 Dec 2019--just finished a long overdue re-read with the Georgette Heyer group and had a great time.
I'm bumping my rating up to 5 stars, as there is just so much to love in this early mystery from GH. The characters are all familiar types, yet GH is able to give each a distinct personality and enough depth to engage the reader's interest. As is often the case with Golden Age mysteries, few of the characters are likeable: Sir Arthur is a nasty bully, his wife Fay is easily bullied; Camilla is an opportunist, her husband Basil is weak; while the Vicar(Hilary Chudleigh) is sincere, his wife (Mrs C) is seems a sanctimonious prig; Sir Arthur's son, young Geoffrey is foolish and high-strung. Mrs Twining is a bit of a mystery but rather pleasant; Stephen Guest provides Fay with a strong shoulder to lean on; cousin Francis delights in stirring up trouble; Fay's younger sister Dinah is our heroine--level-headed, with a nice sense of humor.
And then there's the catalyst--the person whose presence gets the action rolling along--and what a wonderful character is Miss Lola de Silva. Cabaret dancer and Geoffrey's fiancee, she is a force of nature and has all of the best lines. I loved Lola on the page, though I am sure she would drive me crazy in person.
It was no surprise when Sir Arthur was murdered--but who killed him? Everyone disliked him and most of them had a viable motive. GH distributed a number of red herrings during Inspector Harding's interrogations of everyone (none of whom told him the whole truth,of course). I really liked Harding, whose methodical attention to detail (and a flash of inspiration) lead to the murderer.
GH also gives us a bonus romance, which I loved. I thought it added just the right touch to the drama.
I won't wait so long to re-read this again.

I posted the cover of the paperback I first read eons ago. Someone called it the Nancy Drew cover--cute, but so wrong. I currently own . I fancy that's Camilla, who was described as having a 'predatory mouth'!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Admitting you’re a murder mystery addict is sort of like admitting you buy bags of Fritos knowing you’re the only one in the house who will eat them. You tell yourself, “Maybe someone will drop in for lunch...Maybe I’ll have some little kids over,” but really you’re a just a pathetic chow hound. I tell myself that mysteries exercise my brain somehow, but we all know they’re just entertainment, especially as I rarely figure out who done it.

However, while I may have no restraint, at least I have taste! Georgette Heyer is a fabulous mystery writer even though she’s never included in the Christie/Marsh/Sayers/Tey canon. (In fact, she’s best known for — horrors! — her Regency romances.) Although her plots aren’t necessarily ingenious, her characters and dialogue make you forget there’s even a mystery to solve. The Unfinished Clue, in particular, is a scream. Dreadful old Sir Arthur Billington-Smith delights in tormenting people, especially his colorless wife and his son and heir, Geoffrey. However, one weekend at a particularly miserable house party, he unwittingly delights other people by getting himself murdered — and in the library! With a lead pipe! No, actually with a knife. But the fact that everyone who knew him (including the reader) had a good motive for wanting him dead complicates things a bit.

While all the characters are amusing, especially entertaining is Geoffrey’s wildly unsuitable fiancée — a Mexican cabaret dancer named Lola who is as flamboyant and she is self-absorbed. Some of the dialogue is the verbal equivalent of slapstick (if that makes sense), and the mystery is engaging in the best tradition of classic English house murders.

[Lady Clementina ffinch-ffarowmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in her somewhat typical dysfunctional family with a despicable patriarch and over a country-house weekend, The Unfinished Clue by Georgette Heyer was first published in 1933. But despite playing out in the usual frame that she follows in her mysteries, this standalone gave one a solid mystery, a range of well-fleshed out (though certainly far less eccentric than usual) characters, and a thoroughly good read.

The book opens in the midst of a weekend at the Grange, the home of the ill-tempered and domineering General Sir Arthur Billington-Smith. He is married to the much younger and soft natured Fay, always at the receiving end of his outbursts. At the house are staying Basil and Camilla Halliday whom the General has recently befriended. While Basil is a weakly kind, the beautiful and provocative Camilla encourages the General’s attentions, hoping to benefit from them (the Hallidays aren’t financially stable), something Basil strongly disapproves. There is also Stephen Guest, a relation of sorts of the General, who is much in love with Fay. The latter reciprocates but is unwilling to bear any unpleasantness (like the divorce courts) even if this will free her from the stifling life she’s leading. Then the General’s nephew Major Francis Billington-Smith is visiting, and the General’s son from his first marriage, Geoffrey, an artistic, and also weakly type is bringing home his new fiancée, the beautiful and fashionable Lola de Silva, a cabaret dancer! A formula for trouble as you can already see. Amidst this mess also arrives Fay’s younger sister, Dinah Fawcett who has far more spunk than the delicate Fay and not only gives her some comfort but also stands up to the General defiantly. At dinner, a few more guests join in, among them an old friend of the General Mrs Twining and the Vicar and his wife (the latter two disapproving of the General’s lifestyle and ways)

Expectedly the fireworks begin almost instantly between the General’s brazen flirtations with Camilla, annoyance with Geoffrey (but more so the lovely Lola, who makes no secret of her mercenary intentions), and Fay being ‘blamed’ by him for all that goes wrong. Francis, perpetually in need of money hopes to touch the General for some more, and the foolish Geoffrey believes the sight of Lola would soften his father, and also that Lola actually loves him! Disagreements abound and tempers boil over, and just as the weekend comes to an end, with some guests having departed and others preparing to leave, the General is found murdered in his study—stabbed in the back with his own dagger.

The local police, Superintendent Lupton and Sergeant Nethersole arrive and interview the guests, but the Chief Constable realises soon enough that the matter is far beyond their competence (the worst they’ve handled are robberies and road mishaps) and calls in the Yard. Inspector Harding arrives—a gentleman policeman, educated at Oxford but having joined the force after the war. What follows is of course the investigation, mostly interviewing a range of suspects all of whom had ample reason to want to do away with the General and also ample opportunity. But as these interviews proceed, rather than getting simpler, the mystery begins to only get denser with each as likely to have committed the crime as the next. Can he get to the bottom of it all?

While The Unfinished Clue doesn’t have Heyer’s usual profusion of eccentrics (the only truly eccentric character is Mrs Fawcett, Dinah and Fay’s mother with her fads and penchant for (melo)drama, but she remains offscreen), she does give us a great set of suspects, each with motive and opportunity; each has their interests and secrets (some might be open secrets), and while none may seem ‘capable’ of murder, who knows? As Inspector Harding speaks to each, we can see as he does that each is not only holding back things, but also that they are trying to shift suspicion away from either themselves or those they care about. In the conversations too, we can see small points of facts that don’t agree from account to account, but do they really amount to anything? And may be I was wrong about the eccentrics for we do have La Lola, who is certainly a singular character, quite open about her objects and interests, and given to drama, hoping to be taken for the ‘assassin’ if only that would bring her good publicity.

With Heyer’s mysteries that I have read so far (mostly the Hannasyde and Hemingway ones, and one standalone), my experience of the puzzle itself has been mixed. While some did give complicated ones where some aspects were hard to work out, in others I had whodunit quite easily. This one was different in that it did take me by surprise. About two-thirds of the way into the book, I was sure I had the answer but of course read on for confirmation. But guess what? I didn’t, or rather I got only part of it right—spot on about whydunit, but who, I wouldn’t have thought of that person at all (she’s done this to me in one other mystery I read), so this was certainly very satisfying on that account.

Although we get our share of banter in the book, it wasn’t that sparkling and clever dialogue that one finds in some of her others, but all the same quite enjoyable. There is also a thread of romance which we spot early on (that is as soon as the characters in question ‘meet’), and it was fun watching it play out.

Another entertaining Heyer mystery, enjoyable both for the puzzle and the characters!

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

An acrimonious country houseparty weekend turns murderous and Scotland Yard detective, Inspector Harding has his work cut out for him. Everyone hated the victim and nearly the whole house full of family and guests and neighbors could have done it.

I enjoyed the over the top characters such as Lola the cabaret dancer, Frances the supercilious and expensive cousin, Fay the longsuffering wife, the Vicar's wife in all her righteous indignation, and Camille the spiteful cat of a guest. But to balance all these out, I found Dinah a splendid and sparkling foil with her spot-on observations and diverting dialogue.

I actually had the right idea from early on for the murder, but didn't get it all quite right when the final twist and reveal came. I enjoyed following along as Harding worked the case. He was an okay detective, not a favorite like Hemmingway in the other series, but I did like Harding as Dinah's love interest.

All in all, it was entertaining and just what I was in the mood for- classic whodunnit!

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

A most enjoyable mystery, my first by Heyer and I thoroughly enjoyed. It was a cozy mystery, involving the murder of a cantankerous man, unloved by pretty well everybody associated with him. Inspector Harding is called down from Scotland Yard to investigate and ultimately solves the crime. I liked his character very much and also that of his plodding Sgt. There were also other characters I liked very much, especially Miss Fawcett. No reliance on fancy CSI-type technology, basically interviews and following up on questions, but so totally satisfying of a story. The ending was also satisfying and had a little twist I didn't really see coming. Not a book I'll think about for years to come, but just a perfect, enjoyable read. (5 stars). Always nice to discover a new author that you want to read more of.

[Emmy B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the one Georgette Heyer mystery where I did not guess who did it. It was also her most Agatha Christie-esque murder mystery, her wittiest and the one containing the most endearing romance, at least to my mind. I really enjoyed it, and it had me gripped more than any other of her mysteries ever had.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first Heyer mystery, and it was a surprisingly good time! It reads like a mix between Christie and Wodehouse, with larger-than-life characters and some very funny one-liners. The descriptions of British country life and customs are very exacting and detailed, right down to the social stratification of the police (see below) and the appropriate time of day to start drinking cocktails. Because it's Heyer, there's also a romance, which I enjoyed more than I probably should have (given the book takes place in the order of days rather than weeks, and they're engaged at the end!)). I took off a star because I found the eventual answer to the mystery needlessly convoluted - why not have Mrs. Twining as the ex-wife, rather than the vicar's wife? - but I'm definitely in for more of these.

I leave you with my favorite passage from this book:

‘Well, do you really wear a god-forsaken badge under the lapel of your coat, and show it to anybody who wants to know who you are?’

‘No, of course I don’t. I’m not an American!’ protested Harding.

Naturally!

[Gerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

A country house gathering where the host, General Sir Arthur Billington-Smith rules the roost with a rod of iron. He regularly upsets his family, other members of his household and even the guests are not spared from his vitriolic tongue. So, perhaps it is no wonder when he is discovered stabbed to death in his study. But who could have perpetrated the crime, the suspects are so numerous and the local constabulary, conscious of the need not to upset the upper classes with whom they will have to mix regularly, call in Scotland Yard in the shape of Inspector Harding.

Harding has a difficult job on his hands for the son, the much younger wife, the wife's sister, the nephew, the son's Mexican dancing fiancée, and any number of the guests, for various reasons, seem to have sufficient motive to have committed the crime. And they are all believable even though sometimes their stories conflict. This provokes Harding to remark to the local Chief Constable, late in the investigation, 'I haven't reached any conclusions yet ... There are too many people mixed up in it.'

Even the suspects, when discussing the case amongst themselves are confused and one of them makes a suggestion: 'Let us all put the name of the person each of us thinks did it into a hat, and see who gets the most votes.' And that cast of characters, delightfully described and given life by Georgette Heyer, flit in and out of the story offering various clues that constantly change the thinking of Harding, his Sergeant colleague and the local police force, one of whom is convinced early in the plot that he has the murderer identified.

But diligent police work usually pays off and so it does in this tale as Harding suddenly realises that one clue was more or less staring him in the face and he did not initially realise its importance. However, as soon as he does, he sets off on a different tack and eventually uncovers the surprise murderer; one that I must confess I had not taken into consideration, so well had Miss Heyer covered the tracks. Similarly she did with a romantic aside to the story (but anyone with a romantic nature will realise that something is going on - even I did!) that ends up idyllically.

It is a suspenseful tale throughout and one that keeps the reader guessing right to the very end.

[Cphe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love these older style English country house mysteries. Jolly good fun.

[Nicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know why nobody pointed me at Georgette Heyer before. In style and substance her work is much like Mary Stewart's or perhaps Agatha Christie's, and Dorothy L. Sayers set some store by her too. It's a country house murder mystery, with a good number of highly suspicious subjects, a cool and collected young woman who keeps her head and assists the police wonderfully, and an eligible bachelor of a detective to be fallen in love with.

The mystery itself is rather typical of the type, with a mystery that can't quite be solved owing to a lack of the most important piece of information (which, if you had, would spoil the story altogether), but I enjoyed Heyer's narration and dialogue, and had a rather giggly moment over the romance. The characters all seem rather stock, really, but it worked in this case.

At this rate, I shall have to start a guilty pleasures shelf for the purpose of putting Heyer and Stewart on it. Except I don't really feel guilty.

[Andrea]

A competent, but not tremendously compelling mystery, lightened a little by Lola-the-dancer, who is forthright and wholly without morals. I enjoyed the main POV character, Dinah, but did not find her very quick romance particularly interesting.

Good narrator.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars my first murder mystery by Heyer and it was excellent!

[QNPoohBear · Rating 4 out of 5]

That's Lola on the cover dancing the tango in a dress described in great detail in the text. Good job cover artist!

When Dinah Fawcett arrives at her sister Fay's country home for a weekend house party she discovers her brother-in-law, Sir Arthur Billington-Smith in rare form. He's super cranky about her arrival, the new friends coming, and everything going wrong. He blames poor Fay for every perceived insult and injury but most especially for his only son Geoffrey becoming engaged to a Mexican dancer "La Lola." How dare Geoffrey? How dare the boy dream of bringing her home. Sir Arthur rants, raves and threatens to cut his son off with a shilling. How lovely for the other guests to witness his temper. Only Lola seems oblivious. When Sir Arthur is found dead in his study with a knife in his back no one is really shocked or saddened, except perhaps Fay. The local police can't seem to find a way to figure out the killer quickly so Scotland Yard is sent in. It isn't an easy case as all of them have a motive and none of them have an alibi. Most are lying and matters are complicated when the Inspector suddenly falls in love.

Georgette Heyer's mysteries have a pattern and this one is no exception. There's the horrible, bullying patriarch with his weak, silly wife and an effeminate son who is a huge disappointment to his father. Unlike some of her other stories, this family seems to be more middle class. Sir Arthur is retired military and spent his career in India and Africa. He seems to have only recently been knighted so Geoffrey doesn't inherit a title. The whodunnit is super tight. I never guessed at all until the very end but it came as a huge shock. I did not expect that. There's a romantic subplot that drags the story down. It's unnecessary and silly. I don't care for love at first sight stories.

Sir Arthur is a massive bully. He snaps, snarls, growls, yells and verbally abuses his wife and son for the least thing. He's rude to his sister-in-law too. Sir Arthur has an eye for a pretty young woman and likes to "flirt." (yuck) It's no wonder he gets killed. I don't blame the killer. The only character with an alibi is Dinah. She's a sensible spinster who directs the household affairs and is open with the Inspector, yet she tries to protect her sister and isn't totally honest in her testimony. She's really the only character I liked. Dinah is the type to just hash it out and yell and call out a bully. No need for messy murder and even in the heat of the moment I don't think she'd hurt her sister by causing a scandal.

Fay is the nervous type. She wouldn't want to cause a scandal by killing her husband, plus she could run away with her would-be lover at any moment if she had the guts and the strength to whether the storm of gossip. I don't think she's a killer. It's too obvious. Heyer is a better writer than that.

Geoffrey, the son is a possibility but I'm not sure he's strong enough to commit the crime. He does seem to have underlying passion. He's a temperamental artistic sort and certainly has motive.

Lola is crazy. She's selfish, egotistical and oblivious to anything except her own fame and her own desires. She's a passionate person and I wouldn't be surprised if she COULD kill and HAS killed but she doesn't care which rich man she marries so Geoffrey being cut off isn't that big a deal. Now her maid Concetta on the other hand, I can see her committing murder on Lola's behalf and then feeling guilty about it.

Francis is Sir Arthur's nephew and presumed next-in-line heir for the money. I don't think he's a killer because his uncle is worth more alive than dead, at least until he changes his will. Murder later, after the will is changed, probably. Francis is a military man and would know how to kill.

Stephen Guest is Fay's would-be-lover and a strong candidate for killer. He has motive, means and opportunity but again, super obvious. He seems all wrong for Fay. He has a dangerous edge to him from time spent in the wild western states in America and Australia. (What wild west in the 1930s?) I don't find him lover-like or appealing but Fay seems the type to need a masterful man at her side.

Camilla Halliday: She needs money and she isn't going to get it with Sir Arthur dead. She isn't that bright and basically has a stupid idea to get money. I feel sorry for her that she lacks brains and opportunity yet has enough beauty so that all the men want to kiss her and paw her. yuck! She needs to start a 1930s #MeToo movement. Her husband, on the other hand, seems the quiet, angsty type who observes and bottles up his true feelings. It seems like he COULD be the killer.

Mrs. Twining seems strong and capable but what would be her motive if she's the only one who has some influence over Sir Arthur? She is a bit mysterious. I like her a lot though because she's sensible and no nonsense. She's a widow but acts more like a single woman used to fending for herself. I do wonder why she has such influence over Sir Arthur and why she's the only one he seems to not bully.

Mrs. Chudleigh, the vicar's wife is just awful. She's nosy and moralizes to everyone who doesn't conform to Victorian norms. She doesn't seem to understand the world has changed since the war and people are different, thank goodness. Mrs. Chudleigh claims she doesn't listen to gossip yet is the first person to ring up and say "OMG is it TRUE?" I honestly don't think the vicar's wife would kill but spread the news all over the village? Certainly. "OMG did you HEAR?!" and then proceed to moralize etc. etc. Mary Bennet anyone? I HATE people like that.

The servants certainly could have done it! Mrs. Moxon is clearly on #TeamFay. She sounds strong and no-nonsense. Joan Dawson the silly housemaid is too young and stupid. She loves romance and drama but isn't going to make that happen by killing her boss. Could it be the butler Finch? He seems put-upon a lot. He is at the receiving end of Sir Arthur's temper and has the ability to wander the house undetected and unquestioned. Was it the gardener, Lester? He was gone a long time when they needed him, he clearly has access to sharp objects and I'm sure has been bullied. The driver who was late bringing the car around? It would make life easier if one of the servants did it.

Could it have been someone from the outside?

Other characters include the Chief Constable, Major Grierson. He isn't in the story much. He's a little silly, never finishing his sentences. Superintendent Lupton is the local policeman in charge of the case. He's egotistical, blustering and quite stupid. Sargent Nethersole seems more intelligent and kind. He's eager to learn and advance in his profession. Inspector Harding is the detective in the case. He's fair, kind and clever. Apparently he can be these things because he's a gentleman. I didn't really understand why the house guests wanted to call him "Mr." and made a big deal out of him. They should be polite and respectful to the people who have the power to arrest them! The social snobbery brought down my enjoyment of the book. My enjoyment was also marred by some antisemitism. Mr. Samuel Lewis is Lola's press agent. He's a hoot! He really steals the one scene he's in. However, he's described as a "Hebrew person" and having a "Jewish countenance" whatever that means. There's no indication he's Jewish and it doesn't come up in conversation or affect his job so that description was entirely unnecessary.

I enjoyed this mystery a lot. Heyer's novels, ALL her novels, are always filled with fun and entertaining characters, tight plots and good humor. This is one of her better mysteries but for the tightest whodunnit, I would go with Behold, Here's Poison.

Content:
Sexual harassment but the lady consents to allowing the man to kiss her and if he wants, touch her, for reasons of her own.

Lots of cocktail drinking

mild antisemitism, mild foreign prejudices, social snobbery

_______________________________

Re-read August 2025

Lola is delightful. She just speaks her mind and truly doesn't care. She lives to be adored and have men fall at her feet. To have one that doesn't and expects to be obeyed - in his own house - just doesn't click in her brain or she's choosing to ignore it. She's a really horrible human and I wouldn't want to be friends with her but as a character in a novel, she's delightful.

Sir Arthur l does have a point though, it's his house but Geoffrey should have told her they don't carry absinthe in the house, cocktails are usually made with gin and drunk at half past 5 or half past 6 or whenever it was. At least she made her fortune hunting intentions clear so Geoffrey could wake up and quit his infatuation before it was too late. All the women could see that but his father couldn't, which is unfortunate.

I thought Mrs. Twining was the murderer. I read this before and I remembered it was Geoffrey's mother but not which one she was. Mrs. Twining sounds more like Geoffrey's mother than the obnoxious vicar's equally obnoxious wife. I thought perhaps Mrs. Twining and Sir awful had an affair/were having a strange kind of affair. She's just a tough woman.

That unfinished clue was a real stumper. So obscure. Wow!
I almost missed the romantic subplot this time around. It's so subtle and hardly there. Heyer just couldn't help herself and had to insert romance! Even with the weak subplot, this is her very best mystery!

[Maine Colonial · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's always hard to transition to a new book after I've read something really good. When that happens, I look for a good "palate cleanser," meaning a book with a straightforward story that's engaging without being too challenging.

A Georgette Heyer mystery really fits the bill. I think of her mysteries as what Jane Austen would have written if she'd been transplanted to the Golden Age of Mystery. There is always a cast of ill-assorted characters, some of whom will be the kind you love to hate. The murder victim is always somebody you're glad to see dispatched, and there is a minor element of romance. Just enough to be enjoyable if you like romance and not so much as to be annoying if you don't.

This is a classic country house murder. There are several houseguests for the weekend, hosted by General Billington-Smith, who is constantly verbally abusive to his wife, and only somewhat more polite to several of the other guests---except for the married woman he flirts with outrageously. You can hardly wait for him to meet his maker.

This is an ensemble cast, but the principal characters are Lady Billington-Smith's feisty sister, Dinah, and the Scotland Yard detective. I figured out the whodunnit, but it was still a very enjoyable read---or listen, I should say, since I got this on audiobook. Ulli Birvé is a wonderful reader, with that upper-crust accent you expect for a Golden Age mystery.

[Tweety · Rating 5 out of 5]

As with all mysteries one must not say too much. But I can say that I started this with the hope that it would be like Why Shoot a Butler?. I had one fear and that was the fear of it being like Behold, Here's Poison. Thank goodness it wasn't! In fact it was even better than Why Shoot A Butler. Now this my just be me but I didn't get the Unfinished Clue. I guess I'm just thick. Anyhow that's neither here nor There…
The characters were real with real life quirks and I even felt for the murderer/murderess. I did suspect the murderer, however I didn't stick to my suspicion as I wanted it to be someone else.

There was hardly any language and not really any violence either. Although there is no talk of mistresses there is mention of Sir Arthur's flirting and his first wife who left him for someone different. There is also Camilla who's goal in life seems to be to make all the men fall in love her and then maybe they will give her the money her soul desires. Lola is just a silly side kick, who tangles the web farther.
At the end of the day I will be rereading this delightful Georgette Heyer book among all my other favorites by this author. Even if this mystery is not as good as say, Death in Kenya, it is still well worth the read.

On an end note if you are not okay with the characters drinking (sherry's, cocktails with absinthe) then you probably wouldn't like this as in the first half Steven Guest and Lola And Camilla are constantly looking for their next drink. Lola in particular likes Absinthe in her cocktails at 11:00am sharp. By the way, ignore that cover, Georgette Heyer books deserve covers that don't make one think of a Harlaquin romance.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Georgette Heyer mystery revolves around an ill-assorted house party. General Sir Arthur Billington-Smith delights in bullying his younger, second wife, Fay. He had hoped to enjoy a weekend with a couple they had met on holiday - Basil and Camilla Halliday - so he can flirt with Camilla. However, his plans are upset when other visitors arrive. There is Dinah, Fay's sister, Stephen Guest, who is in love with Fay and dislikes her husband's behaviour towards her. Then there is the General's nephew, Francis, who is after money and, lastly, his son, Geoffrey, from his first marriage and his intended, the entirely dramatic, Lola de Silva - a cabaret dancer - who nearly drives the General into apoplexy.

The weekend starts badly and ends, of course, in murder. Enter Inspector Harding, to unravel the various clues and endless motives, as he questions the weekend houseguests and the locals who came for dinner that weekend. Of course, being Heyer, there is a little romance, but this is a delightful mystery, with some very enjoyable characters. You feel that Heyer loved writing the eccentric Lola de Silva, in particular, with her demands never to be interrupted before eleven in the morning, her penchant for early cocktails, and her endless demands. Great fun.

[Mela · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beginning was interesting, the whole meeting the characters. Then I got a bit bored (I am not a big fan of detective novels, although even I could easily see that the mystery was nicely sewed). And then there were a few brilliant dialogues.

Facts: the characters were wonderfully created and the mystery was surprising (I knew from the beginning what the motive would be, but I wrongly guessed who was that person).

Nonetheless, I must be honest: I haven't enjoyed the reading like most of my GR-friends. [3.5 stars rounding up to 4.]