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Captain Heimrich #11
Accent on Murder
Captain Heimrich teams up with a professor to teach a killer a lesson in this mystery from the authors of the “excellent” Mr. and Mrs. North series (The New Yorker).
Capt. M. L. Heimrich of the New York State Police may not have the flash of hard-boiled city detectives, but there’s no lead the intrepid investigator won’t follow until his every hunch is satisfied . . .
When Walter Brinkley—professor emeritus of English literature—throws a cocktail party for newlywed friend Paul Craig and his bride, he has no idea the celebratory affair will spark a chain of events ending in a string of scandalous murders.
The first victim is beautiful party guest Caroline Wilkins, shot while sunbathing nude in a secluded place a few days after the soiree. Called in to investigate, Captain Heimrich uncovers information that links the dead woman to a notorious scandal rag. But before he can connect all the dots, a second malicious murder throws him for a loop.
With someone in Westchester County on a killing spree, Heimrich has little time left to catch the culprit. Luckily, Professor Brinkley might have just the expertise needed to crack the case . . .
Accent on Murder is the 11th book in the Captain Heimrich Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.
Capt. M. L. Heimrich of the New York State Police may not have the flash of hard-boiled city detectives, but there’s no lead the intrepid investigator won’t follow until his every hunch is satisfied . . .
When Walter Brinkley—professor emeritus of English literature—throws a cocktail party for newlywed friend Paul Craig and his bride, he has no idea the celebratory affair will spark a chain of events ending in a string of scandalous murders.
The first victim is beautiful party guest Caroline Wilkins, shot while sunbathing nude in a secluded place a few days after the soiree. Called in to investigate, Captain Heimrich uncovers information that links the dead woman to a notorious scandal rag. But before he can connect all the dots, a second malicious murder throws him for a loop.
With someone in Westchester County on a killing spree, Heimrich has little time left to catch the culprit. Luckily, Professor Brinkley might have just the expertise needed to crack the case . . .
Accent on Murder is the 11th book in the Captain Heimrich Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.
- GenresMystery
229 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1958
30 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
About the author
Frances Lockridge
95 books48 followersFrances Louise (Davis) Lockridge wrote popular mysteries and children's books with husband Richard Lockridge. They also published under the shared pseudonym Francis Richards.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 14, 2021
Review May 2021: This is my second reading of Accent on Murder since blogging began, but the first where it counts for much in the way of challenges. And it features an unusual grand finale. Professor Brinkley, bandage on head like a turban, herding the murderer to Captain Heimrich at the point of a gun. And Brinkley doesn't even know he's got the murderer...just that he's got someone who's been telling lies and needs to fess up to the police. It really is quite delicious (even though quite improbable). And I have to admit that I'm rating this one so highly this time for the pure entertainment value rather than for the mystery. Professor Brinkley is one of my favorite intermittently recurring character in the Lockridge books (in part because of my fondness for an academic bent to my mysteries).
Despite having forgotten all the details (that's what happens with a post-50, sieve-like memory), I immediately spotted the important clue and the culprit. But the plot and the characters made another reading well worthwhile and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
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Review December 2012:
I decided to finish up my 2012 reading with a slam-dunk book. Even though I started Accent on Murder by Frances & Richard Lockridge late on December 30, I knew how quickly their books go so I had no worries about finishing before the New Year came bursting in. Then I got sick with something that includes an "exploding" headache which made reading just a bit of a challenge. BUT with a little help from my friendly cold medicine, I managed to sneak it in by 11 pm last night and promptly went to sleep. So....this is actually the last review of 2012.
Accent on Murder falls into one of my favorite mystery sub-genres: the academic mystery. Academic according to my rather loose definition--a mystery involving a scholar, teacher, professor,university librarian, etc. (as amateur detective, villain, victim or just very prominent character) OR set at a school, university, library, etc. This Lockridge offering features one of their series detectives, Captain Heimrich of the New York State Police, but it also features Walter Brinkley, emeritus professor of English whose hobby is the distinction of pronunciation within the United States. Dr. Brinkley is rather a dear little man--described by his younger neighbors as a "woolly lamb"--a pink, round little man who seems to bounce wherever he goes. The book is worth the read just for the final scenes where he rushes off in a concussed state to take care of "a thing of vital importance which he should have done hours ago." But I get ahead of myself.
When Dr. Brinkley's neighbor Paul Craig comes back to Westchester County with his new bride, the good doctor decides to give a cocktail party to welcome them home. He has no idea that his sociable gesture will mix the ingredients for a rather nasty series of murders as well as cocktails. Among his guests is Caroline Wilkins, former Navy "brat" and current wife of an often absent naval officer. A naval officer who arrives in time for this particular party. Also present are her lovely young cousin, the Misses Monroe and other long-time residents of Westchester County like Mrs. Belsen, the Sands, the Thayers and the like. And Captain Heimrich.
Later that week, Caroline is dead--shot while sun-bathing in a secluded place--although not quite so secluded as she and her cousin thought. Only a few days earlier Dorcas, her cousin, had an elderly man rant at her about the sinful nature of her au naturel sun-worshipping. Dorcas blames herself for not remembering to warn Caroline about the addled voyeur. But Heimrich is not convinced that the elderly man is the culprit. He and Lieutenant Forniss begin searching in Caroline's past and discover a former husband who just happens to be in the area and who just happens to have connections to a big scandal magazine. But before they can decipher the meaning of these new facts, the ex-husband is dead...again from a shotgun blast.
Meanwhile, Dr. Brinkley is quite sure that he noticed something that Heimrich ought to know. When he finally remembers what it is, the captain and his lieutenant prove to be difficult to track down. The villain of the piece has also remembered....and is ready to kill one more time to keep the doctor from contacting the police.
The Lockridge books are generally light and breezy--particularly those written by the husband/wife team (Richard leans more towards the suspense/thriller side when writing on his own). This one still has its lighter, funny moments (the final scenes mentioned above, for instance)--but the murders this time round are a bit more brutal than usual. Oh, not brutal by modern mystery standards--nobody who has a steady diet of up-to-date blood and gore thrillers will blink an eye--but a close-range shotgun death is certainly more brutal than the average Lockridge murder.
That didn't lessen my enjoyment of the mystery. I still had a good time with my friends Heimrich and Forniss...and Dr. Brinkley is one of my favorite secondary characters in the Lockridge world. A fast-paced, quick read with a nice little surprise ending. Three and a half stars.
This was first posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
Despite having forgotten all the details (that's what happens with a post-50, sieve-like memory), I immediately spotted the important clue and the culprit. But the plot and the characters made another reading well worthwhile and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
*************************
Review December 2012:
I decided to finish up my 2012 reading with a slam-dunk book. Even though I started Accent on Murder by Frances & Richard Lockridge late on December 30, I knew how quickly their books go so I had no worries about finishing before the New Year came bursting in. Then I got sick with something that includes an "exploding" headache which made reading just a bit of a challenge. BUT with a little help from my friendly cold medicine, I managed to sneak it in by 11 pm last night and promptly went to sleep. So....this is actually the last review of 2012.
Accent on Murder falls into one of my favorite mystery sub-genres: the academic mystery. Academic according to my rather loose definition--a mystery involving a scholar, teacher, professor,university librarian, etc. (as amateur detective, villain, victim or just very prominent character) OR set at a school, university, library, etc. This Lockridge offering features one of their series detectives, Captain Heimrich of the New York State Police, but it also features Walter Brinkley, emeritus professor of English whose hobby is the distinction of pronunciation within the United States. Dr. Brinkley is rather a dear little man--described by his younger neighbors as a "woolly lamb"--a pink, round little man who seems to bounce wherever he goes. The book is worth the read just for the final scenes where he rushes off in a concussed state to take care of "a thing of vital importance which he should have done hours ago." But I get ahead of myself.
When Dr. Brinkley's neighbor Paul Craig comes back to Westchester County with his new bride, the good doctor decides to give a cocktail party to welcome them home. He has no idea that his sociable gesture will mix the ingredients for a rather nasty series of murders as well as cocktails. Among his guests is Caroline Wilkins, former Navy "brat" and current wife of an often absent naval officer. A naval officer who arrives in time for this particular party. Also present are her lovely young cousin, the Misses Monroe and other long-time residents of Westchester County like Mrs. Belsen, the Sands, the Thayers and the like. And Captain Heimrich.
Later that week, Caroline is dead--shot while sun-bathing in a secluded place--although not quite so secluded as she and her cousin thought. Only a few days earlier Dorcas, her cousin, had an elderly man rant at her about the sinful nature of her au naturel sun-worshipping. Dorcas blames herself for not remembering to warn Caroline about the addled voyeur. But Heimrich is not convinced that the elderly man is the culprit. He and Lieutenant Forniss begin searching in Caroline's past and discover a former husband who just happens to be in the area and who just happens to have connections to a big scandal magazine. But before they can decipher the meaning of these new facts, the ex-husband is dead...again from a shotgun blast.
Meanwhile, Dr. Brinkley is quite sure that he noticed something that Heimrich ought to know. When he finally remembers what it is, the captain and his lieutenant prove to be difficult to track down. The villain of the piece has also remembered....and is ready to kill one more time to keep the doctor from contacting the police.
The Lockridge books are generally light and breezy--particularly those written by the husband/wife team (Richard leans more towards the suspense/thriller side when writing on his own). This one still has its lighter, funny moments (the final scenes mentioned above, for instance)--but the murders this time round are a bit more brutal than usual. Oh, not brutal by modern mystery standards--nobody who has a steady diet of up-to-date blood and gore thrillers will blink an eye--but a close-range shotgun death is certainly more brutal than the average Lockridge murder.
That didn't lessen my enjoyment of the mystery. I still had a good time with my friends Heimrich and Forniss...and Dr. Brinkley is one of my favorite secondary characters in the Lockridge world. A fast-paced, quick read with a nice little surprise ending. Three and a half stars.
This was first posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
June 14, 2020
Early Bird Book Deal | Standard for the series | Nice to see Professor Brinkley again, and to get to know him better. One of the joys of all the Lockridge books is the way characters repeat, not just important characters, and not just within a series. Heimrich will appear in passing in a Shapiro book, Weigand will help with some info in a Heimrich. It fills out the wider fictional version of New York, to have these connections that don't break with the final page of a given book. As for the particular mystery here, it was pretty straightforward. The victim hadn't even been killed yet when I told my sweetheart who the killer would end up being, and why, and I was right in the end. But as I've said many times before, I'm not reading these in hopes of being stumped. I enjoy seeing the Captain get there.
July 26, 2022
I've read several of the Mr. & Mrs. North mysteries, but this is my first Captain Heimrich. I definitely miss Pam North's slant on things, but I loved this cast of characters. Mr. (*not* Professor, outside of the university!) Brinkley was a joy, and I wish he had more time to ride his hobby horse of American accents. I was struck by the egalitarian take on Harry Washington's role, and the depiction of his code-switching that still feels uncomfortably relevant 64 years later. In fact, compared to the attitudes depicted in British mysteries from the same period, the Lockridges' books are generally more class-conscious, and tend to gently criticize snobbishness. I'm glad that they were so prolific, and that so many of their works are available on Kindle.
October 29, 2022
As much as I enjoyed the Lockridge’s Mr. and Mrs. North books, there is something eminently satisfying about Captain Heimrich. I love his point of view and methodology. . . And, I am not a mystery reader who generally pays any attention to procedure. BUT, Captain Heimrich makes it intriguing.
The authors have a gift for characterization and I love the way they present the East Coast “ old guard” in this book. And, the very academic solution to the crimes.
The authors have a gift for characterization and I love the way they present the East Coast “ old guard” in this book. And, the very academic solution to the crimes.
December 11, 2020
I love the older mysteries. This does not disappoint. I've never read anything by this author though I now understand by reading some of the reviews there were previous books. It reads as a stand alone. Straightforward. 2 murders, one attempt and very little relating the mysteries. Wonderful vintage read.
May 15, 2018
Continuing the Captain Heinrich mystery series. This one has a semi-academic feature, with a retired college professor whose hobby study of regional accents becomes central to the story. A fun read, and this time I owned the book so easy access.
March 3, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and will add the Lockridges to my list of authors to look for at the used book store. They have written a lot of books!
February 8, 2025
Interesting characters and twist for murder motive. The professor was charming and funny, I wish he were in more of the books.
August 11, 2010
Young woman is murdered with a shotgun while sunbathing. This is followed by another brutal murder with the same weapon, and then another attempt! Inspector Heimrich must sift through clues. Unlike past stories, where he has suspects grouped together, in this case the information must be routed out near and far. For me the murderer boiled down to a couple people but mostly one... and I was correct. An okay book but not as good as others in this series.
September 20, 2009
A murder takes place in a small village outside of NYC. A professor emeritus of English literature recognizes the accent of a suspect is from a different place from where she claims. Many of the characters are stereotypes, but the plot moves along somewhat realistically.
September 15, 2009
This one is a Cap't Heimrich story. I just love him, but missed the lovely lady in his life and the mournful dog.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews