Diplomatic Corpse

Asey Mayo Cape Cod Mystery #24

by Phoebe Atwood Taylor

"Buff" Orpington arrived in picturesque Quanomet to find the little Cape Cod town in ferment. A stupendous pageant of American history was being staged, and the inhabitants of Quanomet had time and thought for nothing else. But all was not as it should be in the small community. There had been more curious incidents than could be attributed to the usual petty jealousies and maneuverings for the best parts and positions. Quanomet was, in fact, in its modest way about to make history, and Buff finds himself taking an uncomfortably prominent role when he discovers a newly made corpse in the cemetery. After too long an absence, Asey Mayo, the salty Cape Cod Sherlock, returns in fine form to solve the baffling murder in his own inimitable way.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy, Golden Age Mystery

176 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1951

About the author

Taylor is an American mystery author. She is best known for her Asey Mayo series, based in Cape Cod. She additionally wrote and published under the pen names Alice Tilton and Freeman Dana.

Phoebe Atwood Taylor, born in 1909 in Boston, Massachusetts, was the first member of her family to have been born off Cape Cod in more than 300 years. Upon graduating from Manhattan's Barnard College, she moved to Weston, Massachusetts, to pen her first work, The Cape Cod Mystery (1931), which was published when she was 22. The book was written while Taylor was caring for her invalid aunt, Alice Tilton (the source of one of her two publishing pseudonyms, the other being Freeman Dana). Taylor was one of the first mystery writers to give a regional and rural rather than urban focus during the time known as the "golden age" of mystery writing (1918 - 1939). Gone with the Wind's author, Margaret Mitchell, was a great fan of the Asey Mayo series, and encouraged Taylor to pack the books with Cape Cod detail. In all, she authored 33 books. She died in 1976 at age 67.
- Bio by The Countryman Press

https://openlibrary.org/authors/OL685...

Reviews

[Dave]

The last of the Asey Mayos maintains the crazy nature of the entire series. There’s some bad construction problems in this one (point of view does a massive shift without warning about 50 pages in), and the mystery is a little thin, but I’m still sorry to see Asey go.

[Susan]

John Orpington has been fired from his job at an ad agency. He gives the ticket clerk some money and decides to vacation at wherever the money will take him. He lands in Quanomet, where he finds an old friend, Kay, widow of an army buddy, helping run the local historical pageant. What Taylor can do with a situation like that! Asey Mayo appears in answer to Kay's worried visit asking for help, only to have his deluxe chrome-plated car repeatedly stolen, and men with beards appearing and disappearing all over the local cemetery, which also houses a newly-dead body. Lots of fun.

[Chazzi]

The Quantomet Historical Pageant is getting ready for its yearly presentation. Costumes, historical recreations, publicity, people and their personalities, it all adds up to confusion as the background to this murder where a killer is lurking with their eye on one of the participants.

The body of a woman in Indian costume, is found dead in a storm drenched cemetery and someone, possibly the killer, is found leaning over her. Asey stumbled on the scene, but felt it looked too good to be true. As it turns out, it is one of his most baffling cases.

There is discord among the participants, but to the extent of murder? There are acts of sabotage that could cause deaths. Asey is knocked out with a hit to the head, waking to find more clues to sort than he expects. An investigation that is a wild adventure for Asey as he is out to solve the case in his typical Cape Cod style.

Another case in the Asey Mayo series by Phoebe Atwood Taylor, with characters that are part of the series make it like visiting old friends.

[Shirley Jones]

Splendid older cozy mystery.

[Mgb]

Comfort read. Reminds me of fun evenings with community theater groups doing farces….Cape Cod, lots of characters, mistaken identities, cemetary. What’s not to love?

[Ken]

DNF. Some amusing characters, but a sad finish to the Asey Mayo series.

[Lrichter]

Imported from Library History

[Keziah Jensen-Cannon]

Every time I come home I binge read Phoebe Atwood Taylor (she is nigh impossible to find in libraries across the country - I've looked in four different states thank you very much - and my mother has a complete set). So, I read and I laugh. Taylor has an excellent grasp of human nature and a droll sense of humor I just love.

[Susan]

These are really old mysteries from a different time. They take place on the cape. Very fun, if not always politically correct.

[Liz]

Another fun read. Who knew that genealogical research could be deadly!