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The Sally and Johnny Heldar Mysteries #4
Answer in the Negative
At The National Press Archives on Fleet Street, archive assistant Frank Morningside has become the recipient of nasty poison pen letters and cruel practical jokes. With Frank disliked by many, his superior Toby Lorn is concerned by the number of potential suspects. And when the nature of the letters becomes even more vulgar, things take a sinister turn.
Toby calls on his friends Sally and Johnny Heldar, two amateur sleuths, to investigate. Posing as researchers, Sally and her husband Johnny go undercover to scout out the myriad of suspects at the archive. But just as the Heldars begin to make some progress, Morningside is found dead in his office, bludgeoned by a box of glass negatives.
When another suspicious death occurs within the company, the Heldars fear they may be in over their heads.
Answer in the Negative was first published in 1959 and is part of Agora Books’ Uncrowned Queens of Crime series.
Toby calls on his friends Sally and Johnny Heldar, two amateur sleuths, to investigate. Posing as researchers, Sally and her husband Johnny go undercover to scout out the myriad of suspects at the archive. But just as the Heldars begin to make some progress, Morningside is found dead in his office, bludgeoned by a box of glass negatives.
When another suspicious death occurs within the company, the Heldars fear they may be in over their heads.
Answer in the Negative was first published in 1959 and is part of Agora Books’ Uncrowned Queens of Crime series.
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1959
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83 people want to read
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April 10, 2020
Full review at classicmystery.blog
February 17, 2020
For my full review click on the link below:
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...
February 12, 2020
"Answer in the Negative"-I love punning titles, but this almost gives too much away- was first published in 1959 and features a married couple, Sally and Johnny Holder as amateur detectives. The plot is fairly straightforward, with a couple of murders associated with the fictional National Press Archives, a newspaper cuttings and picture agency.
The prose is flowing and easy, making for a very agreeable read. Henrietta Hamilton is a new name to me but I hope to read more of her output soon. I take it that Agora Books intend to publish more, as there is a taster of "Death at One Blow" given at the end of this volume.
Highly recommendable.
Thank you to NetGalley and Agora Books for the digital review copy.
The prose is flowing and easy, making for a very agreeable read. Henrietta Hamilton is a new name to me but I hope to read more of her output soon. I take it that Agora Books intend to publish more, as there is a taster of "Death at One Blow" given at the end of this volume.
Highly recommendable.
Thank you to NetGalley and Agora Books for the digital review copy.
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March 1, 2020Dieses Buch werde ich im Rahmen eines Rezensionsmarathons im September (30 Tage - 30 Rezensionen) besprechen. Daher erfolgt aktuell keine Bewertung.
February 2, 2020
Answer in the Negative by Henrietta Hamilton was a great read about a husband and wife sleuthing team in 1950's London. The plot moved swiftly, there were many intriguing suspects and the ending was satisfying. Besides the mystery, it was really interesting to get an insight into the way newspaper cuttings and photos were handled before computers and to get a peek into class warfare going on in Fleet Street
I hadn't heard of the author before so I was glad to rediscover a lost gem. I hope the publisher will republish some of her other works as I became quite fond of Sally and Johnny.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
I hadn't heard of the author before so I was glad to rediscover a lost gem. I hope the publisher will republish some of her other works as I became quite fond of Sally and Johnny.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 19, 2020
I picked this book because of the publishers and the fact that it was a reprint. I am still in the process of updating my woefully inadequate relationship with older books by non-Christie authors. I have made a significant dent in the past couple of years if I do say so myself. This particular book was very enlightening for a very specific purpose. That is the concept of physical photographic archives. I kept imagining the minions(here, the characters of the story) running around behind the scenes in the google image code, finding out our required information.
The entire story is based in a National Press Archives, primarily focused on the image archives. One of the archive assistant's life has been disturbed by increasingly troublesome pranks. Toby Lorn comes to his friends the well-known detective duo, the Heldars' home posing the problem to them. They begin their investigation methodically, and the story continues in the same format. There is a suggestion made and then the evidence to either back the theory or to remove it from contention is gathered and discussed. There is the unfortunate casualty that changes the tone of the investigation some way into the story. Unfortunately for me, I guessed the culprit halfway into the story and kept finding the hints and felt like giving Sally and Jhonny a great shaking to make them see the glaringly obvious fact they were not even considering!! Surprisingly, however, despite that setback, I liked the simplicity of the narrative and the way the resolution of the story was dealt with. The other thing of note here(to me) is the quaint way certain 'inappropriate' behaviour was handled here, the merest hint of it and the narration veers away from details, one such example-the actual contents of the poison pen letters that the victim was being hounded with.
I recommend this to others like me who are reading older reprints of lesser-known authors. I would definitely pick up more by the author, preferably older stories, to get more of a background of Sally and Jhonny Heldar.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is solely based on my reading experience and my sudden fascination with the idea of manual archiving.
The entire story is based in a National Press Archives, primarily focused on the image archives. One of the archive assistant's life has been disturbed by increasingly troublesome pranks. Toby Lorn comes to his friends the well-known detective duo, the Heldars' home posing the problem to them. They begin their investigation methodically, and the story continues in the same format. There is a suggestion made and then the evidence to either back the theory or to remove it from contention is gathered and discussed. There is the unfortunate casualty that changes the tone of the investigation some way into the story. Unfortunately for me, I guessed the culprit halfway into the story and kept finding the hints and felt like giving Sally and Jhonny a great shaking to make them see the glaringly obvious fact they were not even considering!! Surprisingly, however, despite that setback, I liked the simplicity of the narrative and the way the resolution of the story was dealt with. The other thing of note here(to me) is the quaint way certain 'inappropriate' behaviour was handled here, the merest hint of it and the narration veers away from details, one such example-the actual contents of the poison pen letters that the victim was being hounded with.
I recommend this to others like me who are reading older reprints of lesser-known authors. I would definitely pick up more by the author, preferably older stories, to get more of a background of Sally and Jhonny Heldar.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is solely based on my reading experience and my sudden fascination with the idea of manual archiving.
February 17, 2020
Fantastic book that kept me guessing until the very end. Enjoyable characters and realistic settings.
February 29, 2020
Henrietta Hamilton was an English Author known for her crime-solving married couple, Johnny and Sally Heldar. Agora Publishing, has decided to reprint these books from the 1950's and this was a fabulous choice. I liked the whole environment of the Era, but in particular- drawing rooms, drinks, drizzly weather and the quirky English Characters. Set them in a book and a Photo Archives environment and I feel right at home.
The War years are over but England still has bombed-out sites and scars left in people as well. A series of nasty pranks keep getting worse and Johnny Heldar is called in...who works with his wife. They plan a siege...watching everyone in the Archive Office. Things take a turn for the worse and the unlikeliest of victims is murdered. Trying to solve this mystery and figure out whodunit was a lot of fun...but will the first murder be the last? Hamilton has a way of building clues that kept me guessing till the early hours.
4 stars good book
My thanks to Netgalley and Agora Books
The War years are over but England still has bombed-out sites and scars left in people as well. A series of nasty pranks keep getting worse and Johnny Heldar is called in...who works with his wife. They plan a siege...watching everyone in the Archive Office. Things take a turn for the worse and the unlikeliest of victims is murdered. Trying to solve this mystery and figure out whodunit was a lot of fun...but will the first murder be the last? Hamilton has a way of building clues that kept me guessing till the early hours.
4 stars good book
My thanks to Netgalley and Agora Books
February 9, 2020
This is a very good classic crime story with amateur but excellent detectives.
Toby Lorn calls on his friends, Sally and Johnny Heldar to help. He works at the National Press Archives, and an archive assistant, Frank Morningside, is getting nasty letters and having tricks played on him. Someone has gotten the key to his office so they can leave the messages easily with no one seeing.
Sally and Johnny agree to help, and begin watching the office in the guise that they are doing research on the archives. They are being helped by Brigadier Camberley, who has been doing some research in the archives. When Morningside is found dead in the doorway of his office (from a box of glass negatives falling on his head), Scotland Yard is finally called. Chief Detective-Inspector Lindesay arrives on the scene. However, he lets Sally and Johnny continue to help. There are many suspects to watch - young Teddy, the errand boy who is somewhat unruly; Michael Knox, the hot tempered Irishman; Serena, Morningside's former fiance, the boss Silcutt, as well as possibly Toby, himself.
Then, Miss Quimper, the woman who was in charge of the negatives, is found in a bombed out cellar hole right across from the Archives building. Things get really dicey. They check everyone's alibis again and set up time tables, but are still stymied. Sally and Johnny have a meeting in their apartment, and suddenly they realize the killer is someone they never suspected, and figure out how and why.
Toby Lorn calls on his friends, Sally and Johnny Heldar to help. He works at the National Press Archives, and an archive assistant, Frank Morningside, is getting nasty letters and having tricks played on him. Someone has gotten the key to his office so they can leave the messages easily with no one seeing.
Sally and Johnny agree to help, and begin watching the office in the guise that they are doing research on the archives. They are being helped by Brigadier Camberley, who has been doing some research in the archives. When Morningside is found dead in the doorway of his office (from a box of glass negatives falling on his head), Scotland Yard is finally called. Chief Detective-Inspector Lindesay arrives on the scene. However, he lets Sally and Johnny continue to help. There are many suspects to watch - young Teddy, the errand boy who is somewhat unruly; Michael Knox, the hot tempered Irishman; Serena, Morningside's former fiance, the boss Silcutt, as well as possibly Toby, himself.
Then, Miss Quimper, the woman who was in charge of the negatives, is found in a bombed out cellar hole right across from the Archives building. Things get really dicey. They check everyone's alibis again and set up time tables, but are still stymied. Sally and Johnny have a meeting in their apartment, and suddenly they realize the killer is someone they never suspected, and figure out how and why.
November 28, 2020
Engaging husband-and-wife team in a post-Golden Age mystery.
The clever title almost constitutes a spoiler, but even if you figure out the 'why,' you'll still wonder about the who.
The Heldars are equal partners in sleuthing, and ably juggle it with their domestic life. They fall somewhere between the Lockridge's Norths and Christie's Beresfords.
The characters are generally well-developed and interesting. Also interesting is the mid-twentieth century peek into Fleet Street and post-austerity London.
Solid, enjoyable read. I received a free copy from the Crime Classics Review Club in exchange for an honest review.
The clever title almost constitutes a spoiler, but even if you figure out the 'why,' you'll still wonder about the who.
The Heldars are equal partners in sleuthing, and ably juggle it with their domestic life. They fall somewhere between the Lockridge's Norths and Christie's Beresfords.
The characters are generally well-developed and interesting. Also interesting is the mid-twentieth century peek into Fleet Street and post-austerity London.
Solid, enjoyable read. I received a free copy from the Crime Classics Review Club in exchange for an honest review.
February 12, 2020
I had never heard of this author from the 1950s. Sadly, she has only written a handful of these cozies. I loved this one! It is a period piece, in the tradition of M. Allingham. There is a husband/wife team of amateur sleuths. The author paints good pictures of her characters and evokes her settings well. The plot is kind of unique and interesting and somewhat complex, as there are a number of potential killers around. All in all, a very satisfying cozy mystery.
February 13, 2020
Very much enjoyed this book by a new to me author. 1950's London, married sleuthing couple, great vocabulary, and lovely imagery. I received a copy from Crime Classics Review Club. Opinions are my own.
December 13, 2020
I would say more like 3.5 stars, but only because I pegged the killer very early on. I was also puzzled as to why the distribution of cigarettes was featured in every social situation. I realize that smoking was more common and acceptable, just found the repetitive mentions a little odd. The only other criticism I have is the mention of Johnny’s commando training several times, even though he was never in any situation where he used it. Show, don’t tell, or at least tell only once and let it lie.
For the positive, I really enjoyed reading it despite knowing who because I didn’t know why. I also found the characters to be quite likable. There are apparently a few books in the series before this one, but not having read them did not hamper any understanding or enjoyment of this one. I would gladly read the others if they became available.
Thank you to NetGalley and Agora Books for providing a copy of this book in return for a fair and honest review.
For the positive, I really enjoyed reading it despite knowing who because I didn’t know why. I also found the characters to be quite likable. There are apparently a few books in the series before this one, but not having read them did not hamper any understanding or enjoyment of this one. I would gladly read the others if they became available.
Thank you to NetGalley and Agora Books for providing a copy of this book in return for a fair and honest review.
February 29, 2020
Answer in the Negative is the third of four detective novels featuring a married couple, Johnny and Sally Heldar, as central characters. It has been re-released by Agora books as part of their Uncrowned Queens of Crime season. Thank you to them for a review copy.
The author was certainly unknown to me when I received the book so I had no idea what to expect. I was pleased to find a solid mystery story, well written and with nicely drawn characters. The detective duo of Johnny and Sally are likeable and their reliance on ‘nanny’ to watch over their young children when they are out sleuthing is charming if a little dated.
The novel is set in the 1950s and the action centres around a press clippings and photography agency in central London. Although the setting is somewhat anachronistic in today’s digital age where archives can be accessed and searched at the touch of a button, the writing draws the reader in and it is easy to visualise the scene with negatives being selected, prints being made and harassed secretaries trying to get their work done.
The criminal activity is low level initially with one member of staff being targeted by an unpleasant prankster but it is not long before a murder is committed and things take on a much more serious aspect. Johnny and Sally work alongside the police who tolerate their presence quite happily. The inspector in charge of the case is kept in the background of the story as Johnny and Sally investigate and, of course, ultimately solve the mystery.
The writer plays fair with the reader and all the clues are there in the story though most of them are delightfully easy to miss. The criminal’s motive is hinted at throughout the story but I was quite some way in before I began to realise exactly why a seemingly senseless murder has been committed. Of course there are plenty of red herrings along the way with some very shady people working in the building any one of whom may have had a reason to kill. These are a delightful bunch of potential miscreants and they are written in a sympathetic and credible way making Johnny and Sally’s tolerance of the prevarications and economies of truth with which they are faced wholly understandable.
A chapter of one of Henrietta Hamilton’s other novels is included at the end of the ebook to whet the appetite for future releases and I hope that Agora will republish all of her mystery novels in the future. There are a few references in the story to events which have clearly happened in earlier novels and it would be nice to be able to read these other stories in full and spend more time with Johnny and Sally.
Henrietta Hamilton deserves to join those many authors being rediscovered by lovers of classic crime and I would unhesitatingly recommend this book to anyone looking to investigate a new author and an entertaining puzzle.
The author was certainly unknown to me when I received the book so I had no idea what to expect. I was pleased to find a solid mystery story, well written and with nicely drawn characters. The detective duo of Johnny and Sally are likeable and their reliance on ‘nanny’ to watch over their young children when they are out sleuthing is charming if a little dated.
The novel is set in the 1950s and the action centres around a press clippings and photography agency in central London. Although the setting is somewhat anachronistic in today’s digital age where archives can be accessed and searched at the touch of a button, the writing draws the reader in and it is easy to visualise the scene with negatives being selected, prints being made and harassed secretaries trying to get their work done.
The criminal activity is low level initially with one member of staff being targeted by an unpleasant prankster but it is not long before a murder is committed and things take on a much more serious aspect. Johnny and Sally work alongside the police who tolerate their presence quite happily. The inspector in charge of the case is kept in the background of the story as Johnny and Sally investigate and, of course, ultimately solve the mystery.
The writer plays fair with the reader and all the clues are there in the story though most of them are delightfully easy to miss. The criminal’s motive is hinted at throughout the story but I was quite some way in before I began to realise exactly why a seemingly senseless murder has been committed. Of course there are plenty of red herrings along the way with some very shady people working in the building any one of whom may have had a reason to kill. These are a delightful bunch of potential miscreants and they are written in a sympathetic and credible way making Johnny and Sally’s tolerance of the prevarications and economies of truth with which they are faced wholly understandable.
A chapter of one of Henrietta Hamilton’s other novels is included at the end of the ebook to whet the appetite for future releases and I hope that Agora will republish all of her mystery novels in the future. There are a few references in the story to events which have clearly happened in earlier novels and it would be nice to be able to read these other stories in full and spend more time with Johnny and Sally.
Henrietta Hamilton deserves to join those many authors being rediscovered by lovers of classic crime and I would unhesitatingly recommend this book to anyone looking to investigate a new author and an entertaining puzzle.
March 2, 2020
I love classic crime movies and books so was delighted when I was asked to join Crime Classics Review Club. I was sent a digital copy of a book that was first published in 1959. Agora Books is reprinting old classic mysteries as part of their Uncrowned Queens of Crime series. I was asked to write an honest review about this book in exchange for receiving it.
Answer in the Negative is a classic British mystery featuring amateur sleuths Johnny and Sally Heldar. This is apparently the second book in this series because in this book something is mentioned about a body being found in Johnny's antiquarian book shop and people recognize them as sleuths.
Johnny and Sally are visited by a dear friend Toby Lorn who is a supervisor at the National Press Archives on Fleet Street. He is concerned because one of his archive assistants, Frank Morningside, has been receiving nasty poison pen notes and he has also been the victim of mean practical jokes.These things seem to be escalating and Toby asks Johnny to investigate because they aren't able to find the culprit. Johnny is the main sleuth but Sally helps him and they agree to come to the National Archives posing as researchers to watch the employees and try to determine who is writing these nasty notes and leaving them in Frank's office.
But things take a deadly turn when someone is murdered by a box of glass negatives that were rigged to fall on his head when he opened a door. Then there is another murder. Scotland Yard is called in to investigate but Johnny and Sally are on the case, too. The murderer must be someone working in the National Archives so they begin their investigation trying to rule out the many suspects.
Murder in the Negative started out slow for me, picked up a little in the middle and I stayed with it long enough to finish it. I had a suspicion about who the murderer might be but was surprised by some of the twists in the book.This book is a product of its time as something is said about Sally having to get permission from Johnny and they are constantly smoking but I love the 1950's time period and the British setting with drizzle, pubs, a no nonsense nanny and other interesting characters. Johnny rarely went to his book shop so that left plenty of time for them to investigate the murders.
The setting at the National Archives was interesting and I learned some things about how negatives and newspaper clipping were archived and retrieved during that era. Sally and Johnny aren't in the same league as Nick and Nora Charles but they are a likable crime solving couple. Overall, I found Murder in the Negative to be an enjoyable reading experience.
Answer in the Negative is a classic British mystery featuring amateur sleuths Johnny and Sally Heldar. This is apparently the second book in this series because in this book something is mentioned about a body being found in Johnny's antiquarian book shop and people recognize them as sleuths.
Johnny and Sally are visited by a dear friend Toby Lorn who is a supervisor at the National Press Archives on Fleet Street. He is concerned because one of his archive assistants, Frank Morningside, has been receiving nasty poison pen notes and he has also been the victim of mean practical jokes.These things seem to be escalating and Toby asks Johnny to investigate because they aren't able to find the culprit. Johnny is the main sleuth but Sally helps him and they agree to come to the National Archives posing as researchers to watch the employees and try to determine who is writing these nasty notes and leaving them in Frank's office.
But things take a deadly turn when someone is murdered by a box of glass negatives that were rigged to fall on his head when he opened a door. Then there is another murder. Scotland Yard is called in to investigate but Johnny and Sally are on the case, too. The murderer must be someone working in the National Archives so they begin their investigation trying to rule out the many suspects.
Murder in the Negative started out slow for me, picked up a little in the middle and I stayed with it long enough to finish it. I had a suspicion about who the murderer might be but was surprised by some of the twists in the book.This book is a product of its time as something is said about Sally having to get permission from Johnny and they are constantly smoking but I love the 1950's time period and the British setting with drizzle, pubs, a no nonsense nanny and other interesting characters. Johnny rarely went to his book shop so that left plenty of time for them to investigate the murders.
The setting at the National Archives was interesting and I learned some things about how negatives and newspaper clipping were archived and retrieved during that era. Sally and Johnny aren't in the same league as Nick and Nora Charles but they are a likable crime solving couple. Overall, I found Murder in the Negative to be an enjoyable reading experience.
February 20, 2020
I had never heard of Henrietta Hamilton before being offered an ARC of Answer in the Negative in exchange for my honest review. The publisher, Agora Books, seems to make a business of re-issuing older British mysteries in e-book, and Answer in the Negative is one of these – the blurb indicates that it was originally published in 1959.
I tend to like the sort of mysteries where the detectives, whether amateur or official, work through a case, discovering clues, tracking down witnesses, trying out theories, dealing (perhaps) with additional corpses, and eventually figuring out whodunnit. Answer in the Negative is a nice example of this, and it kept me reading late into the night.
I also enjoyed the window into a time/period where the family antiquarian book business still left ample time for Johnny to do some amateur detecting, where Nanny took care of the kids so Sally also had ample time to do some amateur detecting, and where Sally and Johnny seemed to do the cooking together by choice rather than fighting over who had to do it. Although I’m not sure whether this time/period ever really existed as it’s portrayed, it sounds nice, at least! Sometimes older books can be a bit off-putting if their values and mores are too out of sync with today. Answer in the Negative avoided this though, and instead, at least to me, came off just as “gosh, wouldn’t this be nice”.
Along with a look at a different society, I also enjoyed a look at how photographs and newspaper clippings were handled in an era before computers came along. Overall, I am a big fan of historical mysteries, and really, Answer in the Negative turns out to be sort of an “unintentional” historical mystery, given that it was written more than six decades ago. So many of the same things I like about “normal” historical mysteries – the sense of a different time and place and society - were things I liked about this book.
All-in-all, I liked Answer in the Negative a lot and hope that Agora produces more e-books from Henrietta Hamilton titles. My thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. And also please keep in mind that I try to fight “star-inflation” a little bit. I reserve 5 stars for a very few of my most favorite books, ones I’m likely to read and reread time-and-again, and 4 stars is a great rating from me.
I tend to like the sort of mysteries where the detectives, whether amateur or official, work through a case, discovering clues, tracking down witnesses, trying out theories, dealing (perhaps) with additional corpses, and eventually figuring out whodunnit. Answer in the Negative is a nice example of this, and it kept me reading late into the night.
I also enjoyed the window into a time/period where the family antiquarian book business still left ample time for Johnny to do some amateur detecting, where Nanny took care of the kids so Sally also had ample time to do some amateur detecting, and where Sally and Johnny seemed to do the cooking together by choice rather than fighting over who had to do it. Although I’m not sure whether this time/period ever really existed as it’s portrayed, it sounds nice, at least! Sometimes older books can be a bit off-putting if their values and mores are too out of sync with today. Answer in the Negative avoided this though, and instead, at least to me, came off just as “gosh, wouldn’t this be nice”.
Along with a look at a different society, I also enjoyed a look at how photographs and newspaper clippings were handled in an era before computers came along. Overall, I am a big fan of historical mysteries, and really, Answer in the Negative turns out to be sort of an “unintentional” historical mystery, given that it was written more than six decades ago. So many of the same things I like about “normal” historical mysteries – the sense of a different time and place and society - were things I liked about this book.
All-in-all, I liked Answer in the Negative a lot and hope that Agora produces more e-books from Henrietta Hamilton titles. My thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. And also please keep in mind that I try to fight “star-inflation” a little bit. I reserve 5 stars for a very few of my most favorite books, ones I’m likely to read and reread time-and-again, and 4 stars is a great rating from me.
February 18, 2020
I had never heard of Henrietta Hamilton before I was invited to review Answer In The Negative by the delightful people at Agora Books, but now I have read it I hope they plan to republish the rest of her back catalogue, small though it is.
Set in the 1950’s in a newspaper archive, it is a very nicely paced murder mystery with enough interest to keep you reading.
The setting made for a fascinating insight into the sort of archives that were common before the days of digital, and reminded me how much I enjoyed Stephen Poliakoff’s Shooting The Past, set in a picture archive.
I liked Sally and Johnny Heldar, Hamilton’s married couple amateur detectives, from the first chapter of this mystery and became more fond of them as the book wore on. They were respectful of the Police and the Police of them, and their investigations ran in parallel. We also got some peeks into their family life with Nanny upstairs caring for the children whilst they went under cover at the archive, with case discussions over the washing up.
I’m not too sure quite how many 50’s husbands would share the cooking and washing up as Johnny does but then how many were amateur detectives in their spare time from the family bookshop?!
The mystery was well put together being a case of poison pen that turns into murder, with a good amount of suspects and some red herrings along the way.
If you like gritty, fast paced realism then this isn’t for you, but if you enjoy Agatha Christie’s Tommy and Tuppence books you’ll love it.
Set in the 1950’s in a newspaper archive, it is a very nicely paced murder mystery with enough interest to keep you reading.
The setting made for a fascinating insight into the sort of archives that were common before the days of digital, and reminded me how much I enjoyed Stephen Poliakoff’s Shooting The Past, set in a picture archive.
I liked Sally and Johnny Heldar, Hamilton’s married couple amateur detectives, from the first chapter of this mystery and became more fond of them as the book wore on. They were respectful of the Police and the Police of them, and their investigations ran in parallel. We also got some peeks into their family life with Nanny upstairs caring for the children whilst they went under cover at the archive, with case discussions over the washing up.
I’m not too sure quite how many 50’s husbands would share the cooking and washing up as Johnny does but then how many were amateur detectives in their spare time from the family bookshop?!
The mystery was well put together being a case of poison pen that turns into murder, with a good amount of suspects and some red herrings along the way.
If you like gritty, fast paced realism then this isn’t for you, but if you enjoy Agatha Christie’s Tommy and Tuppence books you’ll love it.
February 22, 2020
This book was first published in 1959. It has now been reprinted by Agora Books and released on 20th February 2020. It involves the husband-wife team of Johnny and Sally Heldar as amateur detectives.
Frank Mormingside, an archive assistant in the pictures department of National Press Archives is getting poison-pen letters and pranks are being played on him. When the situation becomes intolerable, Toby Lorn, the head of the pictures department decides to call on his friends Johnny and Sally Heldar for help.
The Heldrs agree to help and they visit the National Press Archives in the guise of archive researchers and start keeping regular watch in the office. However, soon, Morningside is found killed in the doorway of his office room by a box of glass negatives falling on his head. Chief Detective-Inspector Lindesay of Scotland Yard takes charge of the case. He lets the Heldars help him. After a few days, another death takes place.
Even after a painstaking and plodding investigation by the Heldars involving examining and re-examining the alibis and timetables of the various suspects, they are unable to solve the case. But a chance remark by the culprit gives him/her away.
It is an agreeable, enjoyable read, though nothing brilliant. There is a vivid depiction of life in an archives office before the advent of computers. But the plot is too cumbersome and improbable.
Thanks to NetGalley and Agora Books for a free review copy.
Frank Mormingside, an archive assistant in the pictures department of National Press Archives is getting poison-pen letters and pranks are being played on him. When the situation becomes intolerable, Toby Lorn, the head of the pictures department decides to call on his friends Johnny and Sally Heldar for help.
The Heldrs agree to help and they visit the National Press Archives in the guise of archive researchers and start keeping regular watch in the office. However, soon, Morningside is found killed in the doorway of his office room by a box of glass negatives falling on his head. Chief Detective-Inspector Lindesay of Scotland Yard takes charge of the case. He lets the Heldars help him. After a few days, another death takes place.
Even after a painstaking and plodding investigation by the Heldars involving examining and re-examining the alibis and timetables of the various suspects, they are unable to solve the case. But a chance remark by the culprit gives him/her away.
It is an agreeable, enjoyable read, though nothing brilliant. There is a vivid depiction of life in an archives office before the advent of computers. But the plot is too cumbersome and improbable.
Thanks to NetGalley and Agora Books for a free review copy.
February 28, 2020
Originally published in 1959, this little mystery has recently been re-published by Agora Books. The protagonist couple, Johnny and Sally Heldar, own a bookshop - my interest, obviously - and in their spare time, solve murders. As one does.
Unless I am much mistaken, this is actually not the first in the series, which at this point is I think just something I do/happens to me. I can't actually be certain, because Goodreads has nothing for me here, but there are references to previous crime-solving in the book which lead me to believe this adventure may occur after the characters have been established in previous arcs.
Regardless: this was a cool story. Now, it was written in a different time, by someone who had been born and grown up in an even earlier time so the writing style is quite different to modern cozy mysteries. I actually enjoyed this - there is a certain je ne sais quoi to the amazing courtesy of earlier-generation writers that Ms. Hamilton exemplifies. I found this easy to read, and with an interesting plot to boot! There are stage plays, there are Press Archives, there are love triangles (mostly polite ones, these characters are British after all), there's a bit of everything and because it's a British setting it is all remarkably polite. I didn't guess the murderer until toward the end, either, which is a point for the book and the writer.
This was a lovely read, and worth the time investment on your part if you do enjoy cozy mysteries!
Unless I am much mistaken, this is actually not the first in the series, which at this point is I think just something I do/happens to me. I can't actually be certain, because Goodreads has nothing for me here, but there are references to previous crime-solving in the book which lead me to believe this adventure may occur after the characters have been established in previous arcs.
Regardless: this was a cool story. Now, it was written in a different time, by someone who had been born and grown up in an even earlier time so the writing style is quite different to modern cozy mysteries. I actually enjoyed this - there is a certain je ne sais quoi to the amazing courtesy of earlier-generation writers that Ms. Hamilton exemplifies. I found this easy to read, and with an interesting plot to boot! There are stage plays, there are Press Archives, there are love triangles (mostly polite ones, these characters are British after all), there's a bit of everything and because it's a British setting it is all remarkably polite. I didn't guess the murderer until toward the end, either, which is a point for the book and the writer.
This was a lovely read, and worth the time investment on your part if you do enjoy cozy mysteries!
March 7, 2020
This book was first published in 1959. It has now been reprinted by Agora Books and released on 20th February 2020. It involves the husband-wife team of Johnny and Sally Heldar as amateur detectives.
Frank Mormingside, an archive assistant in the pictures department of National Press Archives is getting poison-pen letters and pranks are being played on him. When the situation becomes intolerable, Toby Lorn, the head of the pictures department decides to call on his friends Johnny and Sally Heldar for help.
The Heldrs agree to help and they visit the National Press Archives in the guise of archive researchers and start keeping regular watch in the office. However, soon, Morningside is found killed in the doorway of his office by a box of glass negatives falling on his head. Chief Detective-Inspector Lindesay of Scotland Yard takes charge of the case. He lets the Heldars help him. After a few days, another death takes place.
Even after a painstaking and plodding investigation by the Heldars involving examining and re-examining the alibis and timetables of the various suspects, they are unable to solve the case. But a chance remark by the culprit gives him/her away.
It is an agreeable, enjoyable read, though nothing brilliant. There is a vivid depiction of life in an archives office before the advent of computers. But the plot is too cumbersome and improbable.
Frank Mormingside, an archive assistant in the pictures department of National Press Archives is getting poison-pen letters and pranks are being played on him. When the situation becomes intolerable, Toby Lorn, the head of the pictures department decides to call on his friends Johnny and Sally Heldar for help.
The Heldrs agree to help and they visit the National Press Archives in the guise of archive researchers and start keeping regular watch in the office. However, soon, Morningside is found killed in the doorway of his office by a box of glass negatives falling on his head. Chief Detective-Inspector Lindesay of Scotland Yard takes charge of the case. He lets the Heldars help him. After a few days, another death takes place.
Even after a painstaking and plodding investigation by the Heldars involving examining and re-examining the alibis and timetables of the various suspects, they are unable to solve the case. But a chance remark by the culprit gives him/her away.
It is an agreeable, enjoyable read, though nothing brilliant. There is a vivid depiction of life in an archives office before the advent of computers. But the plot is too cumbersome and improbable.
July 22, 2020
A husband and wife team of amateur sleuths are asked by a good friend to look into a case of poison pen letters received by a colleague at the National Press Archives.
Johnny and Sally Heldar go to do a spot of surveillance and before you can say ‘Pass me my camera’ there is a death.
Everyone comes under scrutiny and despite puzzling all round the houses (and bomb sites of post war London) it takes a simple wrongly made observation to uncover the killer.
There was a tendency in the story to go into a lot of lists. Like, he ate in the canteen at 7, walked into the reception area at 7.35 talked to Mr So and So for no more than 5 minutes, made his way to the lift where he was waylaid by Whatsherface for 2 minutes, he got to his office at 7.54 so that means that.....and so on. I got a bit fed up of that.
However, it was not a bad book and I was keen to get to the whys and wherefores.
Johnny and Sally Heldar go to do a spot of surveillance and before you can say ‘Pass me my camera’ there is a death.
Everyone comes under scrutiny and despite puzzling all round the houses (and bomb sites of post war London) it takes a simple wrongly made observation to uncover the killer.
There was a tendency in the story to go into a lot of lists. Like, he ate in the canteen at 7, walked into the reception area at 7.35 talked to Mr So and So for no more than 5 minutes, made his way to the lift where he was waylaid by Whatsherface for 2 minutes, he got to his office at 7.54 so that means that.....and so on. I got a bit fed up of that.
However, it was not a bad book and I was keen to get to the whys and wherefores.
March 8, 2020
This is a splendid story from Henrietta Hamilton of a group of talented women going about the solving of crimes in days when women’s efforts of this sort were little appreciated. The tale involves using press archives--photos and clippings--in the days before there were widely-used computers and online databases. This is a cleverly plotted and absorbing story. For those who are paying attention, the author has kindly provided us with a valuable clue in the book’s title.
Our sleuths, Sally and Johnny Heldar, are somewhat reminiscent of Christie’s Tommy and Tuppence, another appealing and resourceful pair.
I found this book enjoyable; it was fun to see how intelligent people used data sources in less technological times.
My thanks to author, publisher, the George Bellairs Estate, and NetGalley for providing an advance copy to read and provide an honest review.
Our sleuths, Sally and Johnny Heldar, are somewhat reminiscent of Christie’s Tommy and Tuppence, another appealing and resourceful pair.
I found this book enjoyable; it was fun to see how intelligent people used data sources in less technological times.
My thanks to author, publisher, the George Bellairs Estate, and NetGalley for providing an advance copy to read and provide an honest review.
April 29, 2020
This release by Agora books was a very welcome one to me. I loved the book for several reasons. The main characters, the Heldars, were a lovely couple. The story was written in the style of the Golden Age which I always find to be erudite. I loved the struggle to find the truth and the careful analysis of all the information gathered. I also, of course, am a fan of suspense but without terrible violence in gory detail as well as the lack of vulgar language which so many modern authors find necessary in their writing. I guessed the perpetrator only by luck I think we it was not really obvious by the clues in the book but just what my husband always called my intuition. I miss him now and his loving ways toward me. I am sure if this had been made into a movie, we would have loved it and he would have been asking throughout, "Well, have you figured it out?" . I will see you later love.
February 16, 2020
"Answer in the Negative" is a pleasant, quick read, but the plot is highly improbable and the solution is predictable. This is the first I've heard of author Henrietta Hamilton, and I suspect she has built her detective duo , Sally and Johnny, on Agatha Christie's more famous pair, Tommy and Tuppence; unfortunately with less style and skill.
Sally's role seems to be to wander harmlessly into and out of dangerous situations and to make intuitive remarks about the crimes, while Johnny's role is to make lists and timetables. They both give lip service but very little time to their other roles as parents of three little kids and proprietors of a bookstore.
Think of it more as a cure for insomnia than a serious crime novel.
Sally's role seems to be to wander harmlessly into and out of dangerous situations and to make intuitive remarks about the crimes, while Johnny's role is to make lists and timetables. They both give lip service but very little time to their other roles as parents of three little kids and proprietors of a bookstore.
Think of it more as a cure for insomnia than a serious crime novel.
February 25, 2020
Sally and Johnny Heldar are requested by a friend to check out some anonymous letters sent to a colleague which are steadily becoming more vitriolic and descending into utmost vulgarity.
At the National Press Archives Frank Morningside is someone who is not particularly liked or disliked. A rather tedious person he has many enemies and but when he is found bludgeoned to death the investigation takes a more serious turn.
Negatives are missing and whether these lead to particular instances where people could be blackmailed is the question. When a second death occurs made to look like an accident the Heldars know there is a murderer who will not stop at anything to cover his tracks.
It was a good detective story with a well planned story line.
At the National Press Archives Frank Morningside is someone who is not particularly liked or disliked. A rather tedious person he has many enemies and but when he is found bludgeoned to death the investigation takes a more serious turn.
Negatives are missing and whether these lead to particular instances where people could be blackmailed is the question. When a second death occurs made to look like an accident the Heldars know there is a murderer who will not stop at anything to cover his tracks.
It was a good detective story with a well planned story line.
March 8, 2020
A call for help from the son of an old friend, sees crime fighting duo Sally and Johnny Heldar, investigating a series of poison pen letters at the National Press Archives. But when the victim of these letters ends up murdered, the couple remain on the scene and run their own investigation inconjuction with that of the local constabulary.
The setting for this outing is 1950s London - and today's readers might find some of the themese running through this as a little dated - but that is what you get when reading something that is over 60 years old. London is still bearing the scars of a war which only ended a few years previous.
This isn't the first in the series but there is enough contained within to ensure that you aren't completely left in the dark. An afternoon's escapism.
The setting for this outing is 1950s London - and today's readers might find some of the themese running through this as a little dated - but that is what you get when reading something that is over 60 years old. London is still bearing the scars of a war which only ended a few years previous.
This isn't the first in the series but there is enough contained within to ensure that you aren't completely left in the dark. An afternoon's escapism.
June 4, 2020
This book no doubt would have garnered four stars had I read it in the time frame of its publication. The jargon has not withstood the passage of time, and I found it slow going.
The plot was well schemed, the characters well fleshed out. Johnny and Sally Heldar are engaging protagonists, and I might just dig out their first adventure. All the characters are relatable, even the cruder ones. The author did not give much away as to the prior installments - a good thing. One of the challenges I faced in reading was the descriptions of the Archive rooms and the negatives in general. Had the author perhaps drawn a map of the important areas inside the Echo Building, it would have been easier to follow the many goings-on in there. I had a problem visualizing it.
The plot was well schemed, the characters well fleshed out. Johnny and Sally Heldar are engaging protagonists, and I might just dig out their first adventure. All the characters are relatable, even the cruder ones. The author did not give much away as to the prior installments - a good thing. One of the challenges I faced in reading was the descriptions of the Archive rooms and the negatives in general. Had the author perhaps drawn a map of the important areas inside the Echo Building, it would have been easier to follow the many goings-on in there. I had a problem visualizing it.
April 7, 2020
A very good classic British mystery set in post WWII. The characters are well developed, with a compelling storyline, even if at times it gets bogged down in too much detail.
The story centers around a business, which specializes in old photograghs and news clippings, A fascinating look into a very obscure and unknown type of business, yet extremely important to the newspapers.
The author has created a delightful and entertaining mystery with twists and turns. The atmosphere of this story is intriguing. The mystery flows for the most smoothly with a few detours.
I want to thank Agora Books and Net Galley for this advance copy.
The story centers around a business, which specializes in old photograghs and news clippings, A fascinating look into a very obscure and unknown type of business, yet extremely important to the newspapers.
The author has created a delightful and entertaining mystery with twists and turns. The atmosphere of this story is intriguing. The mystery flows for the most smoothly with a few detours.
I want to thank Agora Books and Net Galley for this advance copy.
February 20, 2020
Another worthwhile title from Agora Books, this time reproduced from the 1950s. Set in a Fleet Street archive, it provides an engaging insight into a pre-digital publishing and research world, dependent on both visual and oral recall. The focus is on detection, in this case, private detection by married couple Sally and Johnie. The police investigation progresses competently in the background and is accorded due respect by the author and our private sleuths.
We are given enough information about Sally and Johnie to want them to succeed and to empathise with their dilemmas. I didn’t develop the same sense of the other players, who we see largely through the eyes of Sally and Johnie. This was a bit of a limitation - they came and went a bit like minor players in a stage melodrama. Sally and Johnie are also sufficiently Middle Class to employ a nanny who keeps their children safely occupied and invisible for all but an hour or two a day. Sally appears to do all the cooking and there is presumably an invisible cleaner.
The plot was engaging and well-paced. The details of time and place could have been more succinctly presented, but I enjoyed following the logic and fact-checking. The husband-wife partnership is an interesting emerging perspective by the 1950s and, although there are inevitable attitudes of protection displayed, the partnership is more equal than most and the writing stands the test of time.
Thanks to NetGalley for the Review copy. I’ll look out for more in this series.
We are given enough information about Sally and Johnie to want them to succeed and to empathise with their dilemmas. I didn’t develop the same sense of the other players, who we see largely through the eyes of Sally and Johnie. This was a bit of a limitation - they came and went a bit like minor players in a stage melodrama. Sally and Johnie are also sufficiently Middle Class to employ a nanny who keeps their children safely occupied and invisible for all but an hour or two a day. Sally appears to do all the cooking and there is presumably an invisible cleaner.
The plot was engaging and well-paced. The details of time and place could have been more succinctly presented, but I enjoyed following the logic and fact-checking. The husband-wife partnership is an interesting emerging perspective by the 1950s and, although there are inevitable attitudes of protection displayed, the partnership is more equal than most and the writing stands the test of time.
Thanks to NetGalley for the Review copy. I’ll look out for more in this series.
February 20, 2020
It's the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last.
It's a classic whodunnit, well written and engrossing.
It starts slow with a description of the fascinating environment and the introduction of all the characters.
Sally and Johnny are a fascinating couple, very modern even if some moments reflect the age spirit.
The mystery is solid and the solution came as a surprise.
I can't wait to read the next instalment.
Strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
It's a classic whodunnit, well written and engrossing.
It starts slow with a description of the fascinating environment and the introduction of all the characters.
Sally and Johnny are a fascinating couple, very modern even if some moments reflect the age spirit.
The mystery is solid and the solution came as a surprise.
I can't wait to read the next instalment.
Strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
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