Working Murder

Clara Gamadge Mystery #1

by Eleanor Boylan

Clara Gamadge, widow of the famous amateur detective Henry Gamadge, is determined to solve the mystery of her aunt's death

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction

222 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Eleanor Daly Boylan was born in New York City in 1916. She began writing mystery fiction in the 1950's. Her short stories have appeared in Alfred Hitchcock and Ellery Queen mystery magazines and in Yankee Magazine. She was the daughter of Edward (a lawyer) and Kathleen (Ewing) Daly, and married Paul Boylan (a teacher) on September 9, 1944. Her children were: Paul, Jr., Edward, Thomas, Virginia, Eleanor.

She is the niece of Elizabeth Daly, who originally created the Gamadge characters. Eleanor Boylan has also been a professional puppeteer. She raised her family in Newton, Massachusetts and moved to Anna Maria Island in Florida in 1985. She is the creator of ‘Clara Gamadge’, widow of a forgery expert.

Series:
* Clara Gamadge Mystery

Reviews

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in the Clara Gamadge Mysteries, written by Eleanor Boylan, who is the niece of Elizabeth Daly the creator of the ‘Golden Age’ Henry Gamadge Mysteries.

I love the Henry Gamadge Mysteries, so I was intrigued to see how well Eleanor would do with her aunts characters in a more up to date mysteries series.

I can quite honestly say that I was not disappointed! The Clara Gamadge Mysteries are more a family affair than a sole detective. In a well plotted and written story, bringing the younger Gamadge’s into play with the older generation.

Well worth reading and re-reading (as I did…I first read this book when it first came out in 1992).

Clara Gamadge puts down the phone with a tremor of excitement. Only a year ago that call would have come to her husband, gifted sleuth Henry Gamadge. Now Henry is dead, and Clara is summoned to deal with the latest convulsion in an old family tragedy.
Haunted by the never-explained disappearance fifty years ago of her lovely daughter, Ellen, Clara’s Aunt May ignores a kindly anonymous letter advising her to let Ellen rest, or live, in peace — and suddenly dies. And so begins Clara’s first solo case, a tragic, twisting tale that winds far into the past — back to Prohibition, bitter family feuds, secret love affairs, and a cherished, laughing girl.
In this lively puzzle, author Eleanor Boylan, whose own aunt Elizabeth Daly, wrote eight Henry Gamadge mysteries, does her aunt — and her readers — proud.

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[Carol Raziano · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written evocative mystery of times past.

The characters are well fleshed out. The geographical descriptions are amazing and the book is just the right length for a quick compelling read.

[Robyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Free with Kindle Rewards | A nice surprise | I picked this up unsure if I would like it at all. I don't often read mysteries written in the past 40 years, because so often they insist on "gritty realism", which I don't enjoy (reality has enough gritty realism for me, I read partly to get a break from it). I read every book in the Henry Gamadge series, and was disappointed at how much Clara was left out, so to discover that the author's niece had revived the character and given her a series of her own, decades after the Henry books ended, was intriguing enough to try. And it works. It's a bit clunky, a little overstuffed with characters that aren't differentiated from each other enough (at the very end, "Andy" speaks, and I could not for the life of me remember who he was, because he was introduced just maybe two chapters prior and had a few paragraphs only). It's not particularly set in its time, though there are references to how long ago things happened it could be any time pre-cell phones, because it's solving a decades-old mystery and so mostly looking back. Culprit fairly obvious but still well plotted. I'll go ahead and try another in the series.

[M.L.D. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoy the Henry Gamadge books, so I was intrigued by this: Clara gets center stage after Henry's passing, and the story is written by Elizabeth Daly's niece.

Clara's characterization is so-s0 and the murder is too easy. I may try another and see how it goes.

[Eugene · Rating 3 out of 5]

🍷
First of the five Clara Gamage mysteries Eleanor Boylan wrote. Boylan’s aunt Elizabeth Daly wrote 16 mysteries in the 1940’s featuring Henry Gamage. Here, Boylan begins a five book homage to Daly’s investigator Henry Gamage, starring Henry’s widow Clara as the new detective on the block, and does a fine job of it.
Clara has escaped New York City for a year by leasing digs on an island off the Gulf coast of Florida from her cousin Charles “Sadd” Sadlier, complete with said cousin as a companion. Then they get a long distance call from NYC and their elderly aunt May Dawson, well into her 80’s and in some sort of deep distress. Clara and Sadd hop the next plane up to the Big Apple (winter though it is!) to render aid and assistance to May. Things escalate from there, and we get to witness it all. Not a traditional mystery, it’s more of a family’s reveal of skeletons in the closet, although there’s some apparent long ago murder/disappearance to deal with; Clara is a fine protagonist, the story is compelling, the plotting moves along, and the end is quite satisfactory.

[Chazzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clara Gamadge receives a call from a family member regarding an old family mystery. A year ago her husband would have gotten the call, but he is dead and she is being asked to investigate the matter.

Fifty years ago, a young girl went missing without a trace. Was she kidnapped, murdered or did she just run away and is still alive. Her mother wants to know before she dies. The mother never does find out as she suddenly dies.

As Clara investigates, she has to be delicate as she is poking at old wounds. She has to follow threads that are frail and reach back to Prohibition, family feuds, love affairs and rumours. It is more complex than expected. With twists, turns and cross-overs the story moves on.

Interesting side note is that the author is the niece of Elizabeth Daly who wrote the original Henry Gamadge mysteries.

I read this in one night, as I wanted to know the solution. It kept me going till the end and I enjoyed the journey.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

too close to home ---plus dredging up an unsolved disappearance fifty years ago of a lovely 18-year-old on her high school prom night………..which, had never been solved…..A short fast read and yet, -----------at times I was confused –who was who and where they come from……..and yet towards the end I enjoyed it! Would be great while sitting some where W A I T I N G for whatever it is your waiting for! BUT, I did finish it so……….that’s a plus in it’s favor!

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just ok. It is by the niece of Elizabeth Daly, the author of the Henry Gamadge mysteries. She uses some of the same characters, but she doesn't have quite the style or ability of her aunt. The book is a little loose and wanders. The ending is very anti-climactic and unsatisfying and the motivation of the characters is really unclear.

[Adam Linn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was walking around Greenwich Village the other night, and I thought, I want to go home and read a New york mystery. I loved working Murder, the class issues between old wasps and Irish Catholics, muscling into the family was funny and pointed. If you want a well written fun "Who Done It" I think this is a great book.

[Cece · Rating 3 out of 5]

The continuation of the popular and respected Henry Gamadge series, written by Boylan's aunt, Elizabeth Daly. I liked it-a respectable spin-off with good plotting and true to the original characters. We'll see if she kept it up through the series.

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging to read, although I needed a family tree to keep straight how everyone was related. Not to difficult to figure out the solution, yes, but I related to the characters and the area. An entertaining read.

[Minrose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love the characters in Eleanor Boylan's books. They are fun to read. Great story about family stories, secrets and legends. Wonderful settings. A great read.

[Khanson919 · Rating 2 out of 5]

The murderer was pretty obvious from the beginning, not much of a mystery.

[Bev · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent...but the Elizabeth Daly series with Henry Gamadge (instead of featuring his wife Clara) is SO much better."

[Regine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sad. Also, badly titled.

[Catsalive · Rating 2 out of 5]

An OK read. Didn't thrill me but it's inoffensive & the main characters were likeable.