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Henry Gamadge #1
Unexpected Night
Bibliophile-sleuth Henry Gamadge investigates the bizarre death of Amberley Cowden and uncovers murder and mayhem in the midst of a troupe of impoverished actors
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1940
302 people are currently reading
895 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Daly
35 books54 followersElizabeth Daly (1878-1967) was born in New York City and educated at Bryn Mawr College, Pennsylvania and Columbia University. She was a reader in English at Bryn Mawr and tutored in English and French. She was awarded an Edgar in 1960. Her series character is Henry Gamadge, an antiquarian book dealer.
Daly works in the footsteps of Jane Austen, offering an extraordinarily clear picture of society in her time through the interactions of a few characters. In that tradition, if you knew a person's family history, general type, and a few personal quirks, you could be said to know everything worth knowing about that person. Today the emphasis is on baring the darkest depths of psycho- and socio-pathology; contemporary readers raised on this style may find Ms. Daly both elitist and somewhat facile. But fans of classic movies and whodunits know that a focus on polished surfaces brings with it the possibility of hidden secrets and things unsaid; for those who disdain the obvious confessional style of today, the Gamadge books have much to recommend them.
Elizabeth Daly now seems sadly forgotten by many which a shame as all her books are superbly crafted and plotted, indeed she counted none other than Agatha Christie as one of her fans. She published sixteen books all of which featured her main series character Henry Gamadge. He is a bibliophile and expert on rare books and manuscripts which makes her books particularly appealing to fans of the bibliomystery. There was some disparity between UK and US releases some being published out of sequence, the bibliography shown follows the US editions which are the true firsts. Murder Listens In and Shroud for a Lady are re-titled reissues of earlier books.
Daly works in the footsteps of Jane Austen, offering an extraordinarily clear picture of society in her time through the interactions of a few characters. In that tradition, if you knew a person's family history, general type, and a few personal quirks, you could be said to know everything worth knowing about that person. Today the emphasis is on baring the darkest depths of psycho- and socio-pathology; contemporary readers raised on this style may find Ms. Daly both elitist and somewhat facile. But fans of classic movies and whodunits know that a focus on polished surfaces brings with it the possibility of hidden secrets and things unsaid; for those who disdain the obvious confessional style of today, the Gamadge books have much to recommend them.
Elizabeth Daly now seems sadly forgotten by many which a shame as all her books are superbly crafted and plotted, indeed she counted none other than Agatha Christie as one of her fans. She published sixteen books all of which featured her main series character Henry Gamadge. He is a bibliophile and expert on rare books and manuscripts which makes her books particularly appealing to fans of the bibliomystery. There was some disparity between UK and US releases some being published out of sequence, the bibliography shown follows the US editions which are the true firsts. Murder Listens In and Shroud for a Lady are re-titled reissues of earlier books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
May 21, 2019
”’Who on earth is this Gamadge, Hugh, and what has he to do with it? He sounds like a most unconscionable busybody.’
‘He’s a friend of the Barclays. Some sort of book expert. I didn’t quite get all of it, but he looks at old books for collectors, or something, and advises them whether to buy. Writes pamphlets, I think.’”
Henry Gamadge has left New York for a bit of vacation on the coast of Maine. Gamadge is expecting some leisurely rounds of golf, good food, a cocktail or two, bridge, and maybe some light reading before bed. Little does he know that he is about to be up to his neck in a strange case involving a young heir on the cusp of turning the inheriting age of 21, a large fortune, a dodgy natural death, a troupe of actors who are dying one by one in mysterious ways, an extended family clinging by their snapping fingernails to respectability, and dark of night assignations that are puzzling as to their intent.
If truth be known Gamadge should have packed up his travelling cases and relocated to a place where he had some chance of staying clear of what will become a very messy investigation. Of course, the problem is that Gamadge is a curious sort and he becomes obsessed with the nuances of the case. The local police are glad of his help and certainly, if Gamadge had not been such a busybody, the police would have lacked his specific talents that led to a revelation that contributed to solving the crime.
Gamadge is soon dodging errant golf balls flying at his head, which are certainly no accident, and has to be on guard for unnatural additions to the drinks of those he is trying to protect. ”’Morphia!’ she exclaimed, scornfully. ‘Morphia in Aunt Julia’s Orange-Flower Water! The most harmless tonic! We all take it.’”
If I were a partaker of Aunt Julia’s Orange-Flower Water, I can certainly tell you that morphia would not be welcome. How insidious to spike a person’s Orange-Flower Water!
This book was published in 1940, but is set in 1939. I have seen some reviewers complain that Elizabeth Daly does not mention the war. America did not get in the war officially until December 7th, 1941. The British were in the war in 1939, so there must be some confusion for some readers on the timeline. It looks to me like the war becomes an issue in the next few volumes.
What is fascinating for me, of course, is to have a Bibliophile sleuth. I am a bit disappointed that his first case takes him out of New York, but I’m sure he will be back in the middle of his book business for the next volume in the series. There are 16 Henry Gamadge novels, so there are plenty for me to explore and enjoy.
Elizabeth Daly was fortunate enough to descend from several generations of book collectors. The most amazing personal libraries, in my opinion, are those that have involved several generations. The additions by each new owner to the collection, who may have different tastes than their father or grandfather, is frankly fascinating to me. She is well versed in the jargon and the gentle madness of the profession. I hope to see her putting that on display over the course of the series.
This is not considered one of Daly’s better mysteries, but it is the first, and given my natural need for reading a book series in order, I wanted to start here. I was caught up in the investigation but maybe more so in the descriptions of the habits of the characters going about their daily lives. It is a taste of vacationing in Maine in 1939.
Dame Agatha Christie once said that Elizabeth Daly was her favorite writer. Now isn’t that tantalizing. Felony & Mayhem Press (love the name) has released the series with attractive matching covers.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
‘He’s a friend of the Barclays. Some sort of book expert. I didn’t quite get all of it, but he looks at old books for collectors, or something, and advises them whether to buy. Writes pamphlets, I think.’”
Henry Gamadge has left New York for a bit of vacation on the coast of Maine. Gamadge is expecting some leisurely rounds of golf, good food, a cocktail or two, bridge, and maybe some light reading before bed. Little does he know that he is about to be up to his neck in a strange case involving a young heir on the cusp of turning the inheriting age of 21, a large fortune, a dodgy natural death, a troupe of actors who are dying one by one in mysterious ways, an extended family clinging by their snapping fingernails to respectability, and dark of night assignations that are puzzling as to their intent.
If truth be known Gamadge should have packed up his travelling cases and relocated to a place where he had some chance of staying clear of what will become a very messy investigation. Of course, the problem is that Gamadge is a curious sort and he becomes obsessed with the nuances of the case. The local police are glad of his help and certainly, if Gamadge had not been such a busybody, the police would have lacked his specific talents that led to a revelation that contributed to solving the crime.
Gamadge is soon dodging errant golf balls flying at his head, which are certainly no accident, and has to be on guard for unnatural additions to the drinks of those he is trying to protect. ”’Morphia!’ she exclaimed, scornfully. ‘Morphia in Aunt Julia’s Orange-Flower Water! The most harmless tonic! We all take it.’”
If I were a partaker of Aunt Julia’s Orange-Flower Water, I can certainly tell you that morphia would not be welcome. How insidious to spike a person’s Orange-Flower Water!
This book was published in 1940, but is set in 1939. I have seen some reviewers complain that Elizabeth Daly does not mention the war. America did not get in the war officially until December 7th, 1941. The British were in the war in 1939, so there must be some confusion for some readers on the timeline. It looks to me like the war becomes an issue in the next few volumes.
What is fascinating for me, of course, is to have a Bibliophile sleuth. I am a bit disappointed that his first case takes him out of New York, but I’m sure he will be back in the middle of his book business for the next volume in the series. There are 16 Henry Gamadge novels, so there are plenty for me to explore and enjoy.
Elizabeth Daly was fortunate enough to descend from several generations of book collectors. The most amazing personal libraries, in my opinion, are those that have involved several generations. The additions by each new owner to the collection, who may have different tastes than their father or grandfather, is frankly fascinating to me. She is well versed in the jargon and the gentle madness of the profession. I hope to see her putting that on display over the course of the series.
This is not considered one of Daly’s better mysteries, but it is the first, and given my natural need for reading a book series in order, I wanted to start here. I was caught up in the investigation but maybe more so in the descriptions of the habits of the characters going about their daily lives. It is a taste of vacationing in Maine in 1939.
Dame Agatha Christie once said that Elizabeth Daly was her favorite writer. Now isn’t that tantalizing. Felony & Mayhem Press (love the name) has released the series with attractive matching covers.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
April 9, 2025
This was a delightfully quaint Golden Age mystery by an author new to me. It seems this Henry Gamadge series was her one focus of writing. With more than fifteen books to its credit, I have plenty more reading enjoyment awaiting me.
The plot had me stumped and its solution is one I never considered. The story kept me engaged with action, near misses, and bodies stacking up. I found the characters and the writing of quality. The overall tone had an old-fashioned feel to it – complete with overwrought females.
In fact, it reminded me of an Agatha Christie style story, though the one oddity was its gentleman sleuth, Henry Gamadge. This being the first book of the series I would have expected it to begin with Gamadge’s background, outlining his skills in detection. However, no more is said than he’s a book collector and a handwriting expert who is briefly acquainted with extended family members of the deceased, young Amberly Cowden.
The pivotal death occurs near the beginning and the rest of the book is devoted to the investigation and collaboration between the police investigator and Gamadge. I found it strange that the police would ally with Gamadge with so little affirmation of his credentials. Gamadge is called a “busy body” by the family’s lawyer (and I completely agree with him) and, yet I still found the book appealing.
And like Christie’s Poirot is famous for, Gamadge holds a denouement near the end where he turns the police case on end by demonstrating his logic skills filling in the gaps they missed. I kept wondering when and if any of Gamadge’s expertise would come into play besides his extraordinary grasp of logic, and it does. During the finale he explains how a vital clue was found in the handwriting.
I’m looking forward to continuing this series whenever I’m in the mood for a vintage murder mystery with an imaginative plot.
The plot had me stumped and its solution is one I never considered. The story kept me engaged with action, near misses, and bodies stacking up. I found the characters and the writing of quality. The overall tone had an old-fashioned feel to it – complete with overwrought females.
In fact, it reminded me of an Agatha Christie style story, though the one oddity was its gentleman sleuth, Henry Gamadge. This being the first book of the series I would have expected it to begin with Gamadge’s background, outlining his skills in detection. However, no more is said than he’s a book collector and a handwriting expert who is briefly acquainted with extended family members of the deceased, young Amberly Cowden.
The pivotal death occurs near the beginning and the rest of the book is devoted to the investigation and collaboration between the police investigator and Gamadge. I found it strange that the police would ally with Gamadge with so little affirmation of his credentials. Gamadge is called a “busy body” by the family’s lawyer (and I completely agree with him) and, yet I still found the book appealing.
And like Christie’s Poirot is famous for, Gamadge holds a denouement near the end where he turns the police case on end by demonstrating his logic skills filling in the gaps they missed. I kept wondering when and if any of Gamadge’s expertise would come into play besides his extraordinary grasp of logic, and it does. During the finale he explains how a vital clue was found in the handwriting.
I’m looking forward to continuing this series whenever I’m in the mood for a vintage murder mystery with an imaginative plot.
July 13, 2011
It's Vintage Mystery Sunday and time to step into my vault of classic mysteries and choose one to feature that I read and loved before blogging took over my life and I began reviewing everything I read. This week I'm featuring Unexpected Night by Elizabeth Daly. I don't quite remember how I first found out about Daly and her charming and urbane amateur detective, Henry Gamadge. I think I stumbled across my first one in the tiny local library in the equally tiny town where my husband & I lived when we were first married. If it's true that this is where I first encountered Daly's mysteries which feature the consultant on rare books who has turned detective, then my first Daly was Death and Letters. Someone in that town had a vast love for the 30s-60s era detective novel. I've never been in a library which shelved such a large number of mysteries in comparison to the total circulation.
Elizabeth Daly was born in 1878 in New York City. She was the daughter of the NYC Supreme Court judge, Joseph Francis Daly, and the niece of the playwright and producer, Augustin Daly--and was brought up in a legal and literary atmosphere. She began her literary career at age sixteen publishing light poetry and prose in various magazines, but did not write her first mystery until she was sixty-two. She eventually wrote a total of 16 detective novels. According to her bio in Unexpected Night, she "considered the detective novel at its best a high form of literature and didn't seek to write any other form of fiction." It has also been said in many places that Daly was Agatha Christie's favorite American mystery writer.
Unexpected Night (1940) is Daly's first novel. In it we are introduced to Henry Gamadge, bibliophile and consultant on old books, autographs, and inks. He lives on the East Side of New York, but is willing to roam afield to investigate a suspicious signature....or an untimely death. This first recorded adventure finds Gamadge taking a few days off for rest and golf. His little holiday is interrupted by the untimely death of young Amberley Cowden. Cowden's body is discovered at the bottom of a cliff and is soon ruled an accidental death. But if that is true, why is it so obvious that the scene has been staged? And it does seem a bit odd that Cowden should suffer a fatal accident so soon after receiving an inheritance. Gamadge also wonders what role Amberley's cousin and the encamped troupe of actors are playing in the strange twists and turns of events. All evidence would seem to indicate that someone is playing to a different script--one of murder and mayhem. Can Gamadge fulfill his role and resolve it all before another character is removed from the cast list?
Even this first novel is well crafted and plotted. As the series continues, Daly becomes more confident and is able to provided more tightly constructed plots. But all the elements are there in her first attempt. She also has a fine control of character and provides a very nice picture of society through the interactions between just a few characters. It is very easy to slide into the late 30s and 40s with Daly leading the way. And Gamadge is a wonderful character--I love his genteel and urbane manners. And, of course, I love that he's a bibliophile. All in all a truly delightful, cozy mystery series.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
Elizabeth Daly was born in 1878 in New York City. She was the daughter of the NYC Supreme Court judge, Joseph Francis Daly, and the niece of the playwright and producer, Augustin Daly--and was brought up in a legal and literary atmosphere. She began her literary career at age sixteen publishing light poetry and prose in various magazines, but did not write her first mystery until she was sixty-two. She eventually wrote a total of 16 detective novels. According to her bio in Unexpected Night, she "considered the detective novel at its best a high form of literature and didn't seek to write any other form of fiction." It has also been said in many places that Daly was Agatha Christie's favorite American mystery writer.
Unexpected Night (1940) is Daly's first novel. In it we are introduced to Henry Gamadge, bibliophile and consultant on old books, autographs, and inks. He lives on the East Side of New York, but is willing to roam afield to investigate a suspicious signature....or an untimely death. This first recorded adventure finds Gamadge taking a few days off for rest and golf. His little holiday is interrupted by the untimely death of young Amberley Cowden. Cowden's body is discovered at the bottom of a cliff and is soon ruled an accidental death. But if that is true, why is it so obvious that the scene has been staged? And it does seem a bit odd that Cowden should suffer a fatal accident so soon after receiving an inheritance. Gamadge also wonders what role Amberley's cousin and the encamped troupe of actors are playing in the strange twists and turns of events. All evidence would seem to indicate that someone is playing to a different script--one of murder and mayhem. Can Gamadge fulfill his role and resolve it all before another character is removed from the cast list?
Even this first novel is well crafted and plotted. As the series continues, Daly becomes more confident and is able to provided more tightly constructed plots. But all the elements are there in her first attempt. She also has a fine control of character and provides a very nice picture of society through the interactions between just a few characters. It is very easy to slide into the late 30s and 40s with Daly leading the way. And Gamadge is a wonderful character--I love his genteel and urbane manners. And, of course, I love that he's a bibliophile. All in all a truly delightful, cozy mystery series.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
November 8, 2017
The mystery of what actually happened over a bleak 48 hours or so somewhere on the Maine coast had me completely bamboozled -- usually with a Golden Age detective novel I have some idea of what's going on under the surface -- and for this reason I have, rather reluctantly, to tip my hat to Unexpected Night in respect. But all of that came out in the last couple of chapters. Getting to that point was, for me, a bit of a slog.
An oddly matched group of family members is making its way to a resort in Maine for a vacation. One among them, Amberley, is just a few hours shy of his 21st birthday, upon which he'll come into a fortune. Yet there's considerable doubt as to how long he'll live to enjoy that fortune, because a childhood illness weakened his heart and made him a perpetual invalid. And, sure enough, the morning after his birthday, he's found dead at the bottom of a cliff, having apparently suffered a fatal heart attack at its top.
Henry Gamadge, a rare-manuscripts expert staying at the hotel into which the family has booked, is -- rightly, of course! -- suspicious of the death. By the time he has unraveled the truth, there have been two further mysterious demises . . .
The trouble I had with the novel was that the characterization seemed as flat as a pancake. Without any three-dimensional human beings inhabiting the text, it was hard to care about any of them: it was all I could do to keep it in my head who the different players were, to the extent that I was constantly having to pause to remind myself who someone was when their name was mentioned. Ah, yes, Mrs. Coulsen is the aunt with whom Amberley lived, and Mrs. Barclay is the other aunt -- or second cousin, or something. But who the hell is Mitchell? Oh, the cop: that's right. And Hoskins is . . . Even Amberley's thespian cousin, painted as an eccentric grotesque, fails to come alive on the page. Most importantly, Henry Gamadge himself is similarly devoid of any vibrancy.
The writing is, alas, similarly flat.
I gather Daly got better after this, her first published novel. Fair enough: the first novels of some of the greatest names in detective fiction are dire. Unexpected Night is by no means dire, but neither is it much beyond mediocre.
An oddly matched group of family members is making its way to a resort in Maine for a vacation. One among them, Amberley, is just a few hours shy of his 21st birthday, upon which he'll come into a fortune. Yet there's considerable doubt as to how long he'll live to enjoy that fortune, because a childhood illness weakened his heart and made him a perpetual invalid. And, sure enough, the morning after his birthday, he's found dead at the bottom of a cliff, having apparently suffered a fatal heart attack at its top.
Henry Gamadge, a rare-manuscripts expert staying at the hotel into which the family has booked, is -- rightly, of course! -- suspicious of the death. By the time he has unraveled the truth, there have been two further mysterious demises . . .
The trouble I had with the novel was that the characterization seemed as flat as a pancake. Without any three-dimensional human beings inhabiting the text, it was hard to care about any of them: it was all I could do to keep it in my head who the different players were, to the extent that I was constantly having to pause to remind myself who someone was when their name was mentioned. Ah, yes, Mrs. Coulsen is the aunt with whom Amberley lived, and Mrs. Barclay is the other aunt -- or second cousin, or something. But who the hell is Mitchell? Oh, the cop: that's right. And Hoskins is . . . Even Amberley's thespian cousin, painted as an eccentric grotesque, fails to come alive on the page. Most importantly, Henry Gamadge himself is similarly devoid of any vibrancy.
The writing is, alas, similarly flat.
I gather Daly got better after this, her first published novel. Fair enough: the first novels of some of the greatest names in detective fiction are dire. Unexpected Night is by no means dire, but neither is it much beyond mediocre.
January 23, 2017
Young Amberley Cowden stands to inherit $1 million on his 21st birthday. If he dies before reaching the age of 21, his money leaves the family. Amberley's health is very poor, though. He had rheumatic fever as a child and it severely damaged his heart. There is considerable doubt that he will live to see his birthday. Despite this, Amberley tries to live as full a life as he can. He decides to go to Ford’s Beach, a resort, because his cousin, Arthur Atwood, is the member of a traveling theater troupe at nearby Seal Cove.
Amberley and his party check into Ocean House, a hotel. Amberley plans to meet up with Atwood and the troupe the following day. However, things don’t quite work out that way. The following morning, Amberley’s battered body is found at the bottom of a nearby cliff. It appears he suffered a fatal heart attack and fell from the cliff – but what was he doing out there so late at night? Was his death really natural or was more there to it? Then there are two more mysterious deaths, one of which occurs right in front of the police.
This is an excellent Golden Age mystery, the first one featuring Daly's sleuth, Henry Gamadge:
Henry Gamadge is an author and an expert on rare books and forgery. Gamadge is intelligent, low key, intuitive, and compassionate. He has a knack for getting people to trust him and talk to him, a skill that Mitchell, the police detective, makes great use of during his investigation. In fact, the two end up as unofficial partners, each contributing something to the investigation. Gamadge’s knowledge of documents is an important part of the investigation and leads directly to the solution. The characters’ motives and actions are believable. One of the characters is a little long-winded in explaining his behavior, but it all makes sense. Daly plays fair.
All in all, a very good mystery. If you like Agatha Christie, you might like this, too. Daly was Christie’s favorite American mystery author and for a very good reason.
Amberley and his party check into Ocean House, a hotel. Amberley plans to meet up with Atwood and the troupe the following day. However, things don’t quite work out that way. The following morning, Amberley’s battered body is found at the bottom of a nearby cliff. It appears he suffered a fatal heart attack and fell from the cliff – but what was he doing out there so late at night? Was his death really natural or was more there to it? Then there are two more mysterious deaths, one of which occurs right in front of the police.
This is an excellent Golden Age mystery, the first one featuring Daly's sleuth, Henry Gamadge:
"Mr. Henry Gamadge, on the other hand, wore clothes of excellent material and cut; but he contrived, by sitting and walking in a careless and lopsided manner, to look presentable in nothing. He screwed his gray tweeds out of shape before he had worn them a week, he screwed his mouth to one side when he smiled, and he screwed his eyes up when he pondered. His eyes were grayish green, his features blunt, and his hair mouse-colored. People as a rule considered him a well-mannered, restful kind of young man; but if somebody happened to say something unusually outrageous or inane, he was wont to gaze upon the speaker in a wondering and somewhat disconcerting manner."
Henry Gamadge is an author and an expert on rare books and forgery. Gamadge is intelligent, low key, intuitive, and compassionate. He has a knack for getting people to trust him and talk to him, a skill that Mitchell, the police detective, makes great use of during his investigation. In fact, the two end up as unofficial partners, each contributing something to the investigation. Gamadge’s knowledge of documents is an important part of the investigation and leads directly to the solution. The characters’ motives and actions are believable. One of the characters is a little long-winded in explaining his behavior, but it all makes sense. Daly plays fair.
All in all, a very good mystery. If you like Agatha Christie, you might like this, too. Daly was Christie’s favorite American mystery author and for a very good reason.
January 3, 2026
Amby Cowden, a very ill young man, having just inherited a vast fortune, dies while (seemingly) out on a walk in the middle of the night, and falls off a cliff. His younger sister inherits, but there are a bunch of other people—including a wild cousin working with a small theatre group—who may stand to lose a legacy.
The first of Elizabeth Daly’s Gamadge books, Unexpected Night didn’t quite work for me. Initially, I found this interesting; but as it progressed, it got too convoluted, and the somewhat oblique way of talking of several of the characters left me very puzzled. It was as if Gamadge, the cop Mitchell, Sanderson, Amby’s cousin Fred Barclay, his mother Mrs Barclay—and almost everybody else—spoke in riddles. Also, there seemed to be an inordinate amount of space and detail devoted to people who didn’t really matter (the caddie, for instance). I wouldn’t have minded this otherwise, but in a story already so jam-packed with characters and so many people to keep track of, it was tiresome.
At one point when a scene was set up (on a golf course) merely so that one character could have a close shave, I got irritated because the reason for that scene was so flimsy. It didn’t fit logically: why would two grieving women (Alma, Mrs Cowden) go out to play golf with a man (Gamadge) who was a near-stranger? And to really play golf, not answer Gamadge’s questions. If Gamadge used the time to get closer to the truth, I’d have understood—but they only play golf, setting up another attempted murder. So annoying.
Two disclaimers. One, I have been very stressed and busy all of these past few days, while I was reading this book; that may have had an effect on how I perceived it. Two, Unexpected Night was Elizabeth Daly’s first book. She should be cut some slack, I suppose.
I don’t think I will be attempting any more Gamadge books, though. One was enough.
The first of Elizabeth Daly’s Gamadge books, Unexpected Night didn’t quite work for me. Initially, I found this interesting; but as it progressed, it got too convoluted, and the somewhat oblique way of talking of several of the characters left me very puzzled. It was as if Gamadge, the cop Mitchell, Sanderson, Amby’s cousin Fred Barclay, his mother Mrs Barclay—and almost everybody else—spoke in riddles. Also, there seemed to be an inordinate amount of space and detail devoted to people who didn’t really matter (the caddie, for instance). I wouldn’t have minded this otherwise, but in a story already so jam-packed with characters and so many people to keep track of, it was tiresome.
At one point when a scene was set up (on a golf course) merely so that one character could have a close shave, I got irritated because the reason for that scene was so flimsy. It didn’t fit logically: why would two grieving women (Alma, Mrs Cowden) go out to play golf with a man (Gamadge) who was a near-stranger? And to really play golf, not answer Gamadge’s questions. If Gamadge used the time to get closer to the truth, I’d have understood—but they only play golf, setting up another attempted murder. So annoying.
Two disclaimers. One, I have been very stressed and busy all of these past few days, while I was reading this book; that may have had an effect on how I perceived it. Two, Unexpected Night was Elizabeth Daly’s first book. She should be cut some slack, I suppose.
I don’t think I will be attempting any more Gamadge books, though. One was enough.
February 19, 2022
It promises to be a great series, more to come....
From FadedPage:
New York handwriting and rare book expert—and a gentleman sleuth—Henry Gamadge is vacationing in coastal Maine when the police there need his help. It’s a strange case involving a seemingly natural death, a large inheritance, a mysterious nighttime rendezvous, and a troupe of summer stock actors who start dying off. Something is clearly afoot, but nothing quite seems to fit. With an eye for frauds, Gamadge is just what the local detective needs to throw the book at a killer . . .
From FadedPage:
New York handwriting and rare book expert—and a gentleman sleuth—Henry Gamadge is vacationing in coastal Maine when the police there need his help. It’s a strange case involving a seemingly natural death, a large inheritance, a mysterious nighttime rendezvous, and a troupe of summer stock actors who start dying off. Something is clearly afoot, but nothing quite seems to fit. With an eye for frauds, Gamadge is just what the local detective needs to throw the book at a killer . . .
November 9, 2021
This is apparently another book that I read earlier this year and forgot to rate. So I'm doing it now. That said, I read this months ago, so comments are going to be seriously hazy.
I am giving this four stars because I remember thinking this was was relatively competently done. I also remember a surprising number of the plot details months later (which doens't always happen with mysteries). I opened this on my kobo (for some reason it wa marked unread), and knew I'd already read it after about a paragraph and a half. I also remembered all the major plot beats. I'm taking that to mean it's relatively well done.
The plot is sufficiently twisty, and involves a number of memorable characters and situations. I'm not going to go into too much detail, because as I said, I remember generally what happens, but am not going to be able to come up with character names, and precise details.
I do remember liking Gamadge a lot as a protagonist (he's just sort of sensible and decent), bt I aso remember sort of wondering why the heck he was so involved, other than just sort of being on scene and apparenly knowing some people. As I recall, some of the characters felt the same way. I mean, I was willing to go with it, but it was a bit of a notable plot oddity.
That said, I would read more Elizabeth Daly. And hopefully leave more timely reviews next time...
I am giving this four stars because I remember thinking this was was relatively competently done. I also remember a surprising number of the plot details months later (which doens't always happen with mysteries). I opened this on my kobo (for some reason it wa marked unread), and knew I'd already read it after about a paragraph and a half. I also remembered all the major plot beats. I'm taking that to mean it's relatively well done.
The plot is sufficiently twisty, and involves a number of memorable characters and situations. I'm not going to go into too much detail, because as I said, I remember generally what happens, but am not going to be able to come up with character names, and precise details.
I do remember liking Gamadge a lot as a protagonist (he's just sort of sensible and decent), bt I aso remember sort of wondering why the heck he was so involved, other than just sort of being on scene and apparenly knowing some people. As I recall, some of the characters felt the same way. I mean, I was willing to go with it, but it was a bit of a notable plot oddity.
That said, I would read more Elizabeth Daly. And hopefully leave more timely reviews next time...
August 26, 2021
A golden age mystery. First in a series by Ms. Daly. Published in 1940, so it is pre-WWII for us.
Henry Gamadge is a book man, able to determine age by ink, etc. We know this much about Henry, otherwise we don't really know too much.
We meet him as he is wrapping up a bridge game at the beach house in Maine of the Barclays. I don't recall that their relationship is explored much beyond that. But while he is still there, the Cowden clan arrive - they are cousins of the Barclays. This party includes Aunt Eleanor, cousins Alma and Amberly. Amberly is a sickly chap, result of rheumatic fever as a child. He turns 21 tomorrow and is due to inherit a sizeable amount - $1 million, provided he lives that long. His immediate heir would be his sister Alma. Another cousin is Fred Barclay, a young officer in the army. And a third heir would be a cousin of questionable character named Atwood. He is involved with a troupe of actors in near by Seal Cove and is inveigling sickly Amberly to join them.
Gamadge heads up the hill to his hotel and doesn't think he wants anything to do with these people. However, events take their turn and Amberly is found at the foot of a cliff. State detective Mitchell asks Henry to have a look since he learns that he had met the youth and family the night before.
This is the set up. Golf balls come flying at people. Actors are dying at the Cove. And Mitchell and Gamadge need to determine what is going on before more people are killed.
They do and they left me in the dust. I was up until 4 a.m. reading this last night - reading the resolution and going down one blind alley after another.
I understand the stories get better as time goes on. Good.
Henry Gamadge is a book man, able to determine age by ink, etc. We know this much about Henry, otherwise we don't really know too much.
We meet him as he is wrapping up a bridge game at the beach house in Maine of the Barclays. I don't recall that their relationship is explored much beyond that. But while he is still there, the Cowden clan arrive - they are cousins of the Barclays. This party includes Aunt Eleanor, cousins Alma and Amberly. Amberly is a sickly chap, result of rheumatic fever as a child. He turns 21 tomorrow and is due to inherit a sizeable amount - $1 million, provided he lives that long. His immediate heir would be his sister Alma. Another cousin is Fred Barclay, a young officer in the army. And a third heir would be a cousin of questionable character named Atwood. He is involved with a troupe of actors in near by Seal Cove and is inveigling sickly Amberly to join them.
Gamadge heads up the hill to his hotel and doesn't think he wants anything to do with these people. However, events take their turn and Amberly is found at the foot of a cliff. State detective Mitchell asks Henry to have a look since he learns that he had met the youth and family the night before.
This is the set up. Golf balls come flying at people. Actors are dying at the Cove. And Mitchell and Gamadge need to determine what is going on before more people are killed.
They do and they left me in the dust. I was up until 4 a.m. reading this last night - reading the resolution and going down one blind alley after another.
I understand the stories get better as time goes on. Good.
February 9, 2014
After accidentally starting this series with book 7, I picked up the first book of this series for a proper introduction to its main character, Henry Gamadge. Originally published in 1940, this book was a good solid murder mystery that kept enough suspense going to keep me reading. I enjoyed this book as a recreational read, and I look forward to the rest of the series.
April 11, 2018
Clever American Golden Age mystery. Only some formatting issues with the Kindle edition prevented me from giving it 3.5*
October 29, 2018
Very good mystery. It's the first of a series and I think I'll have to read the next very soon.
June 13, 2022
When I discovered Elizabeth Daly was one of Agatha Christie’s favourite authors, I decided to give some of them a try. Written in the first half of the 20th century, these classics gave a very different feel to what we read today.
August 25, 2010
Complicated shady goings-on at a Maine resort, involving a number of related people that I had trouble keeping straight.
February 11, 2025
Amberly Cowden had been seriously ill with a serious heart condition his whole life. If he survived to his 21st birthday, he stood to inherit one million dollars, otherwise it would be distributed to distant relatives in France. On their way to see a theater performance by Amberly's cousin Arthur Atwood along with his sister Alma, his aunt Eleanor, and his tutor, Hugh Sanderson the foursome stop to visit Amberly's aunt, Mrs. Barclay who is married to Colonel Barclay, their son Frederick, and a young man named Henry Gamadge, a New York handwriting and rare book expert. Following this meeting they arrive at their hotel Ocean House arriving after one a.m. Amberly was now 21 and a millionaire.
The next morning, Amberly's body is discovered at the foot of a cliff having left the hotel shortly after arriving to possibly meet someone. Inspector Mitchell arrives and assumes that Amberly had lost his balance and fell. The inquiring mind of Henry Gamage draws him into the investigation.
This novel follows the recipe of the majority of novels from "the golden age of crime"; the character introduction, the crime, the psychological evaluation, the solution. Unfortunately for myself Henry Gamage did not appeal, and as a handwriting expert it doesn't offer much in variation in future novels as handwriting will the crux of the murder.
The next morning, Amberly's body is discovered at the foot of a cliff having left the hotel shortly after arriving to possibly meet someone. Inspector Mitchell arrives and assumes that Amberly had lost his balance and fell. The inquiring mind of Henry Gamage draws him into the investigation.
This novel follows the recipe of the majority of novels from "the golden age of crime"; the character introduction, the crime, the psychological evaluation, the solution. Unfortunately for myself Henry Gamage did not appeal, and as a handwriting expert it doesn't offer much in variation in future novels as handwriting will the crux of the murder.
October 15, 2021
I picked this up because somewhere I read that Agatha Christie thought of Daly as her favorite American writer. Set in 1939, this reads quite a bit like an English mystery in the opening pages; it was only until later we figured out the geography. The characters are very 'country-house' types, rich enough to golf and 'summer' at the beach and to 'know people', but not so well off as to be careless about money. In fact, money is the issue here, a sickly young man about to come of age and get his hands on a trust fund. And there's fog, a lot of it. Very atmospheric.
The mystery was gripping enough, although I had some difficulty keeping the players straight. I also wasn't always clear on what Gamadge, the amateur detective, was doing and why. As another reviewer pointed out, there's not a lot revealed about Gamadge in the course of the story; instead, we seem to learn more about the inner workings of the other characters than the purported hero. During the second half, I formed a suspicion about the crime that was borne out even though I didn't have the details figured out. Not a bad story to tease 'the little grey cells' but not necessarily a series I plan to pursue.
The mystery was gripping enough, although I had some difficulty keeping the players straight. I also wasn't always clear on what Gamadge, the amateur detective, was doing and why. As another reviewer pointed out, there's not a lot revealed about Gamadge in the course of the story; instead, we seem to learn more about the inner workings of the other characters than the purported hero. During the second half, I formed a suspicion about the crime that was borne out even though I didn't have the details figured out. Not a bad story to tease 'the little grey cells' but not necessarily a series I plan to pursue.
June 6, 2022
Amazon kept blasting me with recommendations for this series about an antiquarian bookseller, by "Agatha Christie's favorite American author." So for two bucks I finally bit and read the first one. It was enjoyable and well-plotted, and Gamadge is an interesting amateur detective figure. It centers your classic Golden Age rich, eccentric, and dysfunctional family that's seen--and longs to return to--more prosperous times. I found the relationships between the characters hard to sort out, and some of the dialogue is pretty dated. Not sure I'll read another of these, but I'm glad I tried this one.
June 9, 2024
A mystery in the old style, I am interested to read the next in the series.
February 5, 2025
A good start to a 'golden age' series, this one set in the US (Maine to be exact). Not sure why the amateur detective is encouraged to follow the police around, but it makes for a good plot. A few twists at the end.
May 7, 2023
Solid Golden Age Mystery
A solid mystery story, plenty of clues, and a satisfactory ending. Would recommend to classic mystery lovers and fans of Agatha Christie.
A solid mystery story, plenty of clues, and a satisfactory ending. Would recommend to classic mystery lovers and fans of Agatha Christie.
September 29, 2017
I got as 3/4 of the way through before reconciling myself to the fact that I wasn't having a good time.
British? Check! Golden Age Mystery? Check! Agatha Christie says 2 thumbs up? Check! And yet ... so many problems ...
1: I felt the characters were names rather than characters, and wouldn't have been able to tell you one thing about any of them that made them interesting (other than the victim, who suffers from Not Being Believably Human, something many of the other named personages suffer from).
2: The plot just sort of oozed rather than flowed (or being diverted into channels) ... very little sense of who the detective is (the policeman? the amateur?) or why anything is happening while it is happening. Feels written under the influence!
Which basically adds up to boring and unbelievable, so yes, I'm stopping. Perhaps she finds her feet with a later volume? But this first introduction to the world of Henry Gamadage was very disappointing.
(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s).
British? Check! Golden Age Mystery? Check! Agatha Christie says 2 thumbs up? Check! And yet ... so many problems ...
1: I felt the characters were names rather than characters, and wouldn't have been able to tell you one thing about any of them that made them interesting (other than the victim, who suffers from Not Being Believably Human, something many of the other named personages suffer from).
2: The plot just sort of oozed rather than flowed (or being diverted into channels) ... very little sense of who the detective is (the policeman? the amateur?) or why anything is happening while it is happening. Feels written under the influence!
Which basically adds up to boring and unbelievable, so yes, I'm stopping. Perhaps she finds her feet with a later volume? But this first introduction to the world of Henry Gamadage was very disappointing.
(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s).
July 25, 2020
A bookseller suggested the Henry Gamadge series to me based on my affection for Dorothy Sayers' Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries, so I picked up Unexpected Night, the first novel to feature the amateur sleuth. Unfortunately, Elizabeth Daly's debut novel did not whet my appetite for more.
Gamadge is a rare book and manuscript expert from New York, who is on holiday in Maine with some family friends, the Barclays. Their idyllic retreat is spoiled when Amberley Cowden, a sickly young man who has recently come into some serious inheritance money, is found dead at the base of a nearby seaside cliff. The state police investigator recruits Gamadge to assist him in his inquiries, which involve the Cowden family, the Barclays, and a nearby theatrical troupe, with whom the young Cowden was intimate.
I found this book hard to access. It is a Golden Age mystery, but the plot machinations seemed both clunky and overwrought to me. There is a Rube Goldberg aspect to all of the clockwork pieces, and yet it has none of the joy of those quirky contraptions. As for Gamadge himself, I found him a complete cipher. Other than some superficial details about the refinement of his clothing, his hobbies (e.g. bridge, golfing), and the clues we can ascertain about his intellect, he seemed a blank wall, with no "hooks" by which the reader might hold on to him. What is there to recommend him? Why should we care about Gamadge? What makes him an interesting, unique, or inspiring figure? If Daly knows, she's not letting on.
The book ends with a bravura drawing-room-detective style monologue by Gamadge, explaining how the crime was committed, wherein he demonstrates powers of deduction that border on the preternatural. Although the payoff is clever, I hadn't been giving close enough attention to the characters and situations to have a lot invested in who did it. I remember having a mild, "Oh, so that's whodunnit," moment, but no great relief or excitement at the reveal.
Perhaps later books in this long-running series fleshed out the Gamadge character, or gave us better mysteries that don't seem quite so ridiculously contrived. However, it would probably take a lot to convince me to read one of them.
Gamadge is a rare book and manuscript expert from New York, who is on holiday in Maine with some family friends, the Barclays. Their idyllic retreat is spoiled when Amberley Cowden, a sickly young man who has recently come into some serious inheritance money, is found dead at the base of a nearby seaside cliff. The state police investigator recruits Gamadge to assist him in his inquiries, which involve the Cowden family, the Barclays, and a nearby theatrical troupe, with whom the young Cowden was intimate.
I found this book hard to access. It is a Golden Age mystery, but the plot machinations seemed both clunky and overwrought to me. There is a Rube Goldberg aspect to all of the clockwork pieces, and yet it has none of the joy of those quirky contraptions. As for Gamadge himself, I found him a complete cipher. Other than some superficial details about the refinement of his clothing, his hobbies (e.g. bridge, golfing), and the clues we can ascertain about his intellect, he seemed a blank wall, with no "hooks" by which the reader might hold on to him. What is there to recommend him? Why should we care about Gamadge? What makes him an interesting, unique, or inspiring figure? If Daly knows, she's not letting on.
The book ends with a bravura drawing-room-detective style monologue by Gamadge, explaining how the crime was committed, wherein he demonstrates powers of deduction that border on the preternatural. Although the payoff is clever, I hadn't been giving close enough attention to the characters and situations to have a lot invested in who did it. I remember having a mild, "Oh, so that's whodunnit," moment, but no great relief or excitement at the reveal.
Perhaps later books in this long-running series fleshed out the Gamadge character, or gave us better mysteries that don't seem quite so ridiculously contrived. However, it would probably take a lot to convince me to read one of them.
December 1, 2024
3.5 stars for a clever twist at the end - well, we readers learn about the clever twist to do with a death at the end. This was Daly’s first Henry Gamadge mystery; I like to read series in order, had picked up a couple of the later books at a used book sale years ago, so figured I’d start with the first.
In the first couple scenes in the book, Gamadge gave me an early Albert Campion vibe. He’s playing bridge with an older couple and their adult son, vacation acquaintances, awaiting the arrival of other family members at their Maine cabin. It’s late on a foggy summer night, and I was interested in the opening scenes, the dialogue, the way Daly introduced Gamadge, the Barclay family, the extended family members. One of the visitors is a young, very sickly man - he has a very weak heart, and a very large fortune. So, we have intriguing suspects, check; promising victim, check; classic motive - large fortune, check.
The problem for me came after the young man is found dead at the bottom of a cliff on the beach. I’m not sure why, but it just didn’t hold my interest. I read another review saying the same, that the reader gave up 75% in. I didn’t give up, I just skimmed ahead to the last couple chapters; it was enough to convince me I definitely want to read on with Gamadge, because there was a lot going on beneath the surface of what seemed a rather sluggish plot. I see why Christie admired Daly’s writing, she definitely knew how to come up with a diabolical, twisted plot. I want to see if, in future books, she can pick up the pacing a bit, so I feel the book is pulling me back in, and keeping me interested. I hope to see more development of the characters, as well. I often find the first book in a series a bit all over the place, and am somewhat forgiving if I see promise in the writing and the detective. I will definitely read on!
In the first couple scenes in the book, Gamadge gave me an early Albert Campion vibe. He’s playing bridge with an older couple and their adult son, vacation acquaintances, awaiting the arrival of other family members at their Maine cabin. It’s late on a foggy summer night, and I was interested in the opening scenes, the dialogue, the way Daly introduced Gamadge, the Barclay family, the extended family members. One of the visitors is a young, very sickly man - he has a very weak heart, and a very large fortune. So, we have intriguing suspects, check; promising victim, check; classic motive - large fortune, check.
The problem for me came after the young man is found dead at the bottom of a cliff on the beach. I’m not sure why, but it just didn’t hold my interest. I read another review saying the same, that the reader gave up 75% in. I didn’t give up, I just skimmed ahead to the last couple chapters; it was enough to convince me I definitely want to read on with Gamadge, because there was a lot going on beneath the surface of what seemed a rather sluggish plot. I see why Christie admired Daly’s writing, she definitely knew how to come up with a diabolical, twisted plot. I want to see if, in future books, she can pick up the pacing a bit, so I feel the book is pulling me back in, and keeping me interested. I hope to see more development of the characters, as well. I often find the first book in a series a bit all over the place, and am somewhat forgiving if I see promise in the writing and the detective. I will definitely read on!
May 23, 2017
A young man in ill health successfully arrives at his majority, inheriting a sizable fortune, only to die suddenly and under suspicious circumstances. Did his ne'er-do-well cousin the actor kill him for his promised bequest? A jealous aunt hoping for a larger inheritance for her son? And why is someone now trying to harm--or terrify--the late heir's sister? Henry Gamadge, trying to enjoy a quiet holiday, is drawn into the hunt for a killer.
I read Elizabeth Daly's Henry Gamadge mysteries many years ago. I have to say, on re-reading the first in her series, I had no memory of having read it before. It has a reasonably charming hero, a host of red herring-type suspects, and an unexpected ending. All to the good. I look forward to rediscovering the rest of the series as well.
I read Elizabeth Daly's Henry Gamadge mysteries many years ago. I have to say, on re-reading the first in her series, I had no memory of having read it before. It has a reasonably charming hero, a host of red herring-type suspects, and an unexpected ending. All to the good. I look forward to rediscovering the rest of the series as well.
October 17, 2017
Reasonably enjoyable vintage mystery, but it was a bit difficult to follow. It was hard to keep the characters straight, and there weren't THAT many, so I think they weren't well developed. It was also difficult to tell who was speaking. That seems partly to be because of confusing paragraph breaks, and since I read an e-book, it may merely be a formatting problem.
My Kindle version skips several pages toward the end, and, unfortunately, those were the pages that explained how and why the crime occurred, and how the perpetrators reacted upon discovery! Good lord! But I'm not sure I care deeply enough to find a physical copy of the book to see what I missed.
That said, it wasn't a bad read, and I like the amateur detective, Gamadge. I might read further on in the series at some point.
My Kindle version skips several pages toward the end, and, unfortunately, those were the pages that explained how and why the crime occurred, and how the perpetrators reacted upon discovery! Good lord! But I'm not sure I care deeply enough to find a physical copy of the book to see what I missed.
That said, it wasn't a bad read, and I like the amateur detective, Gamadge. I might read further on in the series at some point.
August 30, 2021
This was the first of Elizabeth Daly's sixteen novels featuring the author, bibliophile and amateur detective, Henry Gamadge.
It is an engagingly-written GAD novel, which first appeared in 1940. It is full of familiar ideas including a family in slightly straitened circumstances eagerly expecting an inheritance, and several suspicious deaths.
Gamadge is quite low-key in his approach, free of annoying traits, but a little lacking in distinctive personality.
The puzzle is neatly done, although there is a little early telegraphing of the perpetrator, and there are some fine pieces of deception.
I will read more. However, this is the only title available in ebook so far.
3.5 stars.
It is an engagingly-written GAD novel, which first appeared in 1940. It is full of familiar ideas including a family in slightly straitened circumstances eagerly expecting an inheritance, and several suspicious deaths.
Gamadge is quite low-key in his approach, free of annoying traits, but a little lacking in distinctive personality.
The puzzle is neatly done, although there is a little early telegraphing of the perpetrator, and there are some fine pieces of deception.
I will read more. However, this is the only title available in ebook so far.
3.5 stars.
June 15, 2020
without a doubt the strongest straight-out-of-the-gate beginning of a serial mystery that I've ever read. And I was caught completely on the hop by the solution.
Daly's Gamadge has a Chestertonian love of paradox; his knack of turning a mystery around and looking at it from the opposite angle, along with Daly's really good writing and the sheer charm of 1940s NY society makes these books a real treat.
Daly's Gamadge has a Chestertonian love of paradox; his knack of turning a mystery around and looking at it from the opposite angle, along with Daly's really good writing and the sheer charm of 1940s NY society makes these books a real treat.
October 19, 2025
The first of Elizabeth Daly's Henry Gamadge mysteries introduces the cultured amateur sleuth and sees him smoothy involving himself in the investigation of a sudden death in Maine. It's a neat and self-contained story with some formerly well to do folks getting into a tangle over a substantial inheritance.
While the culprit was easy enough to spot (in this reader's opinion anyway) the mechanics of the plot still caught me by surprise in a pleasant way.
While the culprit was easy enough to spot (in this reader's opinion anyway) the mechanics of the plot still caught me by surprise in a pleasant way.
January 28, 2021
The reader has to jump right into the story...takes a minute to figure out who’s who, but once that’s settled, things begin to move—along with lots of red herrings. I did not have this figured out at all. Really good mystery. Henry Gamage is a very good detective, a very kind man, and this is a good introduction to his character. 4 1/2 stars
June 13, 2017
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