The House without the Door by Elizabeth Daly

The House without the Door
Elizabeth Daly
1942 
4/5 stars

Vina Gregson was acquitted of her husband's murder, but must live in seclusion due to all the negative publicity.  When attempts are made on her life, she asks amateur sleuth Henry Gamadge for help, with the hope that he can not only come to the bottom of the threats to herself, but find Mr. Gregson's true killer as well.

Gamadge continues to blur the line between what the law requires and what he thinks is appropriate, giving him a more dynamic personality than in the early books.  By this fourth book in the series, Daly has become better at plotting a crime that is solvable by the reader, and yet still obscure enough to be an enjoyable read.  The book is intelligent and well-plotted, as well as  entertaining and engrossing. That, combined with a good twist and a rewarding solution, kept me so interested that I read it over the course of 24 hours.  While it's not perfect, I certainly recommend it.

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Three by Elizabeth Daly

Elizabeth Daly (1878-1967) was an American author who wrote light verse and prose for magazines, until she published her first novel (Unexpected Night) at the age of 60.   She was an honorary member of the Mystery Writers of America, and was awarded a "Special Edgar" by them in 1961.  I don't generally care for crime novels based in the U.S., but the books I've read by Daly have been consistently engaging and enjoyable. 

Unexpected Night (1940)  3/5 stars

Henry Gamadge, an expert in detecting document forgeries, is on hand when a mysterious death occurs.  He has no reason to investigate, but he and the State Detective discover that Gamadge has an uncanny knack of reading people, sorting out the truth from lies and irrelevancies, and solving mysteries.

This is Daly's first novel and it is a bit rough around the edges, with characters that are not fully developed.  Furthermore, I don't think the clever crime could be solved from the information given. Despite that, it's entertaining, intelligent, and a promising start to the Gamadge series.

 
Deadly Nightshade (1940)  3/5 stars

Several children in a Maine resort town are given nightshade berries by a stranger; while two recover, one dies and another goes missing.  The State Detective on the case is a friend of Henry Gamadge, and knows first hand about bookish Gamadge's unexpected ability to understand human nature and, as a result, see clearly in otherwise murky situations.  As a result, Gamadge runs up to Maine for the weekend to put his skill to the test.

This is an intelligent, generally well-written, and engrossing mystery with a pleasingly complex plot and solution.  Gamadge is a likable character, despite not being fully fleshed. Like the first of the series, I don't know that the reader will come to the correct answer based solely on the clues, but that didn't lessen my enjoyment.

Murders in Volume 2 (1941)  4/5 stars

A stranger comes to Henry Gamadge, an expert in antique books and forgeries, with a tale of a bizarre swindle being practiced on her wealthy uncle.  She and her family feel that Gamadge's particular line of work make him particularly suited to uncover the truth.  Before Gamadge can expose the fraud, there is a murder.  Then another.  Gamadge soon finds himself partnering the police as his talent for understanding people and motives and finding hidden truths cause him to uncover the why and how of the crimes.

This third in the series is agreeably complicated, with an interesting plot, and a satisfying conclusion.   Gamadge's personality is more rounded than previously, and Daly handles the large cast of characters well.  I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery and look forward to reading more of Gamadge's adventures.

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The Moray Dalton Binge Continues

The Strange Case of Harriet Hall by Moray Dalton (1936)  4/5 stars

This mystery features Inspector Collier again, Dalton's believable and likable Scotland Yard Detective, who is assigned to the case when a woman is found in a well, obviously murdered.  The culprit seems obvious, but Collier, who is not as hard-boiled as others of his occupation, is not convinced. 

As I have come to expect from Dalton, The Strange Case of Harriet Hall  is well-written, intelligent, and entertaining.  It also has an engrossing plot which, combined with a fantastic ending, makes for a totally enjoyable read. 

Death in the Dark by Moray Dalton (1938)  5/5 stars

A young acrobat, David Merle, is found guilty of the murder of a wealthy, eccentric theatre patron, Joshua Fallowes, but his sister Judy firmly believes in his innocence.  With some encouragement from a new friend, Judy sets off to infiltrate the family that benefitted most from Fallowes' death, Oliver Ramblet and his half-sisters.  The Ramblet's live at Sard Manor, a small, ill-funded and floundering zoo.  As a housemaid there, Judy uncovers enough secrets to put her life in danger.

Scotland Yard Detective Hugh Collier learns about the crime long after the trial and, with only days until Merle's execution, becomes convinced that Judy is right.  In a race against time, Inspector Collier must uncover the real culprit and prevent the death of an innocent man.

There are many uncommon elements in this mystery/suspense novel, as well as a variety of unusual characters, a memorable plot, and an extremely likable and spunky heroine. It (like the previous one) is well-written, intelligent and entertaining. This may well be my favorite Dalton novel, for it's unique story as much as for it's overall quality.

The Art School Murders by Moray Dalton (1943)  3/5 stars

A model is found murdered in a formerly prestigious art school in a county outside London, and Scotland Yard is called in.  The country is swathed in a blackout due to the War, which helps the murderer commit two more crimes before Inspector Hugh Collier is able to solve the case.

Though still well-written and generally enjoyable, this is the weakest mystery by Dalton that I've read.  Too much relies on information never given to the reader, making the solution more frustrating that satisfying.

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June 2023 Wrap Up

Books Read

The Benson Murder Case by S. S. Van Dine (1926)  4/5 stars  

This is the first in the series featuring amateur detective Philo Vance.  Van Dine (pseudonym for American art critic Willard Huntington Wright, 1888 – 1939) was best selling author, and even from this first in the series, it's easy to see why.  An arrogant aesthete, Vance is nonetheless appealing for his intellect, perspicacity, and a surprising amount of compassion.  There were so many possible believable solutions that I wavered back and forth as to who was the guilty party.  Only occasionally did Vance seem to pull a clue from thin air, and on the whole this is a well-written, interesting, and intelligent mystery. 

Post After Post-Mortem by E.C.R. Lorac   (1936)  4/5 stars  (my review here)

The Black Wings by Moray Dalton  (1927)  5/5 stars  (my review here)

The Tragedy at Freyne by Anthony Gilbert  (1927)  4/5 stars  (my review here)

One by One They Disappeared by Moray Dalton  (1928)  4/5 stars  (my review here)

The Night of Fear by Moray Dalton  (1931)  4/5 stars  (my review here)

The Belfry Murder  by Moray Dalton (1933)  4/5 stars (my review here)

The Mystery of the Kneeling Woman by Moray Dalton (1936)  5/5 stars (my review here)

Audiobooks Completed:

A Share in Death by Deborah Crombie (1993)  3/5 stars

This is the first in what has become a lengthy and well-regarded series.  It is attention-holding and entertaining, but seemed too contrived and not fully convincing.  I enjoyed it enough, though, that I will most likely continue the series.

The Dutch Shoe Mystery by Ellery Queen  (1931)  3/5 stars

Ellery is invited to witness a surgery, but the patient is murdered beforehand; he lends his investigative talents to his father, Inspector Queen of the NYC PD, but they struggle to find the solution.  This is an early Ellery Queen, and he's more pompous and less sympathetic a character than he becomes later in the series.  The mystery itself is layered, and while the clues are available for one part of the solution, I felt cheated by the solution to the second aspect.  It's still entertaining, though, and gives the reader a taste of NYC in the late 1920s.  

Fortune's Children by Arthur T. Vanderbilt II  (1989)  4/5 stars  (my review here)

Sister Queens: The Noble, Tragic Lives of Katherine of Aragon and Juana, Queen of Castile 

by Julia Fox (2012)  4/5 stars

This easy to read nonfiction account follows sisters Katherine of Aragon and Juana, Queen of Castile from marriage to death, showing how they shaped their world, and attempting to dispel the persistent negative portrayals of the two.   Fox is definitely prejudiced to her own point-of-view, but makes some compelling arguments.  There were inferences made, as well as some conclusions that seemed based on weak evidence, that I would want to research  myself before I could fully accept the information.  Otherwise, it's both entertaining and enlightening.

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Two More by Moray Dalton

I've been binge-reading mystery/thrillers by Moray Dalton the past couple of weeks.  Here are two more.  (See this post for biographical information on Dalton.)

The Belfry Murder  (1933)  4/5 stars

It's impossible to give a coherent summary of the plot of this mystery/thriller, as it is complicated, elaborate, and layered.  While requiring a suspension of belief at times, it's also completely enjoyable, well-written, and thoroughly attention-holding.  Inspector Collier, Dalton's believable recurring character, is sometimes uncertain and fallible, making him quite likable.  It is full of clues and false clues with a few twists, and is overall an entertaining read.

The Mystery of the Kneeling Woman (1936)  5/5 stars

When two murders occur within hours of each other in a small county, a Scotland Yard Detective, Inspector Collier, is sent to investigate. The more Collier uncovers about the victims, the more complex the case becomes.  Collier becomes friends with Toby, the boy who found the first, and the vicar, the only friend of the second, making the local police force feel that he may be biased.  

As I have come to expect from Dalton's novels, this is well-written and engaging.  In addition, it's an absorbing mix of mystery, suspense, police procedure, and court room drama, with a memorable solution.  I certainly recommend it.

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