Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Grafton (1970), Paperback, 192 pages
Description
Classic Literature. Fiction. Mystery. HTML: Double the murder means double the stakes in this Golden Age mystery from Georgette Heyer Inspector Hemingway has his work cut out for him when a seemingly civilized game of Duplicate Bridge leads to a double murder. The crimes seem identical, but were they carried out by the same hand? Things become even more complicated when the fiancée of the inspector's young friend Timothy Kane becomes Hemingway's prime suspect. Kane is determined to prove the lady's innocence�??but when he begins digging into her past, he finds it's more than a little bit shady... Classic country house mystery, perfect for readers of Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers! "Ranks alongside such incomparable whodunit authors as Christie, Marsh, Tey, and Allingham." �??San Francisco Chronicle "The wittiest of detective story writers."�??Dail… (more)
Media reviews
TIME magazine
"Pungent dialogue and A1 characterization."
Reading Extravaganza
"Ms. Heyer is one of the most entertaining writers I have ever read."
Boston Evening Transcript
"Miss Heyer has the delightful talent of blending humor with mystery."
Sunday Times
"Georgette Heyer is second to none."
User reviews
LibraryThing member jjmcgaffey
I like this one. Partly because we have recurring characters, who are not as one-dimensional as most of her mystery characters - Timothy and James Harte show up again. And now I want to read their first appearance again... One nice part is that we're not expected to sympathize/empathize with the
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various drama queens (male and female) and other sorts of idiots who do show up in Heyer mysteries. There's a teenage drama queen, several sorts of mindless fops, and some sneakily nasty characters - but they're presented _as_ idiots and as antagonists, most of them. Timothy, Jim, and Timothy's new love Beulah are all decent sorts; they and Chief Inspector Hemingway and Inspector Grant are the good guys. Which makes the idiots much more tolerable. Beulah is a mild idiot, but for good reason, and she sees sense (on two fronts) not too far into the book. Long enough to make a story, but not so long as to drag out matters beyond reason. The murders are clever, with the causes and methods nicely seeded - I figured out one root cause pretty easily, but the other was obscure until Hemingway spotted it and pointed it out. So - good mystery, good characters, well-written (it is a Heyer, so that's expected); I'm very glad I read it. This one I'm definitely keeping. Show Less
LibraryThing member riverwillow
This type of undemanding but sharply observed murder mystery is my ideal comfort read. I particularly enjoyed how, like in most of her other books, the first murder occurs several pages into the book and in this case could be any one of a number of characters attending the bridge party. But as
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always its Heyer's observations of her characters that provides the delight in the text, she describes one of her characters 'Those who disliked her said that she was utterly devoid of intellect, but this was unjust. Whenever she had a few minutes to spare between her various engagements she would turn over the pages of society journals, even reading the captions under the pictures; and she never entered her bedroom without turning on the radio.' Show Less
LibraryThing member SandyAMcPherson
Unrated because I just could not be interested in finishing this mystery. In fact, the story dawdled so terribly that I didn't get to where there *was* a mystery. Normally I don't rate DNF books, but Heyer is such an excellent author in her Georgian- and Regency-era novels that I wanted to try this
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mystery. A story that takes so long to move forward is never going to engage my interest, especially considering that GH generally is very adept at drawing in the reader. Show Less
LibraryThing member annbury
Georgette Heyer was a better writer of romances than of mysteries (she virtually invented the Regency romance) but much of what makes her period novels so appealing also shows up in her mysteries. These have become period pieces themselves: this one, for example, was written in 1951 and seems to
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take place years earlier, since there is no mention of rationing or supertaxes or any wartime nastiness. In any event, this is a classic English murder -- a limited number of suspects, a multiplictiy of motives, and an oh so clever Scotland Yard inspector. The mood is light and the prose appealing; an easy going confection of a murder. Show Less
LibraryThing member RapidCityPubLib
Inspector Hemingway has his work cut out for him when a seemingly civilized game of Duplicate Bridge leads to a double murder. The crimes seem identical, but were they carried out by the same hand? Things become even more complicated when the fiancee of the inspector's young friend Timothy Kane
Show More
becomes Hemingway's prime suspect. Kane is determined to prove the lady's innocence-but when he begins digging into her past, he finds it's more than a little bit shady... Show Less
LibraryThing member Riyale
Such an intelligent, witty read. Georgette Heyer never disappoints!
LibraryThing member Anansilaw
Excellent mystery. The group of suspects seems small since the murder takes place at a bridge party and only a handful of people are absent from play during the critical time frame. But nothing is as simple or straightforward as it seems. Good dialogue and descriptions that are hilariously droll.
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This book is delightful. Show Less
LibraryThing member KarenIrelandPhillips
Heyer's work has been heartily recommended to me, but unfortunately I didn't see that this was period Enclish mystery, a la Agatha Christie. Not my cup of tea (forgive) at all. Yet, read it. Even enjoyed it.
LibraryThing member SueinCyprus
A complex plot for a short novel, involving a huge number of characters and two rather unpleasant murders.
Of course, Georgette Heyer is excellent at characterisation, but the sheer volume of people meant that several of them simply weren't memorable. So when the mystery was solved, it didn't feel
Not bad for a light read - perhaps three and a half stars would be a fairer rating - but nowhere near the standard of this author's other novels.
Of course, Georgette Heyer is excellent at characterisation, but the sheer volume of people meant that several of them simply weren't memorable. So when the mystery was solved, it didn't feel
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very satisfying. Not bad for a light read - perhaps three and a half stars would be a fairer rating - but nowhere near the standard of this author's other novels.
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LibraryThing member hemlokgang
Not my cup of tea
LibraryThing member phyllis2779
Enjoyable mystery but Heyer's old-fashioned snobbery and attitudes are in every word of the book. Very class conscious. Inspector Hemenway is a treat though and the mystery was very well-fashioned. None of this having the villain explain everything at the end of the book as s/he prepares to murder
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someone else. I've always liked Heyer's work but the snobbery, etc., is more obvious and obnoxious in a book set after WW II than in the those set in the Regency period. Show Less
LibraryThing member Auntie-Nanuuq
Up until chapter Seven I actually hated the book, I didn't care a fig about the people or their doings or goings-on..... It was more than boring and I didn't see any mystery what-so-ever...
Then came chapter Seven and we finally get a murder. Then we're introduced to Chief Inspector Hawthorn &
Mrs. Haddington & her impossible temper-tantrum daughter have for some obscure reason been introduced to Society by Mrs. Nest. Mrs. Nest even sponsored the girl's coming-out.
Mrs Haddingon's smart-mouthed secretary, Beulah, has a guilty secret, but Terrible Timothy, who helped solve a case w/ Inspector Hawthorne when he was a lad, is madly in love w/ Beulah and refuses to accept her denial of him.
On the night Mrs. Haddington has her grand bridge party, her confidant Dan Seaton-Carew, takes a private telephone call in the boudoir only to be found strangled to death by a length of picture hanging wire...
Days later, Mrs Haddington is found murdered in a "duplicate" manner after a series of three questionable visitors....
The plot & story lines were quite good, but the majority of the characters, and chapters One-Six almost ruined it for me, thus the - ★.
I will be reading more of Heyer's mysteries.
Then came chapter Seven and we finally get a murder. Then we're introduced to Chief Inspector Hawthorn &
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Inspector Grant and things become interesting:Mrs. Haddington & her impossible temper-tantrum daughter have for some obscure reason been introduced to Society by Mrs. Nest. Mrs. Nest even sponsored the girl's coming-out.
Mrs Haddingon's smart-mouthed secretary, Beulah, has a guilty secret, but Terrible Timothy, who helped solve a case w/ Inspector Hawthorne when he was a lad, is madly in love w/ Beulah and refuses to accept her denial of him.
On the night Mrs. Haddington has her grand bridge party, her confidant Dan Seaton-Carew, takes a private telephone call in the boudoir only to be found strangled to death by a length of picture hanging wire...
Days later, Mrs Haddington is found murdered in a "duplicate" manner after a series of three questionable visitors....
The plot & story lines were quite good, but the majority of the characters, and chapters One-Six almost ruined it for me, thus the - ★.
I will be reading more of Heyer's mysteries.
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LibraryThing member Vesper1931
A select dinner party followed by a more general bridge evening goes horribly wrong for the hostess Mrs Haddington. On taking a telephone call in the Boudoir a guest at the party is found murdered. Thankfully for most of the guests they are not suspected. Inspector Hemingway is called in to
Originally written in 1951.
I found this to be an enjoyable read and an interesting if slow-paced mystery.
A NetGalley Book
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investigate. Just when he believes he knows the killer another body is discovered. Killed in the same way. What could be the possible connection between the two dead people and what motive for their deaths.Originally written in 1951.
I found this to be an enjoyable read and an interesting if slow-paced mystery.
A NetGalley Book
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LibraryThing member JBD1
Not among my favorite Heyer tales. Just not much in it and largely unlikable characters.
Subjects
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1951
Physical description
192 p.; 17.5 cm
ISBN
0586014071 / 9780586014073
Local notes
Omslag: Ikke angivet
Omslaget forestiller en pudderdåse eller lignende og nogle spillekort.
Indskannet omslag - N650U - 150 dpi
Omslaget forestiller en pudderdåse eller lignende og nogle spillekort.
Indskannet omslag - N650U - 150 dpi
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Pages
192
DDC/MDS
| 823.912 |