No Wind of Blame

by Georgette Heyer

Paper Book, 1971

Status

Available

Call number

Fic Mystery Heyer

Publication

Toronto, New York, Bantam Books, 1971, c1939.

Description

Classic Literature. Fiction. Mystery. Historical Fiction. HTML: "Miss Heyer's characters and dialogue are an abiding delight to me... I have seldom met people to whom I have taken so violent a fancy from the word 'Go.'"�??Dorothy L. Sayers Everyone had a motive, but who had the means? Wally Carter's murder seems impossible�??not one of the suspects was anywhere near the weapon at the time the shot was fired. The superlatively analytical Inspector Hemingway is confronted with a neglected widow, the neighbor who's in love with her, her resentful daughter, a patently phony Russian prince, and a case of blackmail that may�??or may not�??be at the heart of this most unusual case... Beloved author Georgette Heyer brings her inimitable wit and astute examination of human nature to a British country house mystery sure to delight fans of Agatha Christie and Margery All… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member atimco

No Wind of Blame, one of Georgette Heyer’s thrillers, was published in 1939 and features the usual accoutrements of the country-manor murder: an upper-class family simply seething with complicated relationships and eccentricities, whose family party is crashed by a competent detective from

Scotland Yard who is less than respected by the local authorities. This particular title also boasts a money-hungry Russian (or rather, Georgian, excuse me!) prince, an angry “Bolshie,” and a dog that mysteriously does not bark.

The murder itself is a bit contrived (well, okay, more than a bit). The likelihood of such elaborate and complicated mechanics actually working to murder someone seems quite improbable, but we’re not here for that, right?

Where Heyer shines, as usual, is in her characters’ dialogue and relationships. Mary Cliffe is the ostensible heroine, as the story opens by her staid side, but her young relative Vicky soon steals the show. Mary is left bland and lackluster and sensible on the sidelines, for Vicky is an actress (or fancies herself one, anyways) and is always playing some dramatic part. One day she she is Sports Girl; another, Early Victorian, and so on. It would be exasperating in a real person, but in a literary creation it’s highly amusing.

Ermyntrude Carter is another brilliantly drawn character, a rather foolish woman whose hysterics and “woman’s instincts” make life a trial for Inspector Hemingway. And yet there is a kindness and humility about her; she’s hard not to like, even when she is being ridiculous. One is thankful that she does not fall into the clutches of Prince Alexis Varasashvili, the smooth-talking prince who would like nothing better than to take the fair Ermyntrude—and her fortune—to have and to hold forever.

The title is taken from the line “And for his death no wind of blame shall breathe” in Hamlet, when Claudius is plotting with Laertes to murder Hamlet and make it look like an accident. It doesn’t perfectly fit here, as there is no way this death looks like an accident, even superficially, but it’s certainly a catchy title. All in all, this is a predictable but fun mystery to be enjoyed for its wit and comedic merits more than anything else.

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LibraryThing member jjmcgaffey

Nice. A beautiful example of giving the reader all the clues (well, almost all) - but anyone who put them all together (the how, if not the why) in advance of Inspector Hemingway is far more brilliant than I. Persons and personalities, extremely complex intertwining of motives and connections...and

the doctor completely surprised me at the end, I'll have to read it again to see if there were clues to that. Several very annoying characters (especially Vicki - she may have been intended to be amusing, but she drove me nuts with her theatrics), several very nice ones - and the obvious HAE didn't happen, but several others did or will. Heyer does a beautiful balance of characters and mystery - the mystery rises out of the interactions of characters, the characters deal with the mystery in individually appropriate ways, and the solution makes perfect sense of all the twists that have been uncovered. Lovely. Now I want to read another Heyer - either a mystery or a romance. Anything she does is good.

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LibraryThing member caitemaire

During her lifetime, Heyer was better known for her Regency romances than her mysteries and that may still be true today. But if you are a fan of clever stories, with excellent dialogue and an amusing cast of characters in an English country house setting and have not checked out the dozen or so of

her mysteries, you really owe it to yourself to do so. And happily, you have the very nice editions, reissued by Sourcebooks, to make it an even more attractive prospect.

In 'No Wind of Blame', we are in the English countryside of the late 1930's, in the lovely estate of Ermyntrude Carter. Ermyntrude was on the stage as a young woman and inherited the impressive house and her fortune from her first, beloved husband. Sadly, her second marriage, to the ner'do-well Wally, is not quite so beneficial. It seems he has found a number of seedy ways to spend her money, including gambling, wine, women and song and maybe a shady business dealing or two. His activities have drawn the displeasure of many in the neighboring community beside his wife. Those that care for Ermyntrude, including her daughter from her first marriage, Vicky, several admirers, including a very questionable Russian prince and even Mary, Wally's cousin and ward have their issue with Wally. And that just scrapes the surface of the suspects. Yes, suspects, because Wally will be shot to death as he crosses the estate and so starts the mystery, a mystery full of twist and turns, red herrings galore, a big and lively cast of characters and a nice dash or two of romance to top it all off before coming to a logical and satisfactory conclusion.

Certainly Heyer's books will remind you of Agatha Christie's to a degree, although I don't honestly remember Christie being quite so funny. Heyer is often very amusing and her excellent dialogue is really the high point of the book. At times, granted, it can make for some rather slow going because you really have to pay attention to what is being said, but you will be rewarded if you do. I will also warn you that the first quarter of so of the book may seem rather slow, because it takes a fair bit of talking to acquaint us with a rather large cast, most of whom will soon be suspects. But once poor Wally gets himself killed, things start to pick up, especially with the arrival of the witty Inspector Hemingway from Scotland Yard.

If you are a mystery fan, especially of the witty, clever English country house sort, you do really owe it to yourself to check out 'No Wind of Blame'. As Dorothy L. Sayers, quoted on the back cover of the book says, “Miss Heyer's characters and dialogue are an abiding delight to me...I have seldom met people to whom I have taken so violent a fancy from the word 'Go”.”

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LibraryThing member kaulsu

Very tedious going in the beginning until the murder actually occurs. At that point Inspector Hemmingway is brought to the scene, at which time all the various romances seem to get shuffled and redealt. It would make a splendid period theatrical farce...but like Heyer's other "contemporary" novels,

just not up to her normal standards we expect from reading her Regency period pieces.

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LibraryThing member klpm

Of the Georgette Heyer mysteries that I've read so far, No Wind of Blame is one of my favorites. It has a more balanced set of characters--with a few that are even tolerable people--and a strong mystery.

With the first third of the book reserved for character development before the murder, this book

shows the strength of the Heyer mystery. A pieced-together family lives in their English countryside home, Palings. We have Ermyntrude Carter, a widow on her second marriage with an adult daughter, Vicky, from the first. Her husband of the last two years is Wally Carter who brought along with him his cousin and adult ward, Mary Cliffe. They are an unconventional set that have their good days and bad. Ermyntrude was on the stage in her youth and Vicky spends her days on her own mental stage and gets through her days by acting in different personae. In the adjoining Dower House is Wally's distant relative, the generally-disliked Harold White, who tends to bring out the worst in Wally. Ermyntrude has a retinue of admirers in the picture as well and when Wally is murdered one afternoon, there is no shortage of suspects.

I really enjoyed this book and it is one that I would definitely recommend to someone new to Georgette Heyer's mysteries. There were a few twists and turns and the requisite Heyer romance. It also features a new detective from Scotland Yard, Inspector Hemingway, who has a great sense of humor to match his strong wits.

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LibraryThing member JulesJones

First of the Inspector Hemingway series of mysteries. Another of Heyer's tales of murder amongst the wealthy in 1930s England, this one is seen primarily through the eyes of Mary, the younger cousin and ward of Wally Carter, a man who has married an extremely wealthy and somewhat vulgar widow.

Ermyntrude was an actress before she married her first husband, and is inclined to histrionics at home, but is also a kind and generous woman who has offered Mary a permanent home and a position as her secretary. Mary is genuinely fond of "Auntie Erm", and thus has little patience with Wally's domestic misdemeanours, which include spending Erm's money on gambling, drinking, dodgy business deals, and as it turns out, another woman.

There's a large cast of characters, and a good third of the book is taken up with introducing them to the reader before Wally is shot dead in broad daylight in front of witnesses -- but without anyone seeing the shooter. As usual, the characters are stock stereotypes who are brought to vivid and entertaining life by Heyer's careful characterisation and witty dialogue, and there's a thoroughly enjoyable story to be had out of watching the characters interacting even before we get down to the murder mystery itself. There are plenty of good suspects, and plenty of red herrings, and mixed in amongst them enough genuine clues to play fair to those who want to play the game. Great fun.

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LibraryThing member thereadingrebel

Wally is a good for nothing slob who lives off his rich wife Ermyntrude. Who may not be the brightest person but her good nature,generosity,and kindness make up for it and I love her character.Drama and all. Throw in a Prince who is a gold digger,Mr Steel who is madly in love with her,her daughter

Vicki who takes the quote The Whole World's a Stage literally(she plays a new role depending on how she feels or what she wants to do that day,every day)and a few other colorful characters and you got yourself one heck of a fun story and that's not even counting the murder.

I love Mary's character. She is the common sense of the whole story. It's always nice to have a sensible character among all the others who have a flair of drama about them. Dr.Chester is also sensible but that is about it. Georgette Heyer's characters and writing style know no equal. Her books are always well written and entertaining. I don't read much mystery but I am always up for one of Heyer's. I never read any of her books without laughing and smiling though most of it.

I like that the murder doesn't happen intil 100 and some pages in. It gives you time to get to know the characters and study them to try and guess who did it. I thought the whodunnit was great and enjoyed trying to figure out who did it. I enjoyed seeing Hemingway again but I miss his partner Hannasyde and their banter together.

Over all not my favorite mystery of hers but still great. If you enjoy Heyer's writing or her other mysteries or just are looking for a good mystery I would recommend this book.

Rating:4 out of 5

Content Rating: PG

Keeper: Yes

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LibraryThing member sensitivemuse

I liked this book because it seemed to have captured the very essence of English society of the time and it was just so accurately done I had no problems picturing the setting, the characters, and as I progressed with the story it just got more interesting.

I loved the mystery aspect of this, it

certainly did keep me guessing! you're actually left until nearly the very end to learn who the culprit was. I found myself always changing my mind on who might have done it (some of my guesses were so outrageous I'm actually laughing about it now) but it was nice how it was written to make it look like as if each of the suspects could have possibly done it since they all had a motive to do it. Each suspect was explained with their possible connection to the murder and it was done in such a clever way you're left jumping from one character to another pointing the finger as to who did it. Definitely a job well done in that aspect of writing.

Character wise, I liked most of them. With a name like Ermyntrude what's not to like! I have to admit I liked Mary from the start. She just seemed so steady and had a serious head on her shoulders I enjoyed her character a lot. I thought Vicky was one of the most annoying characters in the book. I couldn't really stand her and her melodrama and immaturity just made you hate her even more, especially when she started pointing the finger and trying to get Inspector Hemingway to go to other possible suspects to take the blame off of her (in many ways I had it set in my head that she was the one who committed the crime and she was my main suspect, but only because I just couldn't stand her and wanted her out of the way). Hugh doesn't really help much with telling Vicky to be quiet and I really don't see what he sees in her but to each his/her own, right? (I rather wanted him to be with Mary). The Prince was such a stereotypical charming character but had a phony side to him that made him enjoyable to read, especially his behavior towards Ermyntrude, it was obvious he was after her, but it was just funny to see him try and get her attention.

A few criticisms about this book, well the plot is a little slow but it's to give you a proper introduction to the characters and a way to get you to know them more so the mystery will work out perfectly. I understand that and think it was a necessity otherwise if you were just to read about the suspects and their motives without really getting to know their character it just wouldn't be a fun read at all. It could have moved a little more quickly though. Another thing, because this book was written in the 30's, it's a very different style of writing and I found it a little hard to get used to. Plus Inspector Hemingway got so analytical about the case, and if you combine that with the style of writing it got hard to follow and understand sometimes. I had to reread some passages to get the understanding of it.

Overall, a wonderful mystery read if you have the patience to get through the writing and a slow moving but interesting plot.

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LibraryThing member riverwillow

I loved this book. The murder occurs about a third of the way through the novel, allowing enough time to set up the various characters. The solution to the murder is ingenious, as is its execution, and holds together well. But the sheer strength of this book are the characters and dialogue. There

are some fantastic exchanges between the main protagonists. I particularly loved Vicky, who lives her life as a series of characters, 'sports girl', 'the ingénue' and her encounters with Inspector Hemingway are particularly hilarious. In this book Heyer proves that she has Agatha Christie's eye for plot and character, but successfully mixes this with the sparkling wit and humour that characterise her Regency novels.

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LibraryThing member RapidCityPubLib

Gerogette Heyer, who is better known for her Regency Romance novels, wrote about 12 Mystery novels. Some are now available after being out of publication for a number of years. Heyer was a contemporary of Christie, Sayers and Marsh and her books are wonderful. Her husband was a barrister and

provided many of the plots for her detective novels. Her characters and dialogue are delightful. These books are a wonderful read, you want to read as quickly as possible but not get to the end.

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LibraryThing member millhold

As always, Heyer doesn't disappoint. It's been a long time since I'd read this book, because my original copy was falling apart. So, as soon as my new copy arrived, I began clearing the decks to read it. The writing is still fresh, the characters engaging, and the storyline still works.

LibraryThing member KimMR

A buddy read with my friend Jemidar and worth closer to 3 1/2 stars.

The third last novel in my 2011 Heyer mysteries reading project, this is neither my favourite nor my least favourite of these novels.

I'll start with what I liked about it. As with all of Heyer's mysteries - and most of her other

novels - this novel features seriously eccentric characters who engage in witty banter while doing strange things. If anything, the eccentricity is ramped up in this novel and I was kept laughing, which is no bad thing. Further, I actually didn't guess the culprit in advance. I should have and I probably would have if I hadn't entertained myself by deciding that one of the other characters was going to be the murderer because he wasn't an obvious suspect. Clearly, I should have explored the possibilities a bit more before committing myself. Finally, the "howdunnit" was ingenious and not readily guessable (although in relation to this, see below).

Now for the things I didn't like. There was an entirely unnecessary romantic moment tacked on to the last paragraph which didn't grow out of the narrative. And the "howdunnit", while ingenious, was possibly a little too ingenious for plausibility. Surely the murderer could have come up with a less complicated way of doing in the victim!

I wouldn't recommend this as a shining example of the Golden Age mystery genre. But, for someone dedicated to reading Heyer's entire oeuvre, or for someone dedicated to reading as many examples of 1930s mysteries as possible, it's not a bad way to while away a few hours.

It was also great fun to do as a buddy read. Thanks, Jemidar.

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LibraryThing member cjz111

No Wind of Blame (Georgette Heyer) is a rollicking murder mystery full of colorful players and numerous plot twists. The first quarter of the book is devoted to introducing the reader to the vast array of characters. The descriptions are not overt. Yes, the usual physical details are given but the

true nature of each individual is cleverly exposed through dialogue and reactions to situations and each other. Ermyntrude, the drama-queen of a widow, Prince Alexis who blatantly expresses his desire to marry Ermyntrude while her husband was still among the living and the properly steadfast Inspector Hemingway are just a few of the principles that create a quick and sometimes comical read. Personally, my favorite character was Vicky, the daughter of Ermyntrude from her first marriage. Vicky lives each moment of the day as if she is on stage – literally. She changes clothing and personality depending on the situation and other players involved. She actually becomes jealous when she discovers she is NOT considered a prime suspect in her step-father’s murder and creates a storyline making her the “star” of the investigation. The investigation following the murder is a head-spinning venture for Inspector Hemingway with everyone a suspect. His job is made all the more difficult with that not one of those suspected seems to be very concerned and at times, say and do things that creates even more doubt as to their innocence. There are some love triangles, some unexpected twists and a satisfying conclusion.

It took me a few pages to acclimate myself to Ms. Heyer’s writing style. There are some dated phrases but this is to be expected as the book was originally published in 1939. It certainly has stood the test of time and I look forward to reading other titles from this entertaining author.

Thank you to Sourcebooks, Inc. for allowing me to read and review this book.

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LibraryThing member BonnieJune54

Fun characters.

LibraryThing member librisissimo

Nothing can be said about the plot without giving away the solution,

LibraryThing member AbigailAdams26

When the insufferable Wally Carter is shot dead on the grounds of his wife's estate, Inspector Hemingway of Scotland Yard soon discovers that there is no shortage of suspects. Wally's wealthy and long-suffering wife Ermyntrude, upon whose largesse he had been living, had only just learned of his

affair with a local girl. Ermyntrude's two "suitors" - the stern Robert Steele, who was in love with her; and the charming Prince Varasashvili, who was in love with her money - each wanted to be her next husband. Then there was Ermyntrude's temperamental daughter Vicki, who liked to play-act; sensible Mary Cliffe, Wally's ward and possible heir; and the outraged Percy Baker, brother to the girl Wally had "gotten into trouble." But which of them was the guilty party...?

Having read all but two of Georgette Heyer's historical novels, and all of her romances, I have long been meaning to pick up one of her mysteries. Sadly, No Wind of Blame was a rather disappointing first foray into Heyer's work in this genre. I could see that the reader was meant to find many of the characters - particularly the precocious Vicki - amusing, but somehow the Heyer magic just didn't seem to work here, and I found the characters unsympathetic and tiresome. I also thought that the narrative lacked suspense, not because I was able to guess the solution immediately, but because I simply couldn't dredge up any interest in the solution in the first place.

It's possible that my expectations were simply too high, and that Heyer's mysteries were bound to suffer, when compared to her brilliant romantic novels, or to the work of such masters of the country-house mystery as Agatha Christie. Either way, although it was mildly entertaining, I wouldn't recommend this title to anyone but Georgette Heyer completists.

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LibraryThing member hemlokgang

Not my cup of tea

LibraryThing member leslie.98

This review is for the audiobook edition only (listened to CDs in 2017)

Ulli Birve did a fine job narrating this mystery overall. In particular, her voice for Ermentrude was excellent. However, for a few of the male characters (such as the butler Peake and Inspector Cook), her narration was at times

wooden.

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LibraryThing member SueinCyprus

A character-based crime novel, set in the late 1930s in a large mansion in rural England. Some delightfully over-the-top people mix with more mundane ones, and there's some dry humour to contrast with the serious nature of the underlying story.

Plenty of red herrings, most of which I spotted, and a

somewhat complex resolution of the puzzle after the brilliant Inspector Hemingway admitted that he was confused. A novel with some social history as well as good interactions between unlikely people; overall a good read.

I don't find Heyer's crime fiction as compelling as her historical romances, but I enjoyed it nonetheless and am pleased to have found this book which completes my Heyer crime fiction collection.

Recommended if you like personality-driven light crime fiction somewhat in the Agatha Christie style. Don't, however, read the blurb on the back of this edition, as it gives rather too many spoilers.

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LibraryThing member JBD1

Another quite decent Heyer mystery, with a few memorable characters and a typically complex story.

LibraryThing member PhilipJHunt

There are dozens of Georgette Heyer books on our bookshelves, much read and reread by my wife, Judy. “You might like this one,” Judy said. “It’s a murder mystery. Not her usual stuff.” Dubious, I began reading.
Heyer has a wry sense of humour, and a voice with echoes of Jane Austen. She

writes interesting characters, some you’ll like, and some you’ll enjoy disliking. The actual murder plot is fairly straightforward but well-handled with a neat resolution in the last few pages.

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LibraryThing member wealhtheowwylfing

Wally Carter, his ward Mary, his wife Ermyntrude, and her daughter Vicky are an odd bunch. They are rich, thanks to Ermyntrude's first husband, but not very socially acceptable. That is, until Ermyntrude secures a Georgian Prince to stay for the weekend. During the visit, tempers flare and secrets

come out--and at the end of it all, Wally Carter has been shot dead.
Whodunit?
Vicky, the flighty would-be actress who loves her mother?
Mary, Wally's sensible yet much put-upon ward?
Ermyntrude, Wally's wife, who has other suitors for her hand and has just discovered something ugly about Wally?
Hugh, Mary's friend who is sarcastic and clever enough to hide just about anything?
The Doctor, who Ermyntrude "did a good turn" in the past and has mysterious mood swings?
The Prince, who wants to marry Ermyntrude for her money?
Mr. Steel, who wants to marry Ermyntrude for herself?
Mr. White, who owes Wally a great deal of money?
Mr. Baker, who threatened Wally just the day before?

Or one of the many supporting characters? The novel shifts focus, from detailed description of the 1930s country house lifestyle, told from Mary's POV to a slightly wacky mystery, seen by Vicky, Hugh and a Scotland Yard Inspector. I think I was prejudiced against this by two factors: Dorothy Sayers did this ten times better, and I didn't like the romance that ends the book. That said, this is a nice little whodunit with some well-observed moments and one (Hugh) very likeable character.

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LibraryThing member leslie.98

This review is for the audiobook edition only.

Ulli Birve did a fine job narrating this mystery overall. In particular, her voice for Ermentrude was excellent. However, for a few of the male characters (such as the butler Peake and Inspector Cook), her narration was at times wooden.

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