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Jacob Singer #9
The Bette Davis Murder Case
"My specialite. A body in the library."
So exclaims Agatha Mallowan, better known as Agatha Christie, to her neighbor Bette Davis at the discovery of the corpse of famous archaeologist (and notorious egoist) Virgil Wynn. Bette has rented Virgil's museum-like mansion in London for a few months of relaxation while her Hollywood lawyers renegotiate her contract, but instead of peace and quiet, she gets embroiled in murder.
Bette stumbles headlong into the bitter - and now deadly - Wynn family feud, complete with a cast of characters only George Baxt could create. Mabel, the domineering mother, still interferes although she's been dead for years, as her husband, Sir Roland, knows only too Perhaps he has taken Virgil's success as an archaeologist and as Mabel's favorite too personally. Virgil's siblings, Anthea, an unbalanced spinster who writes truly blank verse, and Oscar, who has dedicated himself to cacophonous musical compositions that will never see publication, have begrudged Virgil everything from his lion's share of their mother's attention to his wealth, which was their sole support.
Where are Bette and Agatha to turn for the solution to a mystery already too close to home? Toss into the mix an overly devoted maid, a beguiling medium whose seances are to die for, a curse from the tomb of an Egyptian queen, a flirtatious police inspector, and a pinel of arsenic - not to mention a host of dead bodies both new and mummified. Only the grand dame of mystery and the sultry starlet of the silver screen could solve the case!
So exclaims Agatha Mallowan, better known as Agatha Christie, to her neighbor Bette Davis at the discovery of the corpse of famous archaeologist (and notorious egoist) Virgil Wynn. Bette has rented Virgil's museum-like mansion in London for a few months of relaxation while her Hollywood lawyers renegotiate her contract, but instead of peace and quiet, she gets embroiled in murder.
Bette stumbles headlong into the bitter - and now deadly - Wynn family feud, complete with a cast of characters only George Baxt could create. Mabel, the domineering mother, still interferes although she's been dead for years, as her husband, Sir Roland, knows only too Perhaps he has taken Virgil's success as an archaeologist and as Mabel's favorite too personally. Virgil's siblings, Anthea, an unbalanced spinster who writes truly blank verse, and Oscar, who has dedicated himself to cacophonous musical compositions that will never see publication, have begrudged Virgil everything from his lion's share of their mother's attention to his wealth, which was their sole support.
Where are Bette and Agatha to turn for the solution to a mystery already too close to home? Toss into the mix an overly devoted maid, a beguiling medium whose seances are to die for, a curse from the tomb of an Egyptian queen, a flirtatious police inspector, and a pinel of arsenic - not to mention a host of dead bodies both new and mummified. Only the grand dame of mystery and the sultry starlet of the silver screen could solve the case!
200 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 1994
About the author
George Baxt
54 books19 followersGeorge Baxt, the US playwright, scriptwriter and novelist, in New York City, USA.
He began his career as a radio announcer, an actors' agent, and television scriptwriter. He claimed that as an actors' agent he threw James Dean out of his office because he needed a bath. George Baxt's career developed into scriptwriting cult horror films. He made a contribution to The Abominable Dr Phibes, although it was uncredited. His first novel A Queer Kind of Death, (1966), introduced the detective Pharoah Love who was the first in the genre to be both black and openly gay. The novel was very well received and marked the start of a new career in writing. Two further Pharoah Love novels soon appeared and were widely regarded as superior to the first. Nearly three decades passed before the final outings of Pharoah Love in two novels.
Meanwhile George Baxt introduced the detective duo Sylvia Plotkin and Max van Larsen, but these were soon abandoned and several non-series novels were produced. Starting with The Dorothy Parker Murder Case, George Baxt then began to use his knowledge of Hollywood life by using celebrities as characters in a series of detective novels.
He died following complications after heart surgery.
Interesting obituary here: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obi...
He began his career as a radio announcer, an actors' agent, and television scriptwriter. He claimed that as an actors' agent he threw James Dean out of his office because he needed a bath. George Baxt's career developed into scriptwriting cult horror films. He made a contribution to The Abominable Dr Phibes, although it was uncredited. His first novel A Queer Kind of Death, (1966), introduced the detective Pharoah Love who was the first in the genre to be both black and openly gay. The novel was very well received and marked the start of a new career in writing. Two further Pharoah Love novels soon appeared and were widely regarded as superior to the first. Nearly three decades passed before the final outings of Pharoah Love in two novels.
Meanwhile George Baxt introduced the detective duo Sylvia Plotkin and Max van Larsen, but these were soon abandoned and several non-series novels were produced. Starting with The Dorothy Parker Murder Case, George Baxt then began to use his knowledge of Hollywood life by using celebrities as characters in a series of detective novels.
He died following complications after heart surgery.
Interesting obituary here: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obi...
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 19, 2020
I enjoyed the premiss (Bette Davis solving an Egyptian-themed murder mystery with Agatha Mallowan, née Christie), the witty dialogue and the glimpses into Hollywood of the day. I was less enamoured with the murder mystery plot itself and the ending (with multiple reveals) was really rather rushed, with things being wrapped up in the very last pages.
I would read another George Baxt novel in this series (perhaps featuring Noel Coward, Alfred Hitchcock or Marlene Dietrich), but I’d start it expecting some light entertainment and not a beautifully crafted mystery.
I would read another George Baxt novel in this series (perhaps featuring Noel Coward, Alfred Hitchcock or Marlene Dietrich), but I’d start it expecting some light entertainment and not a beautifully crafted mystery.
July 6, 2018
George Baxt has been a favorite of mine since High School.
The story is thin, you say, but the humor is very deftly handled. Well-researched, I didn't find a wrong note; there were some that were more than obviously overplayed, but that can be fun, too.
The story is thin, you say, but the humor is very deftly handled. Well-researched, I didn't find a wrong note; there were some that were more than obviously overplayed, but that can be fun, too.
October 6, 2017
I found this book to be boring and dull.
April 22, 2019
Love Bette Davis, love cozy mysteries, didn't love this book. Go figure.
July 9, 2011
The amazing thing about this author is that he could take such vivid people - Bette Davis and Agatha Christie - and still write a flat story. I won't waste my time on this author again!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews