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The Awdrey-Gore Legacy
Miss D. Awdrey-Gore, renowned 97-year-old writer of detective stories, is found murdered; then a mysterious hidden packet is discovered. Addressed to her publisher, it contains what appear to be notes and drawings related to a literary work in progress. The contents "in their entirety--though certain things are patently missing" comprise clues about the who, what, when, where and how of Awdrey-Gore's demise. Or do they? Edward Gorey takes us on a rollicking ride in this merry murder mystery, but whether or not the killer is revealed is open to speculation. As one scrap of paper in the packet states, "The smallest clue may be (or not) / The one to give away the plot."
64 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1972
2 people are currently reading
226 people want to read
About the author
Edward Gorey
488 books2,037 followersBorn in Chicago, Gorey came from a colourful family; his parents, Helen Dunham Garvey and Edward Lee Gorey, divorced in 1936 when he was 11, then remarried in 1952 when he was 27. One of his step-mothers was Corinna Mura, a cabaret singer who had a brief role in the classic film Casablanca. His father was briefly a journalist. Gorey's maternal great-grandmother, Helen St. John Garvey, was a popular 19th century greeting card writer/artist, from whom he claimed to have inherited his talents. He attended a variety of local grade schools and then the Francis W. Parker School. He spent 1944–1946 in the Army at Dugway Proving Ground in Utah, and then attended Harvard University from 1946 to 1950, where he studied French and roomed with future poet Frank O'Hara.
Although he would frequently state that his formal art training was "negligible", Gorey studied art for one semester at The School of The Art Institute of Chicago in 1943, eventually becoming a professional illustrator. From 1953 to 1960, he lived in New York City and worked for the Art Department of Doubleday Anchor, illustrating book covers and in some cases adding illustrations to the text. He has illustrated works as diverse as Dracula by Bram Stoker, The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells, and Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot. In later years he illustrated many children's books by John Bellairs, as well as books in several series begun by Bellairs and continued by other authors after his death.
Although he would frequently state that his formal art training was "negligible", Gorey studied art for one semester at The School of The Art Institute of Chicago in 1943, eventually becoming a professional illustrator. From 1953 to 1960, he lived in New York City and worked for the Art Department of Doubleday Anchor, illustrating book covers and in some cases adding illustrations to the text. He has illustrated works as diverse as Dracula by Bram Stoker, The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells, and Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot. In later years he illustrated many children's books by John Bellairs, as well as books in several series begun by Bellairs and continued by other authors after his death.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
October 20, 2019
I did enjoy the artwork in this one and I think I get what is happening. It’s almost like a large game of Clue. We have the people, the weapons and the deaths, but it’s not really in a story. There is also an author of mysteries who leaves behind a mystery at the end and it almost feels like she is confessing to killing off all her characters by the end.
I almost long for this to be a narrative instead of this. It seems like there is a story here, but I couldn’t piece it together. It is unique, but I didn’t enjoy it as some of his other works. I did enjoy the set of pictures that showed rooms with feet sticking out behind something in them and that’s all there was. We knew there was a body. I felt that was rather his humor shining through.
Edward is very interesting. I would love to know what other people make of this little story. I really felt like it was related to the game of Clue.
I almost long for this to be a narrative instead of this. It seems like there is a story here, but I couldn’t piece it together. It is unique, but I didn’t enjoy it as some of his other works. I did enjoy the set of pictures that showed rooms with feet sticking out behind something in them and that’s all there was. We knew there was a body. I felt that was rather his humor shining through.
Edward is very interesting. I would love to know what other people make of this little story. I really felt like it was related to the game of Clue.
February 22, 2012
The Awdrey-Gore Legacy, an entertainment from Edward Gorey, first published in 1972 has been republished in a handsome new edition from Pomegranate of San Francisco. The book is “a Mobius Mystery containing Portents, Fragments and significant Objects…” In fact, because of it’s fragmentary nature this new edition could just as easily have been published in a decorative box with cards and lists and various objets trouvés. [return][return]The wit and anagrammatic whimsy of Gorey has never been more apparent. The elderly D. Awdrey-Gore, celebrated spinster-author of detective stories has turned up murdered on St. Spasmus Day — she had previously disappeared on this same saint's day in 1927 . A little confusing, but delicious fun![return][return]Gorey has summoned an impressive cast of characters including Waredo Dyrge, half Irish, half Japanese soldier of fortune and detective of the highest rank who announces his deductions in the form of linked haiku and is portrayed by E.G. in a series of drawings exhibiting progressively more extreme amputations and prosthetics (all in the line of duty I presume!). [return][return]The cast of suspects are all those you would expect to meet in an Agatha Christie mystery (to whom the book is dedicated) — the Vicar, the Baronet, the Amateur Cricketer, the Village Ancient, and many more, including “The authorities: local/Scotland Yard” — all presented in fine pen and ink as only Edward Gorey could. [return][return]Scenes of the crime (crimes?), methods of elimination (blunt, limp, gradual and instantaneous!), and assorted clues and ephemera are all portrayed in progressively more mysterious exposition until the final denouement! Gorey at his best!
March 10, 2015
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
Edward Gorey had an engagingly morbid turn of mind and a lovely way with a pen, both as author and illustrator. He was also amazingly prolific; The Awdrey-Gore Legacy is but one of his 100+ works. In this short illustrated novel (if one may call it that), we first learn that the 97-year-old body of Miss D. Awdrey-Gore, author of mysteries galore, has turned up (murdered!) some 44 years after her disappearance. The only clue, an "oiled-silk packet" found under the false bottom of an elephant's foot umbrella stand, containing sketches and brief biographies of some 18 people (or are they "characters"?), illustrations of places to disappear and nasty modes of dying, maps showing where various boot-, shoe- and foot-prints mysteriously appeared, and several notes stating "what the murderer failed to realize is that..." among other items of intrigue. Can anyone solve the murder using these cryptic clues? One can only try by reading this book....This is a very handsome edition (from Pomegranate Communications) of a most enjoyable Gorey experience, with high-quality paper and crisp reproductions of all the drawings. And, of course, the story itself is delightful - easy enough to read the whole story in 10 minutes, but you'll want to linger over the illustrations gracing each page. Highly recommended!
Edward Gorey had an engagingly morbid turn of mind and a lovely way with a pen, both as author and illustrator. He was also amazingly prolific; The Awdrey-Gore Legacy is but one of his 100+ works. In this short illustrated novel (if one may call it that), we first learn that the 97-year-old body of Miss D. Awdrey-Gore, author of mysteries galore, has turned up (murdered!) some 44 years after her disappearance. The only clue, an "oiled-silk packet" found under the false bottom of an elephant's foot umbrella stand, containing sketches and brief biographies of some 18 people (or are they "characters"?), illustrations of places to disappear and nasty modes of dying, maps showing where various boot-, shoe- and foot-prints mysteriously appeared, and several notes stating "what the murderer failed to realize is that..." among other items of intrigue. Can anyone solve the murder using these cryptic clues? One can only try by reading this book....This is a very handsome edition (from Pomegranate Communications) of a most enjoyable Gorey experience, with high-quality paper and crisp reproductions of all the drawings. And, of course, the story itself is delightful - easy enough to read the whole story in 10 minutes, but you'll want to linger over the illustrations gracing each page. Highly recommended!
September 5, 2023
A sort of elaborate game of Clue as Gorey presents the scenario, the characters, locations, potential murder weapons, and clues in separate little pieces of artwork.
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December 29, 2010Edward Gorey is an intriguing cult author-illustrator, as many assume he was an Edwardian Englishman when he was an American prolific during the latter half of the 20th Century. His works are dark, funny, disturbing, and sometimes so strange that you might wonder if the entire thing was an inside joke he failed to let anyone else in on.
The Awdrey-Gore Legacy is incredibly strange. The premise is that an Agatha Christie-like mystery author is found dead years after disappearing (Christie, to whom the book is dedicated, went missing for eleven days, though under very different circumstances), and “that she had been murdered was obvious.” The rest of the book is notes of what may be an unfinished mystery novel or clues to her own death. There is a protagonist (a half-Irish, half-Japanese former mercenary who is missing a hand, a leg, and an eye), a cast of characters, possible places where the body is to be found, potential methods of murder, and the layout of a hedge maze. Gorey plays with mystery novel conventions and cliches throughout.
If you read this and become frustrated because you can’t solve the mystery, don’t worry. There is no solution to this puzzle, just loose pieces and misleading hints. And it should be loved all the more for that.
The Awdrey-Gore Legacy is incredibly strange. The premise is that an Agatha Christie-like mystery author is found dead years after disappearing (Christie, to whom the book is dedicated, went missing for eleven days, though under very different circumstances), and “that she had been murdered was obvious.” The rest of the book is notes of what may be an unfinished mystery novel or clues to her own death. There is a protagonist (a half-Irish, half-Japanese former mercenary who is missing a hand, a leg, and an eye), a cast of characters, possible places where the body is to be found, potential methods of murder, and the layout of a hedge maze. Gorey plays with mystery novel conventions and cliches throughout.
If you read this and become frustrated because you can’t solve the mystery, don’t worry. There is no solution to this puzzle, just loose pieces and misleading hints. And it should be loved all the more for that.
May 13, 2013
The Awdrey Gore Legacy is not exactly a story in the traditional sense, but it plays with mystery story exposition. Along the way, it takes you on a wild tour of possibilities in a world of conventions and tropes. It's filled with fascinating characters, (perhaps) clues, anagrams and wordplay - all lovingly done.
I grew up with The Awdrey Gore Legacy, first poring for hours over the illustrations, then later reading it over and over. The illustrations are superb, and they informed my own drawing style, then later, my photographic style.
This is wordier than many of Gorey's books. It's also more coherent than some of his books (though you have to look for it).
All in all, it's a fascinating and engrossing exploration of the possible in a world of intrigue. It's one of Edward Gorey's best books.
I grew up with The Awdrey Gore Legacy, first poring for hours over the illustrations, then later reading it over and over. The illustrations are superb, and they informed my own drawing style, then later, my photographic style.
This is wordier than many of Gorey's books. It's also more coherent than some of his books (though you have to look for it).
All in all, it's a fascinating and engrossing exploration of the possible in a world of intrigue. It's one of Edward Gorey's best books.
February 6, 2019
Gorey loved the books of Agatha Christie, and The Awdrey-Gore Legacy is his affectionate spoof of her country-house mysteries.
The book opens with the discovery of Ms. Awdrey-Gore's body, and proceeds by presenting a disconnected series of 'clues' and speculations as to her whereabouts for the last 40-odd years, how she was murdered and a catalogue of suspects, none of which is likely to lead to a resolution!
I love the wraparound cover with its selection of imagined titles from Ms. Awdrey-Gore's oeuvre.
The book opens with the discovery of Ms. Awdrey-Gore's body, and proceeds by presenting a disconnected series of 'clues' and speculations as to her whereabouts for the last 40-odd years, how she was murdered and a catalogue of suspects, none of which is likely to lead to a resolution!
I love the wraparound cover with its selection of imagined titles from Ms. Awdrey-Gore's oeuvre.
January 12, 2026
This was astoundingly wonderful and creative. Solid wink to the crime genre.
August 15, 2012
The Awdrey-Gore Legacy is classic Gorey, and at first glance appears almost indistinguishable from the rest of Gorey’s oeuvre. What makes this book stand out from the rest of Gorey’s work is that it is like a love letter to formulaic mysteries, replacing the usual sort of plot and sensible conclusion with a big, open sense of the hilarious oddness of the whole “mystery” genre itself.
The “mystery” as a popular genre was originally constructed around stories of intelligent people using logic, reason and observation to make sense out of criminal acts and restore justice to the world. The Awdrey-Gore Legacy seems like a classic mystery: there is certainly a murdered author, and what seem to be notes toward a murder mystery, that might be related to the author’s murder. But the progress of the book doesn’t follow reason, or common sense, or logic--instead it rewards our leisurely observation, moving from one unreasonable possibility to another, full of clues that add up to more of a mystery than we started with Instead of reading an ordinary type of story, we find at the end that we’ve been dallying in an imaginary world of beautiful eccentricity and cryptic motives (the Gorey world) instead of an ordinary world of problems that can be solved.
Along the way, of course, we get plenty of jolly puns and wordplay, and the trademark Gorey wit. Adding to the charm of the writing, the physical book itself is beautiful--and the illustrations reward all of the attention you give them.
[note: I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for a review, through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program]
The “mystery” as a popular genre was originally constructed around stories of intelligent people using logic, reason and observation to make sense out of criminal acts and restore justice to the world. The Awdrey-Gore Legacy seems like a classic mystery: there is certainly a murdered author, and what seem to be notes toward a murder mystery, that might be related to the author’s murder. But the progress of the book doesn’t follow reason, or common sense, or logic--instead it rewards our leisurely observation, moving from one unreasonable possibility to another, full of clues that add up to more of a mystery than we started with Instead of reading an ordinary type of story, we find at the end that we’ve been dallying in an imaginary world of beautiful eccentricity and cryptic motives (the Gorey world) instead of an ordinary world of problems that can be solved.
Along the way, of course, we get plenty of jolly puns and wordplay, and the trademark Gorey wit. Adding to the charm of the writing, the physical book itself is beautiful--and the illustrations reward all of the attention you give them.
[note: I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for a review, through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program]
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April 1, 2015The barest of plots introduces this enigmatic little book... a mystery writer mysteriously murdered, and a package of notes and drawings that seem to comprise the authoress' next work. It is left to the reader to determine if and how the writer's death was connected to her work-in-progress, but the sketches, character profiles, and other notes certainly link to the circumstances under which her body was discovered. Not a book for those interested in narrative, but a small delight to those that revel in small details, dry wit, and gentle poking at literary conventions of the mystery genre.
February 4, 2011
I love Edward Gorey! What else is there to say?
June 30, 2012
As much as I love Edward Gorey's artwork, sometimes I just don't love the story. This was one of those times.
March 22, 2013
One of the best Gorey books he ever wrote, and a personal favorite. It is a mystery that almost, but not quite, seems like it could actually make sense.
March 28, 2013
This exploration of the possibility of closure offers the intelligent reader a remarkable playing field, the likes of which modern literature had not seen since Gorey's previous book.
October 10, 2017
I think this might be one of Gorey’s most genius works.
August 31, 2025
This is written like a murder mystery, and though I didn't understand most of it, the process itself was fun.
July 20, 2020
On last St Spasmus's day Miss D. Awdrey-Gore was found dead at the age of 97. Just before dawn a nameless poacher came upon her body in a disused fountain on the estate of Lord Ravelflap; she was seated bolt upright on a gilt ballroom chair, one of a set of seventeen then on display at Suthick & Upster's Auction Rooms in Market Footling; her left hand clutched a painted tin lily of cottage manufacture, inside of which was rolled up a Cad's Relish label of a design superseded in 1947; something illegible was penciled on the back. That she had been murdered was obvious, though as yet the cause of death has not been determined.
Dedicated to Agatha Christie, this is Edward Gorey's take on a country house who-done-it.
The esteemed writer Miss D. Awdrey-Gore, one of many characters whose name is an anagram, has been murdered. The book lays out the clues in typical Gorey fashion leaving the reader to discover the truth behind the crime.
A fun read filled with humour, mystery and the macabre.
Dedicated to Agatha Christie, this is Edward Gorey's take on a country house who-done-it.
The esteemed writer Miss D. Awdrey-Gore, one of many characters whose name is an anagram, has been murdered. The book lays out the clues in typical Gorey fashion leaving the reader to discover the truth behind the crime.
A fun read filled with humour, mystery and the macabre.
January 22, 2026
Edward Gorey was a lifelong Agatha Christie fan, and this is very much a tribute to her as well as an homage the genre. It isn't so much a story as a deconstruction of the mechanics of a whodunit, with the murder of the 97-year-old detective novelist D. Awdrey-Gore at its heart. Cause of death? We'll never know, although the possibilities are endless. Like Christie, D. Awdrey-Gore disappeared in 1927 (Christie in 1926) only she never reappeared—until her death 44 years later, that is. In my mind there are two mysteries, the murder of the author and the details of an unpublished whodunit, with one bookending the other, but the beauty of the thing is that it remains open to endless interpretation. And that's before we get into the metafictional, in which the author of a whodunit is always the murderer. I have no doubt that Wes Anderson would orgasm instantaneously were he ever to stumble across this delightful little book.
January 28, 2026
Solved, or not solved. At first I speculated it was Real/Bogus middle European Nobleman Gigolo secret agent for us/them. Due to the, subtle/not so subtle, shifty eyes in the group photo. But after carefully examining the maps and the celery room, you can tell it wasn’t him as he does not wear sneakers. Then, naturally, one would assume it was Member of the upper class gone to the bad Lower Class person with a grudge, after carefully examining everyone’s shoes. He and he alone has what one would assume are sneakers. Yet, alas. He was allergic to doorknobs. And could not have removed them with serious consequences.
Oh, the postcard you ask. “I do. I did it.” E,G Deadworry”
An anagram? Maybe?, with the face powder and the silk stocking - never! As “On the 14th of January the ‘Lanko Sandargo’ was still off the coast of Iceland.”
Flabbergasting.
Who is his E,G Deadworry, E.G ???? Back to Japan i shall go.
Oh, the postcard you ask. “I do. I did it.” E,G Deadworry”
An anagram? Maybe?, with the face powder and the silk stocking - never! As “On the 14th of January the ‘Lanko Sandargo’ was still off the coast of Iceland.”
Flabbergasting.
Who is his E,G Deadworry, E.G ???? Back to Japan i shall go.
December 22, 2025
If Tim Burton is an author, he would be Edward Gorey. But enough of that insight. Gorey tried a detective story with all his weirdness. It's an interesting read because it is Gorey and it's dedicated to Agatha Christie. The story gave ample text of what happened to the dead writer, some haikus, a bunch of odd characters and postcards (that gave away the killer). The artwork is good and but the one who carried this book is the author not the story itself. Don't expect too much with this book, just enjoy it for the ride.
June 8, 2021
I am not much for mystery books...but I fangorously love all things Edward Gorey! I purchased this today, to go with the rest of my Gorey collection. While not a fan of this particular story, I did enjoy the mysterious-ness of the plot, and of course, his wonderful illustrations. I definitely recommend this for all Gorey fans. I cannot wait until I have the full collection!
August 26, 2020
I love the works of Edward Gorey-- gruesomely wonderful, in a similar vein as Charles Addams. Each one is a gem. I read this book many, many years ago and it still sticks with me.
May 21, 2021
Another masterpiece by Edward Gorey. This is a collection of a mystery writer's ideas for characters and scenes from some of her books. So inventive and interesting.
October 8, 2021
Clever but odd. Not really sure what was happening.
February 28, 2022
Very amusing.
February 10, 2024
Alas and alack. I just don’t have the interest to carefully solve the case.
January 6, 2025
Edward Gorey at his best, and no, the butler didn’t do it.
December 24, 2025
Mysterious and delightful.
March 25, 2023
Rereading Edward Gorey 2023. As an amusing homage to murder mysteries, The Awdrey-Gore Legacy is lovely, and fun, fun, fun. It definitely not one that appeals to me as much as so many others, though.
Favorite quote:
Gradual: arsenical buns
Instantaneous: boulder
Favorite quote:
Gradual: arsenical buns
Instantaneous: boulder
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews