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Gregor Demarkian #9
Dear Old Dead
A tale of malicious mayhem--and a most heartwarming Father's Day present--from Jane Haddam's acclaimed series of holiday mysteries. Rumors of a change in Charles van Straadt's will only widen the circle of suspects who would have liked to see the media mogul six feet under. Now former FBI agent Gregor Demarkian is tangled in a messy investigation.
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 1, 1994
53 people are currently reading
189 people want to read
About the author
Jane Haddam
55 books133 followersAka Orania Papazoglou
Jane Haddam (b. 1951) is an American author of mysteries. Born Orania Papazoglou, she worked as a college professor and magazine editor before publishing her Edgar Award–nominated first novel, Sweet, Savage Death, in 1984. This mystery introduced Patience McKenna, a sleuthing scribe who would go on to appear in four more books, including Wicked, Loving Murder (1985) and Rich, Radiant Slaughter (1988).
Not a Creature Was Stirring (1990) introduced Haddam’s best-known character, former FBI agent Gregor Demarkian. The series spans more than twenty novels, many of them holiday-themed, including Murder Superior (1993), Fountain of Death (1995), and Wanting Sheila Dead (2005). Haddam’s most recent novels are Blood in the Water (2012) and Hearts of Sand (2013). Wife of William L DeAndrea.
Jane Haddam (b. 1951) is an American author of mysteries. Born Orania Papazoglou, she worked as a college professor and magazine editor before publishing her Edgar Award–nominated first novel, Sweet, Savage Death, in 1984. This mystery introduced Patience McKenna, a sleuthing scribe who would go on to appear in four more books, including Wicked, Loving Murder (1985) and Rich, Radiant Slaughter (1988).
Not a Creature Was Stirring (1990) introduced Haddam’s best-known character, former FBI agent Gregor Demarkian. The series spans more than twenty novels, many of them holiday-themed, including Murder Superior (1993), Fountain of Death (1995), and Wanting Sheila Dead (2005). Haddam’s most recent novels are Blood in the Water (2012) and Hearts of Sand (2013). Wife of William L DeAndrea.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
November 30, 2022
I am enjoying re-reading this series, which is one of my favourites. 'Dear Old Dead,' is the ninth Gregor Demarkian mystery and was first published in 1994.
Dr Michael Pride runs a clinic in Harlem, an area of New York which is (at least at the time of this book) virtually abandoned, it's inhabitants poor, while gangs cause nightly battles and weekend wars. Dr Pride is seen as something of a Saint, his clinic funded partly by the wealthy Charles van Straade and partly by the Catholic Church. When Charles van Straade is poisoned in Michael Pride's office, Gregor is requested to investigate.
This is an enjoyable mystery, although even Gregor regrets the fact that Bennis not along and I missed her company. Still, there are lots of suspects, including van Straade's warring grandchildren, who are all expected to volunteer at the medical centre, those that work there and a young man who pickets outside. You feel Haddam, who perhaps had not expected her series to be quite so long-running, loosely ties this to her previous holiday themes, by stating Father's Day is coming and linking this to a local newspaper competition. However, this series outgrew this affectation but is linked to events which now feel historical, such as the AIDS crisis and which throws me back to those days. Time spent in Gregor's company is always enjoyable and he remains in my list of favourite fictional detectives.
Dr Michael Pride runs a clinic in Harlem, an area of New York which is (at least at the time of this book) virtually abandoned, it's inhabitants poor, while gangs cause nightly battles and weekend wars. Dr Pride is seen as something of a Saint, his clinic funded partly by the wealthy Charles van Straade and partly by the Catholic Church. When Charles van Straade is poisoned in Michael Pride's office, Gregor is requested to investigate.
This is an enjoyable mystery, although even Gregor regrets the fact that Bennis not along and I missed her company. Still, there are lots of suspects, including van Straade's warring grandchildren, who are all expected to volunteer at the medical centre, those that work there and a young man who pickets outside. You feel Haddam, who perhaps had not expected her series to be quite so long-running, loosely ties this to her previous holiday themes, by stating Father's Day is coming and linking this to a local newspaper competition. However, this series outgrew this affectation but is linked to events which now feel historical, such as the AIDS crisis and which throws me back to those days. Time spent in Gregor's company is always enjoyable and he remains in my list of favourite fictional detectives.
August 15, 2023
Dear Old Dead (Gregor Demarkian, #9) by Jane Haddam. Kindle.
The Sentinel, a newspaper owned and run by Charles Van Staadt, is running a Father's Day contest. Charles Van Staadt is one of the wealthiest men in America. He's also a top contributor to a Harlem clinic. Dr. Michael Pride is the director and chief medical doctor at that clinic. Dr. Pride is considered by most to be a saint as his hard work and dedication to the community has saved many lives. This particular night the clinic is overloaded with casualties from a gang war. Dr. Pride works tirelessly through the night hours.
When Dr. Pride finally has a moment to catch his breath he finds Charles Van Staadt dead on the floor of his office. Demarkian is called in by the Cardinal to investigate. The murders continue...
This was one of my favorite Demarkian mysteries. J.H. outdid herself with the character of Dr. Pride. Excellent read.
The Sentinel, a newspaper owned and run by Charles Van Staadt, is running a Father's Day contest. Charles Van Staadt is one of the wealthiest men in America. He's also a top contributor to a Harlem clinic. Dr. Michael Pride is the director and chief medical doctor at that clinic. Dr. Pride is considered by most to be a saint as his hard work and dedication to the community has saved many lives. This particular night the clinic is overloaded with casualties from a gang war. Dr. Pride works tirelessly through the night hours.
When Dr. Pride finally has a moment to catch his breath he finds Charles Van Staadt dead on the floor of his office. Demarkian is called in by the Cardinal to investigate. The murders continue...
This was one of my favorite Demarkian mysteries. J.H. outdid herself with the character of Dr. Pride. Excellent read.
December 14, 2017
https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/2924147.html
This is a murder mystery set in a New York private charitable hospital, set in the present day, ie 1994 (Trump Tower is referenced on the second page). The hospital's founder is gay; his sponsors are a combination of a dynastic millionaire and the Catholic Church. The Church calls in Haddam's detective, Gregor Demarkian, to investigate the millionaire's murder. It's pretty clear that the murderer must be one of a very few characters, and I found it a bit implausible that neither the police nor Demarkian approached it in that way, instead waiting for the clues to line up and point in the right direction; and I wasn't totally convinced about the motivation of the murderer, though the means of the crime were resolved rather satisfactorily. However, I really enjoyed the portrayal of the hospital as a social space, the complex interaction between Michael Pride and the Church, and Demarkian's exploration of parts of New York that I myself rarely get to see.
This is a murder mystery set in a New York private charitable hospital, set in the present day, ie 1994 (Trump Tower is referenced on the second page). The hospital's founder is gay; his sponsors are a combination of a dynastic millionaire and the Catholic Church. The Church calls in Haddam's detective, Gregor Demarkian, to investigate the millionaire's murder. It's pretty clear that the murderer must be one of a very few characters, and I found it a bit implausible that neither the police nor Demarkian approached it in that way, instead waiting for the clues to line up and point in the right direction; and I wasn't totally convinced about the motivation of the murderer, though the means of the crime were resolved rather satisfactorily. However, I really enjoyed the portrayal of the hospital as a social space, the complex interaction between Michael Pride and the Church, and Demarkian's exploration of parts of New York that I myself rarely get to see.
July 1, 2024
Gregor Demarkian, retired FBI agent who has been spending his retirement assisting in solving a few murders here and there, is leaving his Philadelphia Armenian immigrant neighborhood for NYC, East Harlem and the Sojourner Truth Health Center specifically. There's been a murder and the Cardinal Archbishop of New York has requested his 'unofficial' assistance in solving the murder of the billionaire financial partner to the Health Center. The Catholic Archdiocese of New York is the other significant financial partner. Gregor has spent time in NYC when working for the FBI, but this takes him into a whole new side -- the poverty and gang wars of East Harlem, the homeless problem, the drugs, the abandoned neighborhoods the marked the early 90s in some neighborhoods. Gregor does eventually identify the murderer in a manner that provides sufficient evidence to convict, but not before there's another murder, a twice attempted murder of a third person, and we spend a lot of time with the eclectic group that are connected to the Health Center from its charismatic leader to the too young girl who is trying to leave the world of prostitution behind.
I really enjoyed this a great deal, and not just because of the setting - one quite familiar to me and today quite different from what it was in the early 90s before the city crackdown on gangs and gentrification spread uptown. It's a time when you couldn't get a yellow cab to take you to Harlem, AIDS was ravaging the gay community, Times Square and vicinity belonged to peep shows, porn shops and prostitutes, tatty cartoon characters, gangs ruled the poor areas. It's a good plot, kept me guessing which is always nice, and the way Father's Day was interwoven was extremely well done - from references to the different 'father roles' that exist or don't among the impoverished, priests as fathers, to celebrations, sales, and even contests. The author didn't just pick a holiday and stick a murder mystery around it; she built it into the plot. I also like how the immigrant Armenian community features, its denizens, culture, religion as it provides great color to the stories, different perspectives and even comic relief.
I did feel that there are a couple of threads hanging still at the end, and there were a couple of characters I wish we knew how they faired after. Perhaps they pop up in a later book? I don't it. But on the other hand, it's good that the author made me care. There were a few geographic mistakes made in Manhattan that were truly inexcusable, but in truth, Haddam really captured NYC at the very beginning of the 90s.
I used to read these, and her other series with a romance novel writer as MC, as they were published, but just about the time this was published, I stopped keeping up, and then fell far behind. I did that with a lot of series at that time in my life. My profession was demanding of my time and brain pushing my reading a super light fiction rut. I'm so glad to have picked Haddam up again. Should keep me quite busy as there are 30 in the series now.
Steeplechase - Summer Celebration - Father's Day
I really enjoyed this a great deal, and not just because of the setting - one quite familiar to me and today quite different from what it was in the early 90s before the city crackdown on gangs and gentrification spread uptown. It's a time when you couldn't get a yellow cab to take you to Harlem, AIDS was ravaging the gay community, Times Square and vicinity belonged to peep shows, porn shops and prostitutes, tatty cartoon characters, gangs ruled the poor areas. It's a good plot, kept me guessing which is always nice, and the way Father's Day was interwoven was extremely well done - from references to the different 'father roles' that exist or don't among the impoverished, priests as fathers, to celebrations, sales, and even contests. The author didn't just pick a holiday and stick a murder mystery around it; she built it into the plot. I also like how the immigrant Armenian community features, its denizens, culture, religion as it provides great color to the stories, different perspectives and even comic relief.
I did feel that there are a couple of threads hanging still at the end, and there were a couple of characters I wish we knew how they faired after. Perhaps they pop up in a later book? I don't it. But on the other hand, it's good that the author made me care. There were a few geographic mistakes made in Manhattan that were truly inexcusable, but in truth, Haddam really captured NYC at the very beginning of the 90s.
I used to read these, and her other series with a romance novel writer as MC, as they were published, but just about the time this was published, I stopped keeping up, and then fell far behind. I did that with a lot of series at that time in my life. My profession was demanding of my time and brain pushing my reading a super light fiction rut. I'm so glad to have picked Haddam up again. Should keep me quite busy as there are 30 in the series now.
Steeplechase - Summer Celebration - Father's Day
March 12, 2011
This is one of those books that I thought would get better, but didn't. Even after the famed Gregor Demarkian showed up at the hospital to solve the murder of multimillionare Charles van Straadt. None of his potential heirs seem like decent people, as compared to the doctor there who flaunts his homsexuality by going to sex shows while he is suffering from advanced AIDS. If a reader can't feel sympathy for characters, it is hard to enjoy the book.
June 5, 2015
This Gregor Demarkian offering is very good. Haddam consistently writes well paced and entertaining books in this series. Although her link to the featured holiday, Father's Day, in this piece is tenuous, the plotline is well thought out and interesting. As in all her books, her referencing to the Catholic Church is a bit heavy, it is not overbearing and contributes well to the story.
October 13, 2017
Anither great Gregor Demarkian book! Who killed media mogul Charles van Straadt...and why did they chose to do it during an all out gang war in Harlem? Only a great mind like Gregor could figure tis one out....loved this book!
January 5, 2022
This was my first Jane Haddam book, so I cannot say I know her style. But she sure has her places right on for the time frame (I have lived in PA and spent time in the NY of the setting of the book)
Not a real fan of the inspector brought in to help figure it out but I assume this is what he does. It was when it was set that got me hooked . Knowing what we know about AIDS now I say she accepted that challenge well. Recommended 4/5
[I received this book as part of a book swap. I chose to review it [
Not a real fan of the inspector brought in to help figure it out but I assume this is what he does. It was when it was set that got me hooked . Knowing what we know about AIDS now I say she accepted that challenge well. Recommended 4/5
[I received this book as part of a book swap. I chose to review it [
December 4, 2022
4 stars for great writing, 2 for adding nonsense. There really weren’t too many characters to like in this mystery. I knew who did it, but wasn’t quite sure why. A brilliant doctor opens a hospital in Harlem. His big benefactor gets murdered. I find it curious how so many of her books deal with nuns.
September 6, 2020
I am seeing a pattern in many of the Gregor Demarkian mysteries by Jane Haddam. Rich families fighting over money. The last 2 installments have been just about that. At least the Harlem clinic was captivating!
April 16, 2018
Not a cozy mystery, but I stayed with it and this was a good story with very interesting characters.
October 12, 2022
Well written with interesting characters, my personal favourite is Dr. Pride. The conclusion of the mystery itself seemed a bit anticlimactic.
January 12, 2025
A Great Read
Real people characters. A plot I could 't figure out until the end. Don't start reading it before bed, or you won't get to sleep,
Real people characters. A plot I could 't figure out until the end. Don't start reading it before bed, or you won't get to sleep,
August 12, 2013
The dead guy Gregor is called in to investigate is Charles … Something. Look, today’s laziness will know no bounds. The book is too far out of my reach, so Charles Something is all you’re getting.
For the full review - including a love song of sorts to Bennis Hannaford, and a plea for her to do more in the next book - follow the link to That's What She Read.
For the full review - including a love song of sorts to Bennis Hannaford, and a plea for her to do more in the next book - follow the link to That's What She Read.
August 4, 2023
The parts about a dcotor giving up a lucrative practice to open a clinic in Harlem were interesting.
Waiting for Gregor Demarkian to explain who dunnit took forever. The ending was worthwhile.
8/4/23 I missed so much the last time I read this book. I got more into the family dynamics and the workplace relationships this time.
Waiting for Gregor Demarkian to explain who dunnit took forever. The ending was worthwhile.
8/4/23 I missed so much the last time I read this book. I got more into the family dynamics and the workplace relationships this time.
March 31, 2011
Demarkian in NYC with strychnine
March 27, 2012
Haddam cements her place on one of my all time favorite writers of the cozy.
April 28, 2014
I've been reading some of the earlier Jane Haddam books that I missed. I have enjoyed them all.
January 22, 2015
Dr. Michael Pride, gay, runs a health center in Harlem.
A financial backer is killed. Gregor Demarkian, retired FBI, called in by Diocese to solve murder.
Pretty good.
A financial backer is killed. Gregor Demarkian, retired FBI, called in by Diocese to solve murder.
Pretty good.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews