Name Your Poison

Inspector McKee #14

by Helen Reilly

Dell Map Back 148

Genres: Mystery

201 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1942

About the author

Helen Reilly was an American novelist. She was born Helen Kieran and grew up in New York City in a literary family. Her brother, James Kieran, also wrote a mystery, and two of her daughters, Ursula Curtiss and Mary McMullen, are mystery writers.

Reilly's early books were police procedurals based on her research into the New York Homicide squad. Her most popular character is Inspector Christopher McKee. Reilly also used the pseudonym Kieran Abbey.

Reviews

[AGMaynard · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sped read to give to LFL. Effective in its way, hbc, tho many off stage “But he was dead when I got here.” And 7 people parading in to victim in the crucial 90 min period before her death.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reilly seems to have pioneered a cross between girl in jeopardy and police procedurals. Her heroine here, illustrator Julie Bishop, is newly engaged to Brian, who is just about to finalize his divorce, when his ex-wife shows up. There's also a problem of some sort for Julie's just married cousin Mouse. They, and other friends, are staying at a normally pleasant enclave in Connecticut. But when murder strikes, Inspector McKee (who is a New York cop; apparently jurisdiction doesn't matter?) is the one to put the pieces together as only he can.

[Meagan Schmoll · Rating 4 out of 5]

enjoyed this one. specially the cover art