The Dark Garden

by Mignon G. Eberhart

Fog and sleet make driving hazardous in the Chicago traffic. When Katie Warren momentarily stops her car on Michigan Boulevard, she hears a shrouded voice say, "I won't eat grape hair, nor yet glocks." The image of grape hair is sinister enough to stick in Katie's mind. Steering through bad weather, she eventually reaches Aunt Mina's gloomy mansion — and then something terrible happens.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Classics, Golden Age Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Gothic

Paperback

First published January 1, 1933

About the author

Mignon Good (1899-1996) was born in Lincoln, Nebraska. She studied at Nebraska Wesleyan University from 1917 to 1920. In 1923 she married Alanson C. Eberhart, a civil engineer. After working as a freelance journalist, she decided to become a full-time writer. In 1929 her first crime novel was published featuring 'Sarah Keate', a nurse and 'Lance O'Leary', a police detective. This couple appeared in another four novels. In the Forties, she and her husband divorced. She married John Hazen Perry in 1946 but two years later she divorced him and remarried her first husband. Over the next forty years she wrote a novel nearly every year. In 1971 she won the Grand Master award from the Mystery Writers of America. She also wrote many short stories featuring banker/amateur sleuth James Wickwire (who could be considered a precursor to Emma Lathen's John Putnam Thatcher) and mystery writer/amateur sleuth Susan Dare.

Reviews

[Allyson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Published in 1933 Death in the Fog (originally titled The Dark Garden) is an atmospheric murder mystery. In story line it is much like other golden era crime fiction (Christie, Marsh, Allingham) set in a country house with a cast of family, adopted family, staff and friends and an ugly little detective described as resembling a djinn or tiger. The most evocative aspect of the book are the descriptions of the landscape swathed in constant fog and the very creepy interior of the house. Set after the stock market crash of 1929, there is little real engagement with politics, history or, to any extent, the past. It is as though the reader is caught in a moment in time, amongst people of a certain class, amongst whom lurks a murderer. Mostly the characterisation is stereotypical and cardboardy, a case of Cluedo and inanition. The heroine is pathetic, the hero is hardly present and the murderer is all smarm and masquerade, the only truly interesting character is the elusive, staring cat. Eberhart's narrative is one of mirrors used to establish a form of psychological depth through reflected surfaces, of the clink of sound in silence that raises disquiet, of a house that is filled with an eerie somnolence, that teeters on the edge of something about to happen. The reasons for the murder are rather like the fog, initially opaque and confusing only to become clear like the surroundings, as it is easily blown away in a storm. What makes this novel stand out is the creation of atmosphere in the descriptions of the gardens in the fog and the interior of the silent house with its interior ferns, which is eerie, disturbing and hallucinogenic. Slow moving, gentle and gentile, this is very much prose and plot of a time period, which seems so far removed from our own. It remains an enjoyable read for a stormy night.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

An atmospheric mystery where what seems like an accident could be murder and the motivations of the characters and clues that are uncovered drew me into this story. A good cast of characters with their secrets and flaws kept me guessing as to the true motives behind their actions up to the final reveal. I did find the actual murder scheme, which involved a too perfect coming together of fog, ice, and a chance to drain the break fluid from the car Kate was driving, a sort of letdown I enjoyed the reading journey there.

[Ethan Hulbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would say this is an average/slightly above average mystery for Mignon Eberhart. It is one of her earlier works overall. I enjoyed the mood, the fog, the story - but the characters could've been better defined, the writing was a little too fluffy, and the ending was only about average. I don't regret reading this book though, still pretty good.

[Carla Remy · Rating 3 out of 5]

From 1933
The weather is terrible, fog and sleet. A young lady is driving on the ice and runs over a woman who is either her aunt's companion or cousin. But the companion/cousin also might have been murdered. No one did like her.

[Karen Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love her writing. Reminds me a little of Agatha Christy (ie?) but oh so much easier to read

[Lori Gideon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most enjoyable mystery I've read so far. Reminded me of Clue.

[Svetlana Kva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mystery detective stories are growing on me. Not Agatha Christie but probably best I have read so far. Rich expressive language, lots of suspense and good story overall. Liked it

[Thomas E. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Paul Duchane had no way of knowing Katie would ask him to close the gate after passing through and then stopping for him to get out of the car to do so. That was the only opportunity he had to drain the car of brake fluid. Otherwise, the"accident plan" fizzles. So outcome seems contrived by the author. Not a bad read, however. Identity of murderer is well hidden.

[Tarrastarr · Rating 3 out of 5]

i liked being sucked into that time period. the writing style was ok, not extremely polished and the characters could have been more defined. over all a pretty good read though, made me feel like i was watching a 1930's movie.

[Larissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the OPL bookclub.

[Mir · Rating 3 out of 5]

cover by Ed Lindlof

[Pupottina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I misteri di Villa Weinberg

Una favolosa dimora, circondata dal verde, è la location adatta per immergersi in una marea di intricatissimi misteri. La dimora è circondata da un parco. E al di là del parco c'è un profondo burrone che separa l'abitazione dalla strada maestra. La isola. E se questo non dovesse bastare ad acuire la sensazione di pericolo che deve provare chi ci risiede, è stata aggiunta anche la nebbia, fitta, che l'avvolge come un sudario, che offusca le facoltà spirituali, che inumidisce la fiducia e la sicurezza e le allontana per sempre. È o non è lo scenario perfetto per un omicidio? Forse è proprio per questo che villa Weinberg è stata costruita? È questo che accade: un omicidio. Ma la situazione è confusa. Molto confusa. Per la dinamica, si potrebbe anche pensare a un incidente.
L'auto con la giovane Katie Warren al volante, inghiottita dalla coltre di nebbia minacciosa, scende lungo la pendenza ripida e sdrucciolevole, che conduce a villa Weinberg, finché un'ombra le si materializza davanti all'improvviso e scompare sotto le sue ruote. Katie si accorge che una massa scura giace inerte a terra: ha investito accidentalmente qualcuno con la sua auto. È Lottie, la cugina della padrona di casa. È morta.
Per gli inquirenti è tutto chiaro: si è trattato di una fatalità impossibile da scongiurare in quelle circostanze atmosferiche disagevoli.
Il caso dovrebbe essere archiviato, ma non accade. C'è qualcosa che con quadra: la vittima stringe in pugno una ciocca di capelli. A chi appartengono? C'è forse stata una colluttazione, avvenuta poco prima del tragico epilogo?
L'indagine è affidata all'investigatore Crafft, della polizia di Chicago. Il suo compito è diradare la nebbia che avvolge l'evento misterioso. Ma la situazione è più complessa ed è destinata a complicarsi.
NELLA NEBBIA di Mignon G. Eberhart è un ottimo giallo classico, un mystery riuscitissimo.
All'interno, il racconto "La Banda del Cervello" di Elisa Bertini, vincitore del premio NebbiaGialla 2016.