Murder Yet to Come

by Isabel Briggs Myers

As the story opens, the sound of a girl s voice in a single cry of horror rings through the halls of an old dismal mansion on the Baltimore Pike. Breaking down the door, the rescuers rush in to find Malachi Trent s niece staring at his lifeless body. Was this an accident or is she to blame? Sensing the grimmest drama of his career, Peter Jerningham must prove this was not an accident and prevent another Murder Yet to Come. Follow as he struggles with the satanic cleverness of the unknown murderer within the household to prevent the second crime.

This re-published classic, written by Isabel Myers, won a national Detective Murder Mystery Contest in 1929 beating out all other contestants including a young Ellery Queen. It also took notable mention in the 2006 Writers Notes Book Awards proving this classic to be truly timeless. Isabel Myers is best remembered for the creation and development of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator instrument. Myers made self-awareness, appreciation for differences, and a lifelong developmental model available to the common person. She is internationally recognized as a pioneer in the field of psychological type and co-founder of the Center for Applications of Psychological Type in Gainesville, Fl.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery

244 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1995

About the author

The late Isabel Briggs Myers devoted her life to the observation, study, and measurement of personality. With her mother, Katharine Briggs, she authored the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator(R) personality inventory. Peter B. Myers, Ph.D., continues research work on the development and application of personality type. Former staff director of the National Academy of Science, he is currently extending the use of the MBTI(R) instrument worldwide.

Reviews

[Mary Mccoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

If those who know me look at the author of this book, you'll understand why I read it. Written in 1929 by the co-founder of the Myers-Briggs Type Instrument, it won a detective contest, beating out Ellery Queen. The rug get pulled out of the plot every other chapter, so you need to pay close attention to keep up. It goes without saying that the characters all are true to type. A fun read if it's a rainy day.

[Mounir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable read if you want someting light and at the same time mind-provoking. The setting and characters are a bit stereotyped as in many detective novels, but this story has a charm of its own.
The author was a co-founder - with her own mother - of the famous Myers Briggs Type Indicator, also known as the 16 personalities test. So, if you are intrested in psychology, you can easily "classify" some of the main character types in the novel.

[Rayrumtum · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the creators of the MBTI system competed in a mystery writing contest in 1929. She won and supposedly bested a young Ellery Queen. Apparently Ellery he was not up to speed yet, and the author of this book wisely decided on an alternative career. The characters are all stick figures and the detection flakey.

[Bbouffard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Isabel Briggs Myers’s wrote a murder mystery which will have you switching allegiance from one character to another. A old geezer is murdered in his mansion. Some believe it’s his niece did the deed in a trance. Jerningham must prove why her uncle was murdered. It takes you to the very end to figure it out. I had difficulty putting this book down.

[Madi Glass · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple and short read about a murder in the Cairnstone house and 3 men who work together to solve it. A house full of people, not knowing who is telling the truth and who could be lying. My kind of book and I really enjoyed it!

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don't let the Myers-Briggs connection get in the way enjoying of a nice little cliched murder mystery. Isabel Briggs-Meyers wrote this relatively quickly to enter a writing contest and she did a good job of matching the contemporary formula: locked room with body, cruel rich uncle victim with damsel-in-distress niece/heir. Gentlemanly amateur detective with sidekick narrator and law enforcement professional friend. Various other standard characters, including the exotic "inscrutable" East Indian and a grim, witchy housekeeper. The dialog is full of Tom Swifties, as almost everyone cries anxiously, answers bluntly or asks hopefully. The story moves at a good pace as Jerningham, the playwright amateur detective and his friends debate, test and discard every possible solution to the mystery. No real surprises at the end, though. The publisher, the Center for Application of Psychological Type (CAPT), suggests that the reader try to determine each character's psychological type. Might be fun if you're into Myers-Briggs, but I didn't need that to enjoy the story. Read it for fun.

[Alesia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Isabel Myers is best known for the creation and development of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and she widely recognized as a pioneer in the field of psychological type. This is apparently her lone work of published fiction, so I have to say I did not have high expectations despite knowing that the story won the National Murder Mystery Contest in 1929, beating out a field of entrants including a young Ellery Queen. I was very pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed Murder Yet To Come. It stands alone as a well written mystery with some interesting twists and turns, and for those who share the author's interest in personality type theory its also a wonderful exercise in looking through the lens of type as her characters are indeed "true to type."

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

To: Myers Briggs Type Indicator Geeks
From: Isabel Briggs Myers
Happy typing! Love, The Big Kahuna