He Never Came Back

by Helen McCloy

An attractive but short-sighted New York girl picks up a pendant from a twenty-cent jewellery stall and is surprised to find herself the centre of some strange events. A man is run over- not quite by accident, her boyfriend disappears, a Burmese shows her a crouching cat, and the pendant turns out to be more than glass.
Gradually she comes to realise that she is in extreme danger.

Genres: Mystery, Crime

Audio Cassette

First published January 1, 1954

About the author

Helen McCloy, born as Helen Worrell Clarkson McCloy (she also published as Helen Clarkson), was an American mystery writer, whose series character Dr. Basil Willing debuted in Dance of Death (1938). Willing believes that "every criminal leaves psychic fingerprints, and he can't wear gloves to hide them." He appeared in 13 of McCloy's novels and in several of her short stories. McCloy often used the theme of doppelganger, but in the end of the story she showed a psychological or realistic explanation for the seemingly supernatural events.

Reviews

[Debbie Robson · Rating 3 out of 5]

As mentioned in my blog: "Less than a year ago I discovered crime fiction. Not the crime fiction that most people read but the crime fiction written by women in the 1950s and 1960s. For an historical novelist it is a wonderful world to discover, particularly for someone like me that has hardly ever read mysteries. The storylines are simpler than today’s books (burdened as they are with CSI, multiple plotlines, advanced technology etc). Instead these novels are peopled with interesting heroines and filled with everyday details that have now become historical fact."
In He Never Came Back, "An attractive but short-sighted New York girl picks up a pendant from a twenty cent jewellery stall and is surprised to find herself the centre of some strange events." I've never been to New York but I'm guessing that this a New York long gone. Sara, the main character, has a fear of the recently invented automatic elevators, (no elevator boy or girl to assist). In her job she has to carry her portable typewriter with her. (Not quite sure why but maybe this was obvious in the 1950s). It is a world of automats with steam tables, and teashops on Madison Avenue. One of the apartments is "a complicated poem in birchwood beige and various shades of blue and green as artfully plotted as the harmony of a Broadway actor's ties and socks." Gotta love that, haven't you?
Unlike Holly Roth's books (who I do actually prefer) the characters do quite a lot of talking and speculating about the pedant. Too much for my liking. Not that I don't mind dialogue but I didn't believe that they would naturally talk that much, in particular an Eastern character, who (in my opinion) should have barely spoken at all. Much is made of the difference between the East and West and the war is only a recent memory. McCloy's characters are interesting and well drawn and I wasn't expecting the extra twist at the end. Lots of fun.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was also published under the title He Never Came Back - but in this Dell mapback version, you get a delightful map of the crime setting on the back cover. McCloy's novels also feature an introductory list of the cast of characters. Fun to read and try to suss out who the bad guy is going to be.

[Patrick Hayes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A woman purchases some glass jewelry and unknowingly finds herself drawn into a murder, a theft, and romance.

I really enjoyed how this plot had Sara Dacre constantly trying to make sense of the world that is slowly spinning into chaos.

Details of the plot can't be given away even early in the story because they do come back by the conclusion. I can say that there is a stunning twist as to a character's identity that left me with my jaw dropped. It was so obvious a twist, yet I--like Sara--didn't see it coming. However, my joy with it was lessened with Sara's reaction to the revelation. It's not a deal breaker for liking the book, but it did come across as outlandish.

Still, this is a book worth checking out.

[Theunis Snyman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helen McCloy is one of those authors whose books you always want to read again. I read this book many years ago and I am now more impressed with it than then. This book is more of a thriller than a detective story although there are also moments of detection. Her regular detective, dr. Basil Willing, does not appear in this book. There are some real scary incidents in this book. Suspense is maintained throughout. The reader has sympathy with Sara’s predicament. The only disappointment is the ending. It doesn’t feature the main protagonist but two other characters. This flies against everything that is sane. Nevertheless, a very exciting and entertaining read.

[Eden Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

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When Sara Dacre finds a jeweled pendant in the 39th Street ten-cent store ("anything on this counter for twenty cents"), she could not have known it was actually the rare Mogur ruby, "The Fire of India", recently stolen from Kandrapore.

The thief was to meet a buyer when those against him caught up, and he hid it amongst the costume jewelry before he was killed. Sara had bumped into her neighbor Gerry Hone, and he convinced her to buy it, while a crowd gathered around the dead man outside. She was sweet on Gerry, and at the Automat, while he fetched coffee, she put the pendant on, feeling the eyes of everyone upon her, including the Indian man with the tattoo of a cat who shared her table.
Gerry not only took too long, he had disappeared! He did not return to his apartment, and the designer Judith Jenkins on the first floor had not seen him. She was also in love with Gerry, so she would know. Soon, Sara was being followed by someone with a limp—tap and drag, tap and drag—as she went to her Aunt Caroline for advice. Owning the rare Grenville sapphires, Aunt Caroline knows jewels. Also present were her nurse and companion Edna, family friend and art dealer Dickson Clive, and his friend Mr. Sallust. They all admired the gem, but as it was passed around, it disappeared! The guests were searched, but it was nowhere to be found. Captain Sanders of the police steps in and finds someone in Gerry's apartment—Gerry himself! Sara is adamant this man is an imposter, looking close enough but calling Sara the wrong name and lacking identifying moles. Judith is sure he is genuine, as is his business partner. It looks like case closed; however, Sanders keeps his eyes open. Either Sara is a psychopathic liar, or Gerry is.

Helen McCloy writes the psychological Dr. Basil Willing mysteries, but this is more of a thriller, as Sara is caught in a web of lies. There is quite a lot to learn about the cabochon gem set in the golden claws of a dragon, and Bengali myths of rubies sacred to the destroyer god Shiva. Tension increases as she is pursued by the limping stranger, and her oft-mentioned fear of being trapped in an elevator comes true. At times it seemed enjoyably simple, but the pace ramps up into a very twisted, yet plausible, conclusion.
Also titled He Never Came Back, this is another enjoyable read from McCloy.

[dmayr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sara Dacre impulsively buys a ruby from a ten-cent store, only to pick up the genuine thing left there by a thief. She then gets stalked, harassed and has to contend with an impostor. Particularly suspenseful, especially the elevator scene.

[Dawn Tyers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well I really liked this one. The characters are well-drawn, sense of place strong and the twists and depth of mystery compelling. The pacing is fine, despite the detail-heavy dialogue which I forgive because it’s just a really good tale.

[Roberta · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick and fun mystery read set in NYC after the war. A lot of twists and turns with a satisfying conclusion.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sara casually picks up a trinket for sale in the five and ten cent store--and finds herself in a new and confusing world, where she doesn't know who to trust. There are several groups after what she's assumed is a piece of colored glass--the mysterious man from India, the neighbor she's developing a deep affection for, the frightening man with a limp. Some of them will stop at nothing to get the treasure, but some of them have motives stronger than the desire for money.

[A. C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great beginning and middle, overcomplicated end

She's really a good writer and a find but I do not think this book is of the quality of Through a Glass Darkly and The One That Got Away. Her characters are wonderful and the mid-book suspense is outstanding, but her unraveling was too complicated.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read several of Helen Mccloy's books, and this is not one of my favorites. While it is similar to "She Walks Alone," that book has a much more plausible ending. For Unfinished Crime, the end stretches your suspension of disbelief. FYI- I read this under the title "He Never Came Back", so be aware that both titles are the same book. Reads quickly and is exciting, until the end.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this tale of a stolen ruby and doppelgängers - old fashioned for sure, but it kept me guessing right up to hte end.