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Fleming Stone #5
Anybody but Anne
Eccentric millionaire David Van Wyck has decided to pledge all his money away, leaving his wife Anne nothing but her jewelry to survive on. When David sees Anne flirting with an old high school friend during a weekend party at his mansion, Buttonwood Terrace, he decides to include Anne’s gems in his giveaway. David Wyck is found murdered the next morning in a locked-room and while suspicion initially points to Anne, it becomes apparent that several of Wyck’s guests had a motive for the crime. The narrator of the story, the guest Ann is in love with, prays that the culprit is ‘Anybody but Anne.’
In a structural twist, Detective Fleming Stone appears in the preamble and returns in the third act, book-ending the mystery, rather than merely appearing in the denouement.
In a structural twist, Detective Fleming Stone appears in the preamble and returns in the third act, book-ending the mystery, rather than merely appearing in the denouement.
147 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1914
55 people are currently reading
65 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Wells
802 books47 followersCarolyn Wells was a prolific writer for over 40 years and was especially noted for her humor, and she was a frequent contributor of nonsense verse and whimsical pieces to such little magazines as Gelett Burgess' The Lark, the Chap Book, the Yellow Book, and the Philistine.
Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 14, 2016
Closer to 2.5, but I'll round up. A promising opening, but the book stumbles, after the murder, in ways that seem designed to increase my enjoyment of Agatha Christie novels. (No meaningful dialogue, no real interpersonal relationships, a narrator who is self-important and an author who seems to agree with his assessment, and a mystery that is solved mostly with clues we haven't seen.)
But sometimes you want a murder at a big country home filled with earnest and anxious people, and you're rationing your remaining Agatha Christies. So, 2.5 stars.
But sometimes you want a murder at a big country home filled with earnest and anxious people, and you're rationing your remaining Agatha Christies. So, 2.5 stars.
September 26, 2017
I enjoyed this introduction to the Fleming Stone mystery series by Carolyn Wells. The only thing that I didn't like was that Mr. Stone was only introduced in passing in the beginning. Then he didn't reappear until near the end to solve the mystery when the first detective hired could not. I did like the first-person narration by Mr. Sturgis, who wanted the murderer to be "anybody but Anne", hence the title of the book. Interesting characters.
December 27, 2020
Major characters:
Raymond Sturgis, our narrator
Anne Mansfield Van Wyck
David Van Wyck, her husband
Morland Van Wyck, David's son by previous marriage
Barbara Van Wyck, David's daughter by previous marriage
Barclay Lasseter, David's secretary
Beth Fordyce, a mystic
Mrs. Stelton, a widow
Condon "Connie" Archer
Mrs. Carstairs, the creepy housekeeper
-- Carstairs, her son, a valet
The library committee: Millar, Brandt, and Garson
Markham, local detective
Fleming Stone, the master detective
Locale: The Berkshires (western Massachusetts)
Synopsis: Raymond Sturgis sets out to visit his school-days sweetheart, Anne Mansfield - now Anne Mansfield Van Wyck; married to brusk David Van Wyck. They live in a U-shaped mansion, a main house with two attached wings. One wing is David's study. Raymond finds that he is not the only one enchanted with Anne, she is also desired by Condon "Connie" Archer, and even her own stepson, Morland Van Wyck.
David goes in for sudden impulses, the latest is becoming a Philanthropist. He wants to give his entire fortune to the community to build a library. The family is aghast, it will leave them penniless. Against their wishes, David sets up a meeting to make the donation - in his study, with the library committee of Millar, Brandt, and Garson. The next morning, Van Wyck does not show for breakfast. Then he is found locked in his study, dead from an apparent stab wound. The room is locked tight, and there is no weapon in evidence. The family heirloom, the priceless Van Wyck pearls, are missing. The deed giving the fortune to the library is missing also.
Review: As soon as the book describes the house's unique architecture in detail, we can tell we are being set up for a locked-room mystery. The house has two wings, but they are only attached to the main house at narrow points, only wide enough for connecting doors.
My first thought was some hanky-panky would occur at one of the inside corners, where you could see out one window and into another, but no. The layout does play a part in the crime, and it is well described in advance, giving the reader broad hints to "watch here!"
It is a bit amusing to see various suitors lined up to be the next husband for Anne, even before the body cools off. Five men, by my count, are in love with Anne and waiting to be next.
Mystic Beth Fordyce and Housekeeper Mrs. Carstairs are both rather etherial. They never walk anywhere, but just "glide" through the house.
We have three detectives to deal with: The amateur (Raymond Sturgis), the local (Markham), and the prima donna (Fleming Stone). Stone makes a cameo appearance early in the book - unusual for a Carolyn Wells.
Overall, a fine period locked-room mystery with lots of family drama.
Raymond Sturgis, our narrator
Anne Mansfield Van Wyck
David Van Wyck, her husband
Morland Van Wyck, David's son by previous marriage
Barbara Van Wyck, David's daughter by previous marriage
Barclay Lasseter, David's secretary
Beth Fordyce, a mystic
Mrs. Stelton, a widow
Condon "Connie" Archer
Mrs. Carstairs, the creepy housekeeper
-- Carstairs, her son, a valet
The library committee: Millar, Brandt, and Garson
Markham, local detective
Fleming Stone, the master detective
Locale: The Berkshires (western Massachusetts)
Synopsis: Raymond Sturgis sets out to visit his school-days sweetheart, Anne Mansfield - now Anne Mansfield Van Wyck; married to brusk David Van Wyck. They live in a U-shaped mansion, a main house with two attached wings. One wing is David's study. Raymond finds that he is not the only one enchanted with Anne, she is also desired by Condon "Connie" Archer, and even her own stepson, Morland Van Wyck.
David goes in for sudden impulses, the latest is becoming a Philanthropist. He wants to give his entire fortune to the community to build a library. The family is aghast, it will leave them penniless. Against their wishes, David sets up a meeting to make the donation - in his study, with the library committee of Millar, Brandt, and Garson. The next morning, Van Wyck does not show for breakfast. Then he is found locked in his study, dead from an apparent stab wound. The room is locked tight, and there is no weapon in evidence. The family heirloom, the priceless Van Wyck pearls, are missing. The deed giving the fortune to the library is missing also.
Review: As soon as the book describes the house's unique architecture in detail, we can tell we are being set up for a locked-room mystery. The house has two wings, but they are only attached to the main house at narrow points, only wide enough for connecting doors.
My first thought was some hanky-panky would occur at one of the inside corners, where you could see out one window and into another, but no. The layout does play a part in the crime, and it is well described in advance, giving the reader broad hints to "watch here!"
It is a bit amusing to see various suitors lined up to be the next husband for Anne, even before the body cools off. Five men, by my count, are in love with Anne and waiting to be next.
Mystic Beth Fordyce and Housekeeper Mrs. Carstairs are both rather etherial. They never walk anywhere, but just "glide" through the house.
We have three detectives to deal with: The amateur (Raymond Sturgis), the local (Markham), and the prima donna (Fleming Stone). Stone makes a cameo appearance early in the book - unusual for a Carolyn Wells.
Overall, a fine period locked-room mystery with lots of family drama.
November 7, 2018
Certainly better than my only other foray into the Fleming Stone novels, but not without its irritations. Could rich people really act like this in the face of murder/suicide even in 1914?
The hired detective does little, and Stone descends like a deus ex machina to finger the obvious suspect.
Quite readable, but not very enthralling.
The reference about 50% in to a story of a young woman killed with an icicle is to "The Statement of Jared Johnson" by Geraldine Bonner first published in 1899 and most easily found in the book "In the Shadow of Agatha Christie" by Leslie S Klinger.
The hired detective does little, and Stone descends like a deus ex machina to finger the obvious suspect.
Quite readable, but not very enthralling.
The reference about 50% in to a story of a young woman killed with an icicle is to "The Statement of Jared Johnson" by Geraldine Bonner first published in 1899 and most easily found in the book "In the Shadow of Agatha Christie" by Leslie S Klinger.
November 20, 2022
Tiresome, repetitive, trite, sexist, boring. I tried to keep going because I had my theory about the solution, but I just could not stand any more wittering and dithering. This book would be a short story if an editor had gone through and cut every time the narrator stops to fret, but honestly that was his entire personality, so maybe it wouldn't actually have improved anything. Uff, what a waste of time.
October 2, 2017
Traditional British detective Fleming Stone bookends this engaging mystery. This is the first of Carolyn Wells' Fleming Stone mysteries that I've read, and it inspired me to go find others. Diverting, with a controlled yet gripping style and no end of clever devices to engage the reader, if you love the traditional detective tale you'll love Anybody but Anne.
February 3, 2019
A house party at Buttonwood Terrace is hosted by the Van Wyck family. But the next morning a body is found in an impenetrable room. Murder or suicide and where and what is the weapon used. After all the evidence is put forward Fleming Stone, the detective, is employed to find the answers.
An enjoyable read
An enjoyable read
February 17, 2019
Interesting, but simple.
Mr Stone appears only for a small portion of the book, a few pages at the beginning and a few pages at the end to solve the mystery. I figured out the weapon quickly . It wasn't difficult to conc.ude who the guilty party was. However, a good read. No clues hidden from the reader.
Mr Stone appears only for a small portion of the book, a few pages at the beginning and a few pages at the end to solve the mystery. I figured out the weapon quickly . It wasn't difficult to conc.ude who the guilty party was. However, a good read. No clues hidden from the reader.
March 14, 2019
Entirely predictable story. Main point of interest was the Fleming Stone character, who appears very briefly in the beginning and at the end of the book, and who is merely a watered-down version of Sherlock Holmes. The majority of the story involves the remaining characters wandering around talking a lot but not accomplishing anything. Not worth the time it took to read.
September 30, 2017
It's obvious now that I grew addicted to this mystery series. Each book keep me rushing to pick the next one. Wonderfully well written, suspenseful, thought-provoking, this series keep me at the edge of my seat most of the time.
September 28, 2017
Anybody but Anne: A Fleming Stone Mystery Kindle Edition
by Carolyn Wells
Excellent story and one I am so glad I discovered.
Great and most interesting work.
Super Fleming Stone Mystery
by Carolyn Wells
Excellent story and one I am so glad I discovered.
Great and most interesting work.
Super Fleming Stone Mystery
September 28, 2017
This novel had me turning those pages. I loved it. I always love a good well-written mystery and this one I highly recommend! No spoilers here! Great plot! Five stars!
October 3, 2017
Wow!
This is my first Carolyn Wells mystery but it won't be my last. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it kept me guessing until nearly the end. Loved it.
This is my first Carolyn Wells mystery but it won't be my last. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it kept me guessing until nearly the end. Loved it.
July 3, 2019
I enjoyed the story and the characters. I read for entertainment. A good story.
Read
May 17, 2022un po' deludente
La mia recensione a questo link:
https://ellalestorie.home.blog/2022/0...
La mia recensione a questo link:
https://ellalestorie.home.blog/2022/0...
July 3, 2018
Just Arrest Somebody! - 2.5 stars
This is the first Detective Fleming Stone mystery I have read, but, from what I can gather from the book synopsis, each book is complete in itself, with the mystery solved.
The story begins when Raymond Sturgis receives an invitation to a weekend house party. The invitation is from Mrs Anne Mansfield Van Wyck, wife of a wealthy older man with adult children. Sturgis had known Anne ten years ago when they were High School age and they have not been in contact since. He is surprised to get the invitation but accepts it. Upon arrival he attends a tea held in Mr Van Wyck’s study, more of a baronial hall than a gentleman’s study, which is connected to the main house by one door only, with a double set of doors opening to the garden. Sturgis is aware of undercurrents in the room and soon he is told about David Van Wyck’s plan to use all his money to endow a large library for the village. Anne, his children, Morland, and Barbara, are not happy about this at all and all have done their best to dissuade him, to no avail. After dinner that night, Van Wyck has a committee of three men coming to see him about the final arrangements and Morland is determined to have one last try at changing his father’s mind.
In the morning, Anne appears in the dining room and says that Carstairs (the valet) can’t get into the study, where it appears her husband is locked in. It takes the garage mechanic to pick the lock and cut away the bolt on the inside of the door before Morland, Sturgis, and Archer can get into the room, where they find David Van Wyck sitting at his desk with blood on his shirt front, quite dead. The doctor is called and he calls the coroner. A detective is also contacted, Markham by name, and he arrives forthwith. An inquest is held and adjourned to allow for further inquiries which come to naught, and eventually Detective Fleming Stone is sent for.
This is a rather shallow story, with none of the characters fleshed out, and no tension felt by me, although the characters all feel tense, but they seem to be able to turn it on and off from one paragraph to another. The locked room murder is an old trope and from what I can gather, it is the foundation for all the Fleming Stone mysteries, so it would very quickly become tired and over-used. The narrator often gives the impression of being a bit dim-witted and the red herrings are more of a faded pink. I read to the end to find that while Detective Markham and others in the house party have been completely bewildered by the whole thing, Detective Stone solves the mystery within a couple of hours. Quite a let-down, but on a par with the rest of the story.
This is the first Detective Fleming Stone mystery I have read, but, from what I can gather from the book synopsis, each book is complete in itself, with the mystery solved.
The story begins when Raymond Sturgis receives an invitation to a weekend house party. The invitation is from Mrs Anne Mansfield Van Wyck, wife of a wealthy older man with adult children. Sturgis had known Anne ten years ago when they were High School age and they have not been in contact since. He is surprised to get the invitation but accepts it. Upon arrival he attends a tea held in Mr Van Wyck’s study, more of a baronial hall than a gentleman’s study, which is connected to the main house by one door only, with a double set of doors opening to the garden. Sturgis is aware of undercurrents in the room and soon he is told about David Van Wyck’s plan to use all his money to endow a large library for the village. Anne, his children, Morland, and Barbara, are not happy about this at all and all have done their best to dissuade him, to no avail. After dinner that night, Van Wyck has a committee of three men coming to see him about the final arrangements and Morland is determined to have one last try at changing his father’s mind.
In the morning, Anne appears in the dining room and says that Carstairs (the valet) can’t get into the study, where it appears her husband is locked in. It takes the garage mechanic to pick the lock and cut away the bolt on the inside of the door before Morland, Sturgis, and Archer can get into the room, where they find David Van Wyck sitting at his desk with blood on his shirt front, quite dead. The doctor is called and he calls the coroner. A detective is also contacted, Markham by name, and he arrives forthwith. An inquest is held and adjourned to allow for further inquiries which come to naught, and eventually Detective Fleming Stone is sent for.
This is a rather shallow story, with none of the characters fleshed out, and no tension felt by me, although the characters all feel tense, but they seem to be able to turn it on and off from one paragraph to another. The locked room murder is an old trope and from what I can gather, it is the foundation for all the Fleming Stone mysteries, so it would very quickly become tired and over-used. The narrator often gives the impression of being a bit dim-witted and the red herrings are more of a faded pink. I read to the end to find that while Detective Markham and others in the house party have been completely bewildered by the whole thing, Detective Stone solves the mystery within a couple of hours. Quite a let-down, but on a par with the rest of the story.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews