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Asey Mayo Cape Cod Mystery #16
The Deadly Sunshade
As well as finding out who murdered Lucia Newell before she could speak with him, Asey Mayo must also find out who is trying to kill him
- GenresMystery
321 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1940
About the author
Phoebe Atwood Taylor
46 books47 followersTaylor is an American mystery author. She is best known for her Asey Mayo series, based in Cape Cod. She additionally wrote and published under the pen names Alice Tilton and Freeman Dana.
Phoebe Atwood Taylor, born in 1909 in Boston, Massachusetts, was the first member of her family to have been born off Cape Cod in more than 300 years. Upon graduating from Manhattan's Barnard College, she moved to Weston, Massachusetts, to pen her first work, The Cape Cod Mystery (1931), which was published when she was 22. The book was written while Taylor was caring for her invalid aunt, Alice Tilton (the source of one of her two publishing pseudonyms, the other being Freeman Dana). Taylor was one of the first mystery writers to give a regional and rural rather than urban focus during the time known as the "golden age" of mystery writing (1918 - 1939). Gone with the Wind's author, Margaret Mitchell, was a great fan of the Asey Mayo series, and encouraged Taylor to pack the books with Cape Cod detail. In all, she authored 33 books. She died in 1976 at age 67.
- Bio by The Countryman Press
https://openlibrary.org/authors/OL685...
Phoebe Atwood Taylor, born in 1909 in Boston, Massachusetts, was the first member of her family to have been born off Cape Cod in more than 300 years. Upon graduating from Manhattan's Barnard College, she moved to Weston, Massachusetts, to pen her first work, The Cape Cod Mystery (1931), which was published when she was 22. The book was written while Taylor was caring for her invalid aunt, Alice Tilton (the source of one of her two publishing pseudonyms, the other being Freeman Dana). Taylor was one of the first mystery writers to give a regional and rural rather than urban focus during the time known as the "golden age" of mystery writing (1918 - 1939). Gone with the Wind's author, Margaret Mitchell, was a great fan of the Asey Mayo series, and encouraged Taylor to pack the books with Cape Cod detail. In all, she authored 33 books. She died in 1976 at age 67.
- Bio by The Countryman Press
https://openlibrary.org/authors/OL685...
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 14, 2021
Good wartime Asey—takes a while to get going, but ends up tying things together more neatly than usual. A few characters are more annoying than amusing, but the eventual plot is quite clever.
By the way, the covers of this paperback series are very economically drawn, but they always fit perfectly with the story. Even the color of the beach umbrella is exactly right.
By the way, the covers of this paperback series are very economically drawn, but they always fit perfectly with the story. Even the color of the beach umbrella is exactly right.
August 22, 2016
It is 1940 and the USA is on the verge of war. In Cape Cod, there is paranoia (rightly so) about enemy spies and saboteurs, even a possible invasion. Asey Mayo is horrified to learn of the Minutewomen, a group of local women who have literally taken up arms to defend their homes. Problem is, none of them know how to handle a gun, which makes for some interesting close calls. When someone shoots at Asey, he automatically assumes that one of the women thinks he is the enemy or has shot wildly off the mark. However, he begins to think that it is someone else entirely. Then there's the little matter of Lucia Newell, a gold digger and blackmailer. Lucia calls Asey and claims that she is in "dire peril." It turns out she's right - she is found dead under her beach umbrella, poisoned. It's up to Asey to figure out who killed Lucia and why.
This mystery has Taylor's trademark humor, especially Asey's encounters with the Minutewomen. The Cape Cod setting, small town atmosphere, and interesting, humorous characters are all strong points of this series. I have read several of Taylor's Asey Mayo mysteries, but have never figured who the killer was. Asey himself is an easygoing, resourceful, and very observant fellow who doesn't take himself or anyone else too seriously, and has a mellow, humorous take on life.
This is one of my favorite series and one that I really enjoy. I wish I had started reading the mysteries earlier.
This mystery has Taylor's trademark humor, especially Asey's encounters with the Minutewomen. The Cape Cod setting, small town atmosphere, and interesting, humorous characters are all strong points of this series. I have read several of Taylor's Asey Mayo mysteries, but have never figured who the killer was. Asey himself is an easygoing, resourceful, and very observant fellow who doesn't take himself or anyone else too seriously, and has a mellow, humorous take on life.
This is one of my favorite series and one that I really enjoy. I wish I had started reading the mysteries earlier.
October 9, 2017
I love I found ‘The Deadly Sunshade’ with a sticker proclaiming the book “Brand New Published December 1940”! Finding the book in August of 2017, I decided to push it to the the front of the reading list to read this “Brand New” book. :D
This light hearted approach of this book is practically non-existent in the book world the last few decades. Carl Hiassen comes close, but in a snide way. Taylor’s book is all in fun with murders to solve. It’s great fun.
The characters are all of Cape Cod and a quirky lot. Taylor well defines each character and does an outstanding job of being consistent with each character. As with a Hiassen or Tim Dorsey book, it helps to know the vicinity. In this case, I do not. Taylor’s dialogue apparently is out to ape the typical accents and local jargon of the area. It’s a nice touch.
The story is very well done. Lots and lots and lots happens to swirl amidst the murders and who did it. Also part of the setup is the war news of the time. Taylor wrote this with the thought that it would be read in 1940. Not anytime after. The book reflects the attitudes of pre-war America, without having any idea what was to occur after December 1940. That is fascinating in itself.
Bottom line: I recommend this book. 7 out of ten points.
This light hearted approach of this book is practically non-existent in the book world the last few decades. Carl Hiassen comes close, but in a snide way. Taylor’s book is all in fun with murders to solve. It’s great fun.
The characters are all of Cape Cod and a quirky lot. Taylor well defines each character and does an outstanding job of being consistent with each character. As with a Hiassen or Tim Dorsey book, it helps to know the vicinity. In this case, I do not. Taylor’s dialogue apparently is out to ape the typical accents and local jargon of the area. It’s a nice touch.
The story is very well done. Lots and lots and lots happens to swirl amidst the murders and who did it. Also part of the setup is the war news of the time. Taylor wrote this with the thought that it would be read in 1940. Not anytime after. The book reflects the attitudes of pre-war America, without having any idea what was to occur after December 1940. That is fascinating in itself.
Bottom line: I recommend this book. 7 out of ten points.
April 11, 2025
This is the sixteenth Asey Mayo novel. It was published in 1940.
It is a wonderful time capsule of Cape Cod in an odd time. England and Germany were at war. America was not, but American materials were key to the British war machine. The Germans were conducting an active submarine war just off the East Coast. They were successful in sinking many British ships.
In this book a radio rabble rouser has convinced many Cape Codders that they should be worried about some kind of attack on Cape Cod or about enemy spies on the Cape. A ladies auxiliary gets formed. One of the running gags is that the women are trying to get firearm training, and they keep misfiring the guns. (This is 1940)
A flashy society woman is found dead in her lounge chair on the beach. It appears she was poisoned. Asey Mayo is called in. He is an unofficial detective. A wise guy reporter in this story calls him "The Codfish Sherlock", which is pretty good.
Asey discovers multiple suspects, including a father and son who both had romantic interests in the deceased. We get chases through the Cape Cod back roads, old time Cape Cod characters and a satisfying ending where a nasty piece of work gets his comeuppance.
This is one of the better volumes in a very good series.
It is a wonderful time capsule of Cape Cod in an odd time. England and Germany were at war. America was not, but American materials were key to the British war machine. The Germans were conducting an active submarine war just off the East Coast. They were successful in sinking many British ships.
In this book a radio rabble rouser has convinced many Cape Codders that they should be worried about some kind of attack on Cape Cod or about enemy spies on the Cape. A ladies auxiliary gets formed. One of the running gags is that the women are trying to get firearm training, and they keep misfiring the guns. (This is 1940)
A flashy society woman is found dead in her lounge chair on the beach. It appears she was poisoned. Asey Mayo is called in. He is an unofficial detective. A wise guy reporter in this story calls him "The Codfish Sherlock", which is pretty good.
Asey discovers multiple suspects, including a father and son who both had romantic interests in the deceased. We get chases through the Cape Cod back roads, old time Cape Cod characters and a satisfying ending where a nasty piece of work gets his comeuppance.
This is one of the better volumes in a very good series.
December 31, 2022
An older mystery series set in Cape Cod with a lot of humor. I pick up her books whenever I see one I don’t own which was the case with this title. Saw it at Powell’s and of course, pretty much had to sit down and reread it right away. The Asey Mayo mysteries play on the old premise that country folk are simple and easily fooled, which of course is not the case. Fun reads.
March 8, 2022
16th installment of the Asey Mayo series. The usual 16 cylinder Porter roadster racing around the back roads of Cape Cod. A yacht club, a pickle maker, housewives defending the home land, a Nazi plot. What more could you ask for? A fun romp in pre WWII America.
August 27, 2018
3 1/2.
I was very pleased to stumble on an Asey Mayo book I hadn't read in the Friends bookstore last week. This was definitely a latter-days one, where there's a comic emphasis.
I was very pleased to stumble on an Asey Mayo book I hadn't read in the Friends bookstore last week. This was definitely a latter-days one, where there's a comic emphasis.
October 30, 2015
Widow Lucia Newell is always calling Asey Mayo for help with one problem or another, so he doesn't take her current plea very seriously. Besides, he has several things to worry about--for one, somebody seems to be shooting at him, and even worse, the local women have all obtained guns and want to train to repel enemy invaders in the dark days of 1940. But Newell really was in danger, and now Asey has a murder case and a lot of suspects clamoring for his attention.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews