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Mr. & Mrs. North #6
Death Takes a Bow: A Mr. And Mrs. North Mystery
Pam and Jerry North witness the mysterious death of the popular author, Leeds Sproul, on stage during a lecture and decide to investigate
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1943
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About the author
Frances Lockridge
96 books48 followersFrances Louise (Davis) Lockridge wrote popular mysteries and children's books with husband Richard Lockridge. They also published under the shared pseudonym Francis Richards.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
August 25, 2021
Mrs. North...Police?
A bestseller author is murdered during a very important book tour, and Jerry North, his publisher, is on stage with him when it happens.
The Norths attract murders like a dog attract fleas, and this time it is Jerry North who feels he should help Lieutenant Weigand and Mullins with the investigation.
With Mrs. North stuck at home with her nieces, she is unable to interfere as usual, but that doesn’t stop her from abandoning the nieces downtown, when she gets a thought in her head.
Although used to the Norths interfering with his investigations, Weigand continues to use his brain power to help him solve the crime.
Love the historical background and view of the city of New York, but I feel that the uneducated and slavish dialogue of the “Negro” characters are truly unnecessary.
* Sign of the times.
A bestseller author is murdered during a very important book tour, and Jerry North, his publisher, is on stage with him when it happens.
The Norths attract murders like a dog attract fleas, and this time it is Jerry North who feels he should help Lieutenant Weigand and Mullins with the investigation.
With Mrs. North stuck at home with her nieces, she is unable to interfere as usual, but that doesn’t stop her from abandoning the nieces downtown, when she gets a thought in her head.
Although used to the Norths interfering with his investigations, Weigand continues to use his brain power to help him solve the crime.
Love the historical background and view of the city of New York, but I feel that the uneducated and slavish dialogue of the “Negro” characters are truly unnecessary.
* Sign of the times.
May 5, 2019
In the sixth novel of this lively, sophisticated series, blockbuster author Victor Leeds Sproul dies of poisoning just before he is to deliver the first lecture on a promising tour. Why kill him?
Jerry North’s publishing firm represented Sproul, and he and his sparkling wife Pam were on the scene. As so often happens, the Norths assist their pal, Lieutenant Bill Weigand, in tracking down the culprit. Set during World War II, readers will get a glimpse of the home front during that time. Highly recommended.
Jerry North’s publishing firm represented Sproul, and he and his sparkling wife Pam were on the scene. As so often happens, the Norths assist their pal, Lieutenant Bill Weigand, in tracking down the culprit. Set during World War II, readers will get a glimpse of the home front during that time. Highly recommended.
August 17, 2020
Another charming classic mystery from Frances and Richard Lockridge. These books have a lot of humor and interesting characters. Mr. and Mrs. North have two cats that are also entertaining to read about. One of the things I really like about this series is that the Lieutenant in charge of investigating the cases is their friend. His character is different because he talks with them about the case. Well, they do always get themselves involved....but he listens to them even when they (Mrs. North) are not making any sense. I really liked that Lieutenant Weigand made a bad mistake in this one and didn't tell anyone about it! Funny. I wasn't able to figure out the killer but I also wasn't really trying because I was just enjoying everything else.
August 5, 2019
COUNTDOWN: Mid-20th Century North American Crime
BOOK 92 (of 250)
It's so frustrating to even FIND works by women crime writers in "Mid-20th Century America." They are there, somewhere, but not necessarily in libraries! My entire library system has ONE copy of a Frances and Richard Lockridge novel, even though they wrote many. I'd say that if only 'Richard Lockridge' was on the cover, this book/authors would be more well known. Wikipedia tells us that Frances and Richard were at one time co-Presidents of the Mystery Writers of America. Their output is amazing. They received a 'Special Edgar' in 1962, although I'm not sure what that means, other than possibly it's a lifetime achievement award. I'll get off my soapbox and on to the review.
HOOK = 4 stars: I very much like the opening here as it taps into the fears of so many of us: Public Speaking. Studies have shown that some people fear public speaking more than being killed. Here are the opening lines:
>>>>>Thursday, October 8, 7:30pm to 8:45pm. Mrs. North was consoling. It wasn't, she pointed out, as if he really had to make a speech. Not a real speech. There was no sense in his carrying on so, and not eating any dinner.<<<<<
Sometimes I think someone should write a book about how married people really don't know much about each other. (They have? All the time? Never mind, then.) Mr. North is absolutely terrified, Mrs. North doesn't get it. But it's not just those opening lines that hook one in. There is about to be a murder! We know that: it's the genre. Will the murder happen before the speech? During? After? And will Mr. North himself be the victim? Or maybe Mrs. North for sneaking in to listen to Mr. North's speech, even after he begs her not to attend.
Pace=3 stars: Exact, solid, always interesting.
Plot=4: A man walks onto a stage to give a speech. He sits, and moves no more. He's dead. In a split second. A doctor from the audience rushes onto the stage and checks his pulse (BIG CLUE: the doctor is the first to touch the 'dead' man, and he might not be dead yet!) Or is that just a red herring? Did the man drop dead from terror? Maybe there was a poison dart shot from 500+ people in the audience. (yea, Dame Christie used that one beautifully in....oh...I'd better not say). Or MAYBE someone used a quick acting poison in a drink the man enjoyed before walking onto the stage...Or MAYBE....oh, so many possibilities. Great premise.
People =3: This one's about plot, a good plot. Mr. and Mrs. North are interesting. A best-selling author, Victor Leeds Sproul, has a surprising best-seller about Paris, but it appears he may have plagiarized from another author and that other author is in the audience with that poison dart. (Then again, maybe not.) There is a little, dark man flitting all over the place. Lieutenant (Loot) William (Bill) Weigand is absolutely sure the little, dark man is NOT a Negro and NOT a midget. (yea, the authors play around a bit, respectfully). George Schwartz is "...well over six feet; his legs had an odd detachment of their own and seemed to be leading the rest of Schwartz." Then there is Loretta (Retta) Shaw "she calls herself now. Loretta Schwartz as was." Whoops! An early fake. "...Mr. White had had nothing but his presence to contribute: Weigan ticked him off as a supernumerary." (I had to look that up in the dictionary also.). Mr. Jung's "little reports from Paris had not, one could guess, please the new invaders of Paris." (There is a theory that given enough time in any chatroom on any social media outlet, Hitler will eventually appear. I am not making this up as I read it in a chatroom.) Cop Flannery uses the term "cuppa", so, yep, we're in Dame Christie territory, although she preferred a Belgium detective until she killed him off in...oh, never mind...) It's a good cast, but really no one is memorable.
ATMOSPHERE=3: The publishing world. The fear of public speaking. Poisons, time of death, drinks, lots of nicknames, etc. The set/feeling of the book is good, but nothing special.
SUMMARY: 3.4. Yes, this is an American take on Christie. And that's just great. This book is, simply, fun to read.
BOOK 92 (of 250)
It's so frustrating to even FIND works by women crime writers in "Mid-20th Century America." They are there, somewhere, but not necessarily in libraries! My entire library system has ONE copy of a Frances and Richard Lockridge novel, even though they wrote many. I'd say that if only 'Richard Lockridge' was on the cover, this book/authors would be more well known. Wikipedia tells us that Frances and Richard were at one time co-Presidents of the Mystery Writers of America. Their output is amazing. They received a 'Special Edgar' in 1962, although I'm not sure what that means, other than possibly it's a lifetime achievement award. I'll get off my soapbox and on to the review.
HOOK = 4 stars: I very much like the opening here as it taps into the fears of so many of us: Public Speaking. Studies have shown that some people fear public speaking more than being killed. Here are the opening lines:
>>>>>Thursday, October 8, 7:30pm to 8:45pm. Mrs. North was consoling. It wasn't, she pointed out, as if he really had to make a speech. Not a real speech. There was no sense in his carrying on so, and not eating any dinner.<<<<<
Sometimes I think someone should write a book about how married people really don't know much about each other. (They have? All the time? Never mind, then.) Mr. North is absolutely terrified, Mrs. North doesn't get it. But it's not just those opening lines that hook one in. There is about to be a murder! We know that: it's the genre. Will the murder happen before the speech? During? After? And will Mr. North himself be the victim? Or maybe Mrs. North for sneaking in to listen to Mr. North's speech, even after he begs her not to attend.
Pace=3 stars: Exact, solid, always interesting.
Plot=4: A man walks onto a stage to give a speech. He sits, and moves no more. He's dead. In a split second. A doctor from the audience rushes onto the stage and checks his pulse (BIG CLUE: the doctor is the first to touch the 'dead' man, and he might not be dead yet!) Or is that just a red herring? Did the man drop dead from terror? Maybe there was a poison dart shot from 500+ people in the audience. (yea, Dame Christie used that one beautifully in....oh...I'd better not say). Or MAYBE someone used a quick acting poison in a drink the man enjoyed before walking onto the stage...Or MAYBE....oh, so many possibilities. Great premise.
People =3: This one's about plot, a good plot. Mr. and Mrs. North are interesting. A best-selling author, Victor Leeds Sproul, has a surprising best-seller about Paris, but it appears he may have plagiarized from another author and that other author is in the audience with that poison dart. (Then again, maybe not.) There is a little, dark man flitting all over the place. Lieutenant (Loot) William (Bill) Weigand is absolutely sure the little, dark man is NOT a Negro and NOT a midget. (yea, the authors play around a bit, respectfully). George Schwartz is "...well over six feet; his legs had an odd detachment of their own and seemed to be leading the rest of Schwartz." Then there is Loretta (Retta) Shaw "she calls herself now. Loretta Schwartz as was." Whoops! An early fake. "...Mr. White had had nothing but his presence to contribute: Weigan ticked him off as a supernumerary." (I had to look that up in the dictionary also.). Mr. Jung's "little reports from Paris had not, one could guess, please the new invaders of Paris." (There is a theory that given enough time in any chatroom on any social media outlet, Hitler will eventually appear. I am not making this up as I read it in a chatroom.) Cop Flannery uses the term "cuppa", so, yep, we're in Dame Christie territory, although she preferred a Belgium detective until she killed him off in...oh, never mind...) It's a good cast, but really no one is memorable.
ATMOSPHERE=3: The publishing world. The fear of public speaking. Poisons, time of death, drinks, lots of nicknames, etc. The set/feeling of the book is good, but nothing special.
SUMMARY: 3.4. Yes, this is an American take on Christie. And that's just great. This book is, simply, fun to read.
February 25, 2024
Death Takes a Bow (1943) by Frances & Richard Lockridge is the sixth book in their Mr. & Mrs. North series. This one opens with Jerry in a panic because he has to give a short speech introducing one his publishing company's latest stars, Victor Leeds Sproul. He's quite sure he's going to mess it up...even though, as Pam points out, he's quite a good speaker and he always does fine. Little does he know that his audience isn't going to care one way or the other. Not after Sproul declines to come to the lectern when introduced...or rather is incapable of coming to the lectern because he's dead.
Of course, since the man died while Jerry was introducing him, Pam naturally thinks that this murder is one of theirs. Oh sure, Lieutenant Weigand and Sergeant Mullins will come along and take charge officially, but they won't really get anywhere if she and Jerry don't give them a little help...and a few martinis here and there. And it soon becomes apparent that help might be appreciated because Sproul wasn't exactly a popular fellow--no matter what his book sales might indicate. He was good at stealing other fellows' wives, holding secrets over his "friends'" heads, gloating about his success to those less fortunate, and generally making himself unloved. But who hated him enough to slip him a deadly dose of morphine before his speech? That's what Weigand, Mullins, and the Norths will have to find out. Muddying the waters even more is the presence of a "little dark man" who Jerry sees slipping away from the stage and who may have taken a few vital clues with him.
Pam has her style cramped a bit by the arrival of her nieces. She thinks she's going to be meeting two little girls at the train, but instead she is saddled with two pre-teen/young teenagers (who look and act a bit older than their years) who seem to be magnets for eligible young servicemen. Keeping the girls occupied and away from the sailors and the marines prevents Pam from getting into as much trouble as usual (no tense moments with the killer holding her hostage this time around), but she does manage to spot the murderer based on one key phrase--just before Bill Weigand does.
This is another fun and light adventure with the Norths. The Lockridges are really very good with dialogue and it's very entertaining to "listen" to the interactions of Jerry and Pam (and her nieces...Pam's way of thinking/talking seems to run in the family ) as well as Weigand and Mullins. I can't say that the mysteries are ever very taxing to the seasoned crime fiction reader, but they are always interesting and entertaining snapshots of New York during the time period. A great escape read.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
Of course, since the man died while Jerry was introducing him, Pam naturally thinks that this murder is one of theirs. Oh sure, Lieutenant Weigand and Sergeant Mullins will come along and take charge officially, but they won't really get anywhere if she and Jerry don't give them a little help...and a few martinis here and there. And it soon becomes apparent that help might be appreciated because Sproul wasn't exactly a popular fellow--no matter what his book sales might indicate. He was good at stealing other fellows' wives, holding secrets over his "friends'" heads, gloating about his success to those less fortunate, and generally making himself unloved. But who hated him enough to slip him a deadly dose of morphine before his speech? That's what Weigand, Mullins, and the Norths will have to find out. Muddying the waters even more is the presence of a "little dark man" who Jerry sees slipping away from the stage and who may have taken a few vital clues with him.
Pam has her style cramped a bit by the arrival of her nieces. She thinks she's going to be meeting two little girls at the train, but instead she is saddled with two pre-teen/young teenagers (who look and act a bit older than their years) who seem to be magnets for eligible young servicemen. Keeping the girls occupied and away from the sailors and the marines prevents Pam from getting into as much trouble as usual (no tense moments with the killer holding her hostage this time around), but she does manage to spot the murderer based on one key phrase--just before Bill Weigand does.
This is another fun and light adventure with the Norths. The Lockridges are really very good with dialogue and it's very entertaining to "listen" to the interactions of Jerry and Pam (and her nieces...Pam's way of thinking/talking seems to run in the family ) as well as Weigand and Mullins. I can't say that the mysteries are ever very taxing to the seasoned crime fiction reader, but they are always interesting and entertaining snapshots of New York during the time period. A great escape read.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
October 22, 2023
2.5 stars. The mystery is not really there, the Norths aren't really there, but the disquieting racial commentary sure is there. At least Mullins gets some real things to do this time, which is more than we can say for Jerry after the first chapter. Pam gets into her usual damsel-in-distress moment at the end, but fortunately it does not last very long this time. The resolution is the way it is because the Lockridges wanted it that way, not because it makes sense in either this world or the real world of the reader.
August 5, 2016
This is one of the early Mr. and Mrs. North series of mysteries, first published in 1943. While it takes place during WWII, the mystery doesn't hinge on the War, the War references merely add ambiance to the story.
When I read my first Mr. and Mrs. North mystery, I was a little put off by how Mrs. North was presented. She seemed a little scatter-brained at first, but then as I continued, I realized that she wasn't scatter-brained so much as just comfortable in revealing the conclusions to her thought processes without bothering to actually connect her leaps of logic from A to B to C to D to E, so everyone is aware of A, when she comes up with what everyone thinks is a totally unrelated E, which seems totally logical from her viewpoint, the people around her are confused.
I can relate, because I sometimes do the same thing. My thought process seems to hop from here to there and then to there, but often the people around me don't make the same connections that I do. But reading about Mrs. North doing it was a little confusing at first. Now that I've read several books, I find it delightful.
When I read my first Mr. and Mrs. North mystery, I was a little put off by how Mrs. North was presented. She seemed a little scatter-brained at first, but then as I continued, I realized that she wasn't scatter-brained so much as just comfortable in revealing the conclusions to her thought processes without bothering to actually connect her leaps of logic from A to B to C to D to E, so everyone is aware of A, when she comes up with what everyone thinks is a totally unrelated E, which seems totally logical from her viewpoint, the people around her are confused.
I can relate, because I sometimes do the same thing. My thought process seems to hop from here to there and then to there, but often the people around me don't make the same connections that I do. But reading about Mrs. North doing it was a little confusing at first. Now that I've read several books, I find it delightful.
January 6, 2021
My first Mr. & Mrs. North mystery. They have cats! And they live in Manhattan and drink martinis and go to the theater and somewhere in between help the police solve crimes in the 1940s. Well written and chock full of interesting characters. Will definitely be on the lookout for others in the series.
May 12, 2017
I am just crazy about Mr. and Mrs. North and their unconventional life (he, a seemingly successful publisher who is capable of dropping everything to "work" on Manhattan murders) BUT this was not the North's best outing.
I have not studied the development of Mr. and Mrs. North as characters, but this book seemed bogged down in procedural details that just couldn't retain my interest. I am not the kind of mystery reader that is interested in who sat in which chair in which row and exited which aisle to take an unexpected turn toward the "wrong" exit door. Are you? If so, this book may be of more interest to you, but I felt that the charming Norths and their "pet policeman" got lost in the details of the crime.
I love this series for the Manhattan atmospherics-- the city in the 40's with all the martinis and dinners out (the war didn't seem to hamper the flow of drinks at this stage , anyway) is so much fun to read about, but this book was just a conventional mystery with no particular charm or style.
I won't give up on the North's though--I have ordered a series of old tv episodes from the 1950's featuring them, it will be fun to see what they look and feel like on the little screen (YES, I still have a small screen tv).
I have not studied the development of Mr. and Mrs. North as characters, but this book seemed bogged down in procedural details that just couldn't retain my interest. I am not the kind of mystery reader that is interested in who sat in which chair in which row and exited which aisle to take an unexpected turn toward the "wrong" exit door. Are you? If so, this book may be of more interest to you, but I felt that the charming Norths and their "pet policeman" got lost in the details of the crime.
I love this series for the Manhattan atmospherics-- the city in the 40's with all the martinis and dinners out (the war didn't seem to hamper the flow of drinks at this stage , anyway) is so much fun to read about, but this book was just a conventional mystery with no particular charm or style.
I won't give up on the North's though--I have ordered a series of old tv episodes from the 1950's featuring them, it will be fun to see what they look and feel like on the little screen (YES, I still have a small screen tv).
December 21, 2017
Was 2.5 rating, but rounded up because book was easy to read.
Book was a little slow in the beginning as Jerry North prepares to introduce Victor Leeds Sproul at a lecture. Sproul dies on stage just as Jerry finishes. Then there is a chase through the halls as Jerry looks for a "dark, little man." Finally, it starts to get interesting when the police begin the interviews.
The book was written during World War II. Interestingly, neither World War I or WWII are actually called that. WWI is referred to as the first great war. New York City became dark at night during the war and that is mentioned also. There are references to German saboteurs and spies scattered throughout the book, as well as sailors on the prowl for young women. So I definitely got the feel of 1941.
However, I thought the "clues" that Pam followed were far-fetched and nearly impossible to believe. Based on these unrealistic clues, I could not rate the book higher.
Book was a little slow in the beginning as Jerry North prepares to introduce Victor Leeds Sproul at a lecture. Sproul dies on stage just as Jerry finishes. Then there is a chase through the halls as Jerry looks for a "dark, little man." Finally, it starts to get interesting when the police begin the interviews.
The book was written during World War II. Interestingly, neither World War I or WWII are actually called that. WWI is referred to as the first great war. New York City became dark at night during the war and that is mentioned also. There are references to German saboteurs and spies scattered throughout the book, as well as sailors on the prowl for young women. So I definitely got the feel of 1941.
However, I thought the "clues" that Pam followed were far-fetched and nearly impossible to believe. Based on these unrealistic clues, I could not rate the book higher.
July 23, 2019
Poor Jerry North! He’s a nervous wreck because he has to introduce one of his employer’s authors in front of an audience this morning for the Today’s Topics Club. His wife Pam is doing her best to calm him down. Jerry only has to speak about Victor Leeds Sproul for 5 minutes. Mr. Sproul has written an unexpected best selling book “That Was Paris” - an ode to the city that is no longer since the bombing of WWII. An audience of 500 people is expected which is making Jerry even more nervous. Pam reminds him that he has done public speaking successfully before and sends him out the door. Jerry’s intro goes well. As he waits for Mr. Sproul to take the podium, nothing happens! The man remains sitting behind him - and then everyone realizes that he is dead! With all those people in the room, there is no shortage of suspects.
June 15, 2017
Light and easy to read. The plot resolved itself through hunches - which was a bit disappointing. Pam and Jerry have nieces visiting, so there is the complication of chaperoning young teen girls who tend to pick up sailors ...
Jerry has to give an introductory speech to introduce one of his publishing house's best-selling authors; he is extremely nervous about it. But in the moment, it goes well, until he turns around to give the floor to the author, and the author dies right in front of both Jerry and the audience. Morphine overdose.
There is a slight aura of counter-intelligence work that runs through the book in the background; one of the characters turns out to be a minor spy for the Nazis.
Not one of my favorite plots. The North's cats are charming, however.
Jerry has to give an introductory speech to introduce one of his publishing house's best-selling authors; he is extremely nervous about it. But in the moment, it goes well, until he turns around to give the floor to the author, and the author dies right in front of both Jerry and the audience. Morphine overdose.
There is a slight aura of counter-intelligence work that runs through the book in the background; one of the characters turns out to be a minor spy for the Nazis.
Not one of my favorite plots. The North's cats are charming, however.
October 22, 2017
I enjoy these books. Pam North is a very interesting character and this time there are two nieces who think somewhat like her -and talk similarly. She rather has her hands full because the nieces are teenagers and attract sailors and marines as the story is set during WW II.
Jerry North had to introduce an author for his company on a speaking tour. Just as he finishes his introduction and gestures for the author to get up and speak, the author dies. Pam and Dorian are in the audience and Dorian immediately calls her husband, Lt Bill Weigand of homicide. And Mullins declares this a 'screwy case' because yhe Norths are involved.
Jerry North had to introduce an author for his company on a speaking tour. Just as he finishes his introduction and gestures for the author to get up and speak, the author dies. Pam and Dorian are in the audience and Dorian immediately calls her husband, Lt Bill Weigand of homicide. And Mullins declares this a 'screwy case' because yhe Norths are involved.
February 6, 2022
Rereading this mystery. I read it many, many years ago and enjoyed it enough to have bought a paperback copy. Times and people change. While I liked this book on a reread, I would not have purchased it. It was humorous at times, but the mystery wasn’t particularly engrossing. I thought it had more to do with the police detective than the the North’ although I liked that Pam North was featured more than her husband. I have a couple more of the Lockridge mysteries which I will reread and they will be better.
July 10, 2024
The North’s are missing
A fun mystery, but this one hardly features Mr. and Mrs. North at all. They appear at the start, where Jerry is having trepidations about introducing an author whose book his company is publishing at an event. He does so, but the guest of honor promptly drops dead in front of his audience. From then on, it’s the Norths’ police lieutenant friend who does the sleuthing. Pam North does get in on the solution, but mostly as a witness. If you don’t mind the title characters mostly missing in action, you may well enjoy this light little mystery.
A fun mystery, but this one hardly features Mr. and Mrs. North at all. They appear at the start, where Jerry is having trepidations about introducing an author whose book his company is publishing at an event. He does so, but the guest of honor promptly drops dead in front of his audience. From then on, it’s the Norths’ police lieutenant friend who does the sleuthing. Pam North does get in on the solution, but mostly as a witness. If you don’t mind the title characters mostly missing in action, you may well enjoy this light little mystery.
December 31, 2022
For some reason it's touching that Jerry North is terrified of public speaking- and given what happened during this speech, it's understandable if he stays that way. That said- the dead man was a pompous jerk, and the investigation leads to some interesting places. The visit- and interference- of Pam's teenage nieces add a fun subplot and make me think that the Lockridges never had kids, and didn't want to. :) Enjoyable all around.
June 3, 2019
Survey reward | Mid-range quality for the series | I picked the correct murderer again, and never gave anyone else a thought as an option. There are some black characters in this one with speech written in "dialect" and who are called "boy". This was acceptable when the book was written, but that doesn't mean I have to like it now.
January 21, 2023
My first read of the series. Half police procedural half Mrs North a NYC socialite stumbling around on intuition.
Thought it would be more of a Nick and Nora, but Nick Charles was a hard boiled detective playing rich... the North's just seem rich without edge.
I did enjoy the police procedural part and greatly enjoyed that this was in the early 40's greatly impacted by the war.
Thought it would be more of a Nick and Nora, but Nick Charles was a hard boiled detective playing rich... the North's just seem rich without edge.
I did enjoy the police procedural part and greatly enjoyed that this was in the early 40's greatly impacted by the war.
May 18, 2019
Another entry in the light-hearted series. I loved the side story of Pam's nieces visiting and how it interplayed with the main story. Are we surprised that the young ladies sound just like Pam, ditziness and all? No, and I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
January 19, 2024
Fun
I really love reading the installments of this series. I'm fond of the way Bill and Dorian and Pam and Jerry actually love each other. It's adorable. And the murders are entertaining.
I really love reading the installments of this series. I'm fond of the way Bill and Dorian and Pam and Jerry actually love each other. It's adorable. And the murders are entertaining.
May 7, 2014
1943, #6 Mr&Mrs North, Captain Bill Weigand NYC Police
Currently-chic author literally dies (or is that “literary-ly”...) while on-stage during a book tour. [cosy police procedural, not quite as sharp as the earlier books - almost three stars]
Author Victor Sproul is currently extremely popular - having lived in Paris for the last fifteen years, he was well-placed to write about its literary scene once he’d made it to NYC after the Nazis invaded France. Nostalgia about “Paris in the 20s” sold well then, as it does now, and Mr. North’s publishing business is likely to reap huge profits from Sproul’s new book. Lined up for a big book tour, he is set to open with an exclusive - and expensive - first lecture for the literary elite of NYC circa 1942.
But the obnoxious Mr. Sproul dies on-stage before he can open his mouth. And that’s not a bad thing, according to his contemporaries and acquaintances (he didn’t have friends). He was going to announce a coming tell-all book that many of them are quite happy will now never be written. Called to the scene, Captain Bill Weigand meets up with his good friends The Norths and sets police procedure in motion.
Despite the hoary chestnut of the murder device (somebody on-stage gets murdered while in full view of a large audience), much of the plot is very good, and the look at early-in-the-war Home Front in ritzy NYC is entertaining. The characters are well-drawn and the red herrings are mostly good ones. But the balance of this novel is somewhat off, leaning unfortunately towards the “Cute!!!” and lame attempts at topicality. References to the war are superficial at best, apparently only thrown in for “color”, and the cuteness/sweetness factor nearly overwhelms the plot.
Although the main plot thread is an old one - and still frequently used - it can be fun in the right hands. But the Lockridges don’t clearly set up a timeline nor the working out of finding about the timeline of Sproul’s death; it’s all rather murkily presented. And the inclusion of an Oriental “comic spy”-type is, at best, annoying; at worst, extremely intrusive, as he becomes a big part of Pam North’s fem-jep sequence at the end which is, by now, at book #6, becoming boring and does not work here; plus it is far too similar to the endings of the previous books without, alas, their humorous snappy tone or the excellent pacing of several of those books. And one major flaw (yes, there’s more...) so badly bothered me I nearly gave up completely, a very rare thing for me when it concerns “this type of book”:
The Cuteness Factor (sigggh). Exemplified in a completely extraneous plot device that appears to have been included to show how young’n’hip and “with-it” the authors were (well, for 1942 anyway). This includes a very long-winded, repetitious one-note running joke about the Norths’ young nieces (16 & 14) who have come to The Big Bad City for a visit and get themselves “involved” with far too many young servicemen who are “at liberty”... A little of this sort of thing may have been fun, but there’s far too much of it plus - my main quibble - it adds absolutely nothing to the plot! And considerably slows down and deadens the atmosphere whenever they appear. Plus I hate “Cute!!” - YMMV.
So. The pacing is off, too much extraneous stuff/filler, a good deal of repetition of elements from earlier books, far less humor than earlier, and a very old plot. Sounds like a complete disaster, right? Well, not quite. The plot, though old, is very nicely worked-out. The red herrings are well-constructed and decently paced. The humorous bits (except for The Nieces) are good, if not as good as they were in earlier books. And the characters are still excellently drawn - of the suspects, that is. The Regulars (Pam, Jerry, Bill, Dorian, Mullins) aren’t fleshed out much, the nieces not at all. And the Lockridges do get to take some lovely digs at the publishing business and its promotional techniques, becoming quite savagely funny in spots, particularly about a booking agent for the lectures. It’s well-done and provides a nice window into the past. And that’s the best thing about this overall- it’s a fairly good look at a time and attitudes and behaviors that are now long gone, in a rarefied strata of NYC intelligentsia. And it appears that the publishing world hasn’t changed much in some respects...
As the library didn’t have a copy of either #4 (DEATH ON THE AISLE) or #5 (HANGED FOR A SHEEP), both from 1942, while saving up to buy copies I moved on to this sixth-in series (a very long series btw - 26 books, some with Heimrich and most with Weigand, and the numbering of the books is a bit mixed up; they frequently published two books in the same year and this seems to have confused some list-makers). Unfortunately, in the intervening year or so since #3 the tone and approach of their writing appears to have changed markedly - and not for the better IMO. Hope it’s just a quick aberration; will of course let you know (grin). Looks as though the next in series I can easily obtain will be #10 MURDER WITHIN MURDER, 1946.
Currently-chic author literally dies (or is that “literary-ly”...) while on-stage during a book tour. [cosy police procedural, not quite as sharp as the earlier books - almost three stars]
Author Victor Sproul is currently extremely popular - having lived in Paris for the last fifteen years, he was well-placed to write about its literary scene once he’d made it to NYC after the Nazis invaded France. Nostalgia about “Paris in the 20s” sold well then, as it does now, and Mr. North’s publishing business is likely to reap huge profits from Sproul’s new book. Lined up for a big book tour, he is set to open with an exclusive - and expensive - first lecture for the literary elite of NYC circa 1942.
But the obnoxious Mr. Sproul dies on-stage before he can open his mouth. And that’s not a bad thing, according to his contemporaries and acquaintances (he didn’t have friends). He was going to announce a coming tell-all book that many of them are quite happy will now never be written. Called to the scene, Captain Bill Weigand meets up with his good friends The Norths and sets police procedure in motion.
Despite the hoary chestnut of the murder device (somebody on-stage gets murdered while in full view of a large audience), much of the plot is very good, and the look at early-in-the-war Home Front in ritzy NYC is entertaining. The characters are well-drawn and the red herrings are mostly good ones. But the balance of this novel is somewhat off, leaning unfortunately towards the “Cute!!!” and lame attempts at topicality. References to the war are superficial at best, apparently only thrown in for “color”, and the cuteness/sweetness factor nearly overwhelms the plot.
Although the main plot thread is an old one - and still frequently used - it can be fun in the right hands. But the Lockridges don’t clearly set up a timeline nor the working out of finding about the timeline of Sproul’s death; it’s all rather murkily presented. And the inclusion of an Oriental “comic spy”-type is, at best, annoying; at worst, extremely intrusive, as he becomes a big part of Pam North’s fem-jep sequence at the end which is, by now, at book #6, becoming boring and does not work here; plus it is far too similar to the endings of the previous books without, alas, their humorous snappy tone or the excellent pacing of several of those books. And one major flaw (yes, there’s more...) so badly bothered me I nearly gave up completely, a very rare thing for me when it concerns “this type of book”:
The Cuteness Factor (sigggh). Exemplified in a completely extraneous plot device that appears to have been included to show how young’n’hip and “with-it” the authors were (well, for 1942 anyway). This includes a very long-winded, repetitious one-note running joke about the Norths’ young nieces (16 & 14) who have come to The Big Bad City for a visit and get themselves “involved” with far too many young servicemen who are “at liberty”... A little of this sort of thing may have been fun, but there’s far too much of it plus - my main quibble - it adds absolutely nothing to the plot! And considerably slows down and deadens the atmosphere whenever they appear. Plus I hate “Cute!!” - YMMV.
So. The pacing is off, too much extraneous stuff/filler, a good deal of repetition of elements from earlier books, far less humor than earlier, and a very old plot. Sounds like a complete disaster, right? Well, not quite. The plot, though old, is very nicely worked-out. The red herrings are well-constructed and decently paced. The humorous bits (except for The Nieces) are good, if not as good as they were in earlier books. And the characters are still excellently drawn - of the suspects, that is. The Regulars (Pam, Jerry, Bill, Dorian, Mullins) aren’t fleshed out much, the nieces not at all. And the Lockridges do get to take some lovely digs at the publishing business and its promotional techniques, becoming quite savagely funny in spots, particularly about a booking agent for the lectures. It’s well-done and provides a nice window into the past. And that’s the best thing about this overall- it’s a fairly good look at a time and attitudes and behaviors that are now long gone, in a rarefied strata of NYC intelligentsia. And it appears that the publishing world hasn’t changed much in some respects...
As the library didn’t have a copy of either #4 (DEATH ON THE AISLE) or #5 (HANGED FOR A SHEEP), both from 1942, while saving up to buy copies I moved on to this sixth-in series (a very long series btw - 26 books, some with Heimrich and most with Weigand, and the numbering of the books is a bit mixed up; they frequently published two books in the same year and this seems to have confused some list-makers). Unfortunately, in the intervening year or so since #3 the tone and approach of their writing appears to have changed markedly - and not for the better IMO. Hope it’s just a quick aberration; will of course let you know (grin). Looks as though the next in series I can easily obtain will be #10 MURDER WITHIN MURDER, 1946.
January 19, 2018
re-reading series
January 4, 2023
A few too many characters in this one for me, but Mrs. North is as scatterbrained and intuitive as ever
March 8, 2023
Enjoyable, but Mrs. North was just a giant twit at the end.
September 13, 2025
This was like watching the old TV series. 3.5 stars
March 23, 2017
Enjoying these vintage mysteries both for the books themselves and for the glimpse into the environment in which they were written.
January 4, 2022
This was my very last finished book of 2020, and was also a library check out.
I kept a running tally of the money I saved by reading library books instead of buying them this year. The grand total is $850.00, which doesn't include the value of all of the books that I returned without reading.
I kept a running tally of the money I saved by reading library books instead of buying them this year. The grand total is $850.00, which doesn't include the value of all of the books that I returned without reading.
September 5, 2019
It's not a safari, but someone kills the lion.
This is the sixth book in the Mr. and Mrs. North series and (like all the others) it's a fast, fun read. It's tempting to use the word "light" and yet that would be a disservice to these very well-written books, which contain a wealth of humor and shrewd observations.
Jerry North has (very reluctantly) arrived at the home of the Today's Topics Club, one of New York City's most prominent organizations. The members have gathered to hear hot celebrity-author Victor Leeds Sproul (the lion himself) talk about his latest book on Paris. WWII is raging and Paris has been overrun by the German army. Americans are eager to hear about the bohemian lives of the American colony in the vibrant old city before the curtain fell. Sproul is pompous, conceited, malicious, and cordially disliked by all, but his speeches are expected to be a big hit with the ladies' club circuit from coast to coast.
Jerry's introduction is duly delivered, but the main speaker never rises from his chair to enthrall the waiting audience. Victor Sproul will never speak again, courtesy of a dose of heroin that acted on his weak heart and caused it to stop beating. So did the prosperous author end his own life or did someone push him through the Pearly Gates?
When Lt. Bill Weigand of the NYPD starts investigating, suicide seems increasingly unlikely, but murder starts looking very good indeed. Sprouls was a womanizer, which made him plenty of enemies. And he liked to collect incriminating or embarrassing information about his "friends" to use against them. That, too, contributed to his unpopularity. No one, even the girl he's supposed to be marrying, seems broken up about his death and most people are openly relieved to be rid of him. But which one of them did him in?
And we mustn't forget that Victor Sproul lived in Paris for many years as Fascism was spreading and European nations were dealing with Hitler's aggression. Did he learn something that made him dangerous to someone? Is the strange dark little man a friend or a foe?
This is a typical Pam North murder investigation. Lt. Weigand and his sidekick Sergeant Mullins carry on with calm professional competence, while Mrs. North pursues her own line of investigation. Not calmly and certainly not professionally, but sometimes yielding surprising and helpful information.
Matters are complicated by the fact that Pam North's nieces have been sent to stay with her. And the "little girls" she's expecting turn out to be well-developed teens. They're polite and well-behaved, but New York is teeming with men in uniform and two pretty girls are powerful magnets. Now Pam must try to solve two murders while protecting her young charges from sailors and marines.
My favorite part of the book is where Jerry North has arrived at the club and is meeting Sproul, his agent, his fiancee, and the formidable club secretary. North is a shrewd observer of people and his off-the-cuff surmises are witty and perceptive. As he muses, "it never paid to take people as being altogether what they looked to be. Still...that's about the only thing we have to go on." That passage reminds the reader that both Frances and Richard Lockridge started out as newspaper reporters and a reporter's success depends on his ability to "read" people quickly and effectively. It's of equal importance when you're trying to solve a murder.
These are old-fashioned mysteries - lean and to the point. No filler and no angst. Murder is wrong because it destroys a basic human right - the right to live in safety. Eliminating another person is not a decision that can be left to the individual. And the person who murders once is almost always tempted to murder again.
I'm reading this series in order and enjoying them very much. They're witty, well-plotted, and well-written. If you like old mysteries, you shouldn't miss them.
This is the sixth book in the Mr. and Mrs. North series and (like all the others) it's a fast, fun read. It's tempting to use the word "light" and yet that would be a disservice to these very well-written books, which contain a wealth of humor and shrewd observations.
Jerry North has (very reluctantly) arrived at the home of the Today's Topics Club, one of New York City's most prominent organizations. The members have gathered to hear hot celebrity-author Victor Leeds Sproul (the lion himself) talk about his latest book on Paris. WWII is raging and Paris has been overrun by the German army. Americans are eager to hear about the bohemian lives of the American colony in the vibrant old city before the curtain fell. Sproul is pompous, conceited, malicious, and cordially disliked by all, but his speeches are expected to be a big hit with the ladies' club circuit from coast to coast.
Jerry's introduction is duly delivered, but the main speaker never rises from his chair to enthrall the waiting audience. Victor Sproul will never speak again, courtesy of a dose of heroin that acted on his weak heart and caused it to stop beating. So did the prosperous author end his own life or did someone push him through the Pearly Gates?
When Lt. Bill Weigand of the NYPD starts investigating, suicide seems increasingly unlikely, but murder starts looking very good indeed. Sprouls was a womanizer, which made him plenty of enemies. And he liked to collect incriminating or embarrassing information about his "friends" to use against them. That, too, contributed to his unpopularity. No one, even the girl he's supposed to be marrying, seems broken up about his death and most people are openly relieved to be rid of him. But which one of them did him in?
And we mustn't forget that Victor Sproul lived in Paris for many years as Fascism was spreading and European nations were dealing with Hitler's aggression. Did he learn something that made him dangerous to someone? Is the strange dark little man a friend or a foe?
This is a typical Pam North murder investigation. Lt. Weigand and his sidekick Sergeant Mullins carry on with calm professional competence, while Mrs. North pursues her own line of investigation. Not calmly and certainly not professionally, but sometimes yielding surprising and helpful information.
Matters are complicated by the fact that Pam North's nieces have been sent to stay with her. And the "little girls" she's expecting turn out to be well-developed teens. They're polite and well-behaved, but New York is teeming with men in uniform and two pretty girls are powerful magnets. Now Pam must try to solve two murders while protecting her young charges from sailors and marines.
My favorite part of the book is where Jerry North has arrived at the club and is meeting Sproul, his agent, his fiancee, and the formidable club secretary. North is a shrewd observer of people and his off-the-cuff surmises are witty and perceptive. As he muses, "it never paid to take people as being altogether what they looked to be. Still...that's about the only thing we have to go on." That passage reminds the reader that both Frances and Richard Lockridge started out as newspaper reporters and a reporter's success depends on his ability to "read" people quickly and effectively. It's of equal importance when you're trying to solve a murder.
These are old-fashioned mysteries - lean and to the point. No filler and no angst. Murder is wrong because it destroys a basic human right - the right to live in safety. Eliminating another person is not a decision that can be left to the individual. And the person who murders once is almost always tempted to murder again.
I'm reading this series in order and enjoying them very much. They're witty, well-plotted, and well-written. If you like old mysteries, you shouldn't miss them.
March 20, 2014
Jerry North has to introduce one of his best-selling authors, but before his short talk is finished, the author is dead. While the publishers loved him, many people disliked Victor Leeds Sproul, recently driven by the opening of World War II back from his Paris exile. Sproul's books were drawn from thinly-disguised life, and no-one knows who among his friends he will attack next. Pam North must put aside sleuthing to take care of her two visiting nieces, who may prove that trouble runs in the family.
March 15, 2010
This is the first Mr & Mrs North mystery that i've read, and i give it a thumbs up. It's fluff, but entertaining fluff. Mrs North is sometimes harder to follow than i think the authors really meant her to be (tho she is supposed to come across as a bit of a scatterbrain, at least outwardly), but other than that mild complaint, i'm hooked, and will be searching for the rest of the series.
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