What do you think?
Rate this book
Henry Gamadge #7
Arrow Pointing Nowhere
Una busta appallottolata viene raccolta dal postino davanti alla casa dell'illustre famiglia Fenway, a New York. La busta reca l'indirizzo di Henry Gamadge, grande esperto di libri e manoscritti antichi e a tempo perso investigatore dilettante, e contiene un biglietto anonimo sul quale sono scritte poche parole apparentemente senza senso. Di che si tratta? Perché la lettera è indirizzata proprio a lui e come mai non è stata spedita, ma abbandonata sulla neve come se il mittente ci avesse ripensato? Gamadge, più che altro per curiosità, decide di andare a vedere e ben presto si accorge che la dimora dei Fenway, noti per la loro riservatezza e avversione per ogni forma di pubblicità, nasconde qualcosa. Dopo quella prima missiva anonima, eccone un'altra: la pagina di un orario ferroviario con una freccia che indica Rockliffe, una località vicina alla casa di campagna dei Fenway. E poi un'altra ancora, con la freccia che cambia direzione. Il mistero prende una piega drammatica quando una morte incomprensibile sconvolge l'apparente tranquillità della famiglia. Il tempo stringe; Gamadge deve agire, ormai, e in fretta... prima che un telefono squilli.
121 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1944
69 people are currently reading
213 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Daly
33 books52 followersElizabeth Daly (1878-1967) was born in New York City and educated at Bryn Mawr College, Pennsylvania and Columbia University. She was a reader in English at Bryn Mawr and tutored in English and French. She was awarded an Edgar in 1960. Her series character is Henry Gamadge, an antiquarian book dealer.
Daly works in the footsteps of Jane Austen, offering an extraordinarily clear picture of society in her time through the interactions of a few characters. In that tradition, if you knew a person's family history, general type, and a few personal quirks, you could be said to know everything worth knowing about that person. Today the emphasis is on baring the darkest depths of psycho- and socio-pathology; contemporary readers raised on this style may find Ms. Daly both elitist and somewhat facile. But fans of classic movies and whodunits know that a focus on polished surfaces brings with it the possibility of hidden secrets and things unsaid; for those who disdain the obvious confessional style of today, the Gamadge books have much to recommend them.
Elizabeth Daly now seems sadly forgotten by many which a shame as all her books are superbly crafted and plotted, indeed she counted none other than Agatha Christie as one of her fans. She published sixteen books all of which featured her main series character Henry Gamadge. He is a bibliophile and expert on rare books and manuscripts which makes her books particularly appealing to fans of the bibliomystery. There was some disparity between UK and US releases some being published out of sequence, the bibliography shown follows the US editions which are the true firsts. Murder Listens In and Shroud for a Lady are re-titled reissues of earlier books.
Daly works in the footsteps of Jane Austen, offering an extraordinarily clear picture of society in her time through the interactions of a few characters. In that tradition, if you knew a person's family history, general type, and a few personal quirks, you could be said to know everything worth knowing about that person. Today the emphasis is on baring the darkest depths of psycho- and socio-pathology; contemporary readers raised on this style may find Ms. Daly both elitist and somewhat facile. But fans of classic movies and whodunits know that a focus on polished surfaces brings with it the possibility of hidden secrets and things unsaid; for those who disdain the obvious confessional style of today, the Gamadge books have much to recommend them.
Elizabeth Daly now seems sadly forgotten by many which a shame as all her books are superbly crafted and plotted, indeed she counted none other than Agatha Christie as one of her fans. She published sixteen books all of which featured her main series character Henry Gamadge. He is a bibliophile and expert on rare books and manuscripts which makes her books particularly appealing to fans of the bibliomystery. There was some disparity between UK and US releases some being published out of sequence, the bibliography shown follows the US editions which are the true firsts. Murder Listens In and Shroud for a Lady are re-titled reissues of earlier books.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
June 7, 2017
Un delicioso "murder mystery" de lo más clásico y disfrutable de principio a fin.
La mayor virtud de la novela es que aunque el misterio en sí es pequeño, consigue crear una atmósfera de misterio que se va cargando poco a poco de tensión y urgencia. Empieza como una pequeñez, como algo sin importancia, y termina queriendo ser más un thriller (que no lo es, pero lo intenta).
Yo leo esta clase de novelas para divertirme y evadirme y "Una dirección equivocada" ha conseguido las dos cosas.
La mayor virtud de la novela es que aunque el misterio en sí es pequeño, consigue crear una atmósfera de misterio que se va cargando poco a poco de tensión y urgencia. Empieza como una pequeñez, como algo sin importancia, y termina queriendo ser más un thriller (que no lo es, pero lo intenta).
Yo leo esta clase de novelas para divertirme y evadirme y "Una dirección equivocada" ha conseguido las dos cosas.
December 13, 2019
Buena historia, de fácil lectura, y que mantiene el misterio hasta las últimas páginas. Recomendable si te gusta el género.
January 31, 2018
Me ha parecido una novela adictiva, aunque tiene un planteamiento que al principio me pareció un poco aburrido (una bola de papel que aparece junto a la casa de la familia Fenway de forma recurrente y que es encontrada por el cartero) y me costó un poco meterme en la historia pero al final logró atraparme.
Los Fanway pertenecen a una familia aristocrática aparentemente perfecta pero en cuanto el detective Gamadge empieza a indagar un poco sobre ellos descubrimos que hay algo que no va del todo bien en la casa.
Es una novela de tipo whodunit que nos hará dudar sobre la identidad del asesino y sus motivaciones.
Es una novela que entretendrá a los amantes del género.
Los Fanway pertenecen a una familia aristocrática aparentemente perfecta pero en cuanto el detective Gamadge empieza a indagar un poco sobre ellos descubrimos que hay algo que no va del todo bien en la casa.
Es una novela de tipo whodunit que nos hará dudar sobre la identidad del asesino y sus motivaciones.
Es una novela que entretendrá a los amantes del género.
February 27, 2023
Early Bird Book Deal | Felt like an outline | I wanted to enjoy this more than I did. During the War, Daly was producing Gamadge books at an astonishing rate, at least two per year. I think this was only possible because in many ways she sketched the books very lightly. Many of her books published at the time have Gamadge called in on a case, at least one murder, convoluted plot, solution, and final wrap up, all in under three days. The reader often spends only a couple of pages with victims or killer, and sudden changes of scene are used to ratchet up dramatic tension. When all that is added to the always-small pool of suspects and her plotting style, it's pretty easy to know whodunit before anyone is even dead. That's not to imply the books aren't worth reading, just that some entries fall pretty flat. A very obvious 'can be understood two ways' conversation near the end is intended to create a shocking twist, but fails because the red herring wouldn't make sense and because the real villain has been so clear for so long.
Terminology used to describe a developmentally disabled person that we wouldn't use today, but not actually as bad as it could have been.
Terminology used to describe a developmentally disabled person that we wouldn't use today, but not actually as bad as it could have been.
October 30, 2020
Estoy impresionada por lo mucho que me gustó, aunque la autora haya hecho trampa.
October 3, 2025
Someone is tossing crumpled papers out of the window at Fenway House--the home of a rather secluded family. At first, the postman just thinks someone has dropped a bit of trash on the way to the dustbin. But when the papers keep coming just in time for him to find them, he begins to think there's a purpose behind it. A little bit of sleuthing on the part of the his office soon determines that the messages written on book dealer envelopes are meant for that book sleuth cum amateur detective Henry Gamadge. But the messages are, by necessity, so vague that Gamadge isn't quite sure what his pen pal wants him to do.
The first thing is to arrange to get in the house. He learns from his wife's Aunt Clara that Blake Fenway, head of the house, is a book collector and asks her to effect an introduction. Once in the house, Mr. Fenway makes it easy for him to make his presence known to "the client" by introducing Gamadge to everyone. Everyone includes Blake's daughter Caroline; Belle Fenway, wife of Blake's younger, deceased brother, and their son Alden who is mentally handicapped; Mott Fenway, Blake's cousin; Alice Grove, Belle's companion; and Craddock, Alden's attendant. Alice Grove's niece Hilda should be one of the party, but she is currently at Fenway, the family's country estate, sorting books and papers to be brought into town. Through various hints (a book carried around with him, for instance), Gamadge attempts to let "the client" know that he's on the case. And he finds another crumpled ball that he unobtrusively manages to take with him.
Both Blake and Mott approach him separately about solving a little mystery. An illustration in a book about the Fenway family history has been torn out. It's the only surviving picture of the family's first estate--long since sold. And they want Gamadge to find it. He's happy to add that to his to do list, but he also knows that neither of these men are his client--they move freely from the house and have no qualms about talking to him about their trouble. Whoever brought him to the house obviously can't move about freely--otherwise they could have sent him a more straightforward message. But it soon becomes apparent that there is more to the missing illustration than meets the eye and Gamadge begins to wonder if any of these people are exactly what he thinks they are.
This is a cleverly plotted (particularly for the time period) mystery with a somewhat shaky hook at the beginning. Depending on cryptic notes written on crumpled envelopes to be delivered to Gamadge and just tossed out as trash is a pretty poor method of communication. And I realize "the client" was in a desperate situation with little choice. But how on earth the post office knew to hand it to someone who would know that it needed to go to Gamadge....and then how on earth Gamadge made heads or tails out of the cryptic messages is beyond me. Once we get Gamadge on the spot, it's all good. He dives in and figures out where the missing illustration is and why it's so important to his client and who the villain of the piece is and it all makes perfect sense from there. [Not that I spotted the final twist before it came, mind you.]
I read this once upon a time [long before blogging] and had a nice time getting reacquainted with Gamadge. Good solid mystery. Creepy old house (make that two--if you count the country estate). Mysterious goings on at night. All good fun. ★★★ and 1/2 [rounded up here]
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
The first thing is to arrange to get in the house. He learns from his wife's Aunt Clara that Blake Fenway, head of the house, is a book collector and asks her to effect an introduction. Once in the house, Mr. Fenway makes it easy for him to make his presence known to "the client" by introducing Gamadge to everyone. Everyone includes Blake's daughter Caroline; Belle Fenway, wife of Blake's younger, deceased brother, and their son Alden who is mentally handicapped; Mott Fenway, Blake's cousin; Alice Grove, Belle's companion; and Craddock, Alden's attendant. Alice Grove's niece Hilda should be one of the party, but she is currently at Fenway, the family's country estate, sorting books and papers to be brought into town. Through various hints (a book carried around with him, for instance), Gamadge attempts to let "the client" know that he's on the case. And he finds another crumpled ball that he unobtrusively manages to take with him.
Both Blake and Mott approach him separately about solving a little mystery. An illustration in a book about the Fenway family history has been torn out. It's the only surviving picture of the family's first estate--long since sold. And they want Gamadge to find it. He's happy to add that to his to do list, but he also knows that neither of these men are his client--they move freely from the house and have no qualms about talking to him about their trouble. Whoever brought him to the house obviously can't move about freely--otherwise they could have sent him a more straightforward message. But it soon becomes apparent that there is more to the missing illustration than meets the eye and Gamadge begins to wonder if any of these people are exactly what he thinks they are.
This is a cleverly plotted (particularly for the time period) mystery with a somewhat shaky hook at the beginning. Depending on cryptic notes written on crumpled envelopes to be delivered to Gamadge and just tossed out as trash is a pretty poor method of communication. And I realize "the client" was in a desperate situation with little choice. But how on earth the post office knew to hand it to someone who would know that it needed to go to Gamadge....and then how on earth Gamadge made heads or tails out of the cryptic messages is beyond me. Once we get Gamadge on the spot, it's all good. He dives in and figures out where the missing illustration is and why it's so important to his client and who the villain of the piece is and it all makes perfect sense from there. [Not that I spotted the final twist before it came, mind you.]
I read this once upon a time [long before blogging] and had a nice time getting reacquainted with Gamadge. Good solid mystery. Creepy old house (make that two--if you count the country estate). Mysterious goings on at night. All good fun. ★★★ and 1/2 [rounded up here]
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
July 14, 2021
Esta es la séptima entrega de Henry Gamadge, un personaje detective-escritor creado por la autora, y según se anuncia, es “auto conclusivo”.
Todo comienza cuando el cartero intuye que alguien está tratando de comunicarse con Gamadge y está arrojando bolitas de papel fuera de la mansión de los Fenway; y como el detective-escritor es muy conocido, le informa y éste hace todo lo posible por entrar a la mansión.
La historia prometía, las bolitas de papel siguen apareciendo y casualmente Gamadge las encuentra. Se ha perdido una lámina de un libro y todos andan en su búsqueda (Si no fuera por la curiosidad de su contenido, habría abandonado la novela).
Al llegar al punto final, yo seguía con cara de What? En fin, una historia un mucho inverosímil y pareciera que inacabada.
Ágatha Christie admiraba a la autora, y quizás deba leer mas de la obra de E. Daly para entender por qué.
@libros_aidasantillan
Todo comienza cuando el cartero intuye que alguien está tratando de comunicarse con Gamadge y está arrojando bolitas de papel fuera de la mansión de los Fenway; y como el detective-escritor es muy conocido, le informa y éste hace todo lo posible por entrar a la mansión.
La historia prometía, las bolitas de papel siguen apareciendo y casualmente Gamadge las encuentra. Se ha perdido una lámina de un libro y todos andan en su búsqueda (Si no fuera por la curiosidad de su contenido, habría abandonado la novela).
Al llegar al punto final, yo seguía con cara de What? En fin, una historia un mucho inverosímil y pareciera que inacabada.
Ágatha Christie admiraba a la autora, y quizás deba leer mas de la obra de E. Daly para entender por qué.
@libros_aidasantillan
June 28, 2012
I enjoyed this story very much; it was a nice comfortable mystery with a new character for me, that being Henry Gamadge, a New York sleuth who also happens to write mysteries. I liked the characters, including his cast of friends. I hope in future books, as I do know I'll read more of Elizabeth Daly's mysteries, that they are developed further. The mystery itself was somewhat convoluted, by that I mean, I wondered how he came to his conclusions based on the story line that was developed. But ultimately, it wasn't critical as the mystery resolved itself nicely and the story flowed very easily from page to page. A strong 3 rating for me. If you like Agatha Christie and that type of mystery, then I think you might wish to try a Henry Gamadge mystery.
August 5, 2008
I'm reading the Henry Gamadge books in order, and I have enjoyed all of them so far, but this one was a cut above. She is famous for layered mysteries and multi-herringed plots, but I did not see this one coming at all. That's my bellwether.
Unfortunately, I don't see myself rereading this for a long time-it is too memorable.
Unfortunately, I don't see myself rereading this for a long time-it is too memorable.
October 4, 2024
Elizabeth Daly wrote around 12 novels during the golden age of detective novels. Her protagonist was a Henry Gamadge who was an expert on rare books and manuscripts.
In this particular mystery, Henry Gamadge starts receiving anonymous notes from someone who is in danger in the New York City Fenway mansion. Can Gamadge figure out the mystery before someone is hurt? No, because after all this is a murder mystery. But he does solve the mystery.
Residing in the Fenway mansion currently are multiple people. They are first, the owner, Blake Fenway, then his impoverished cousin Mott Fenway, add in Blake's daughter, also his widowed sister-in-law, her son, and various servants. Initially, Gamadge is asked to find a picture torn out of a valuable book owned by Blake Fenway, but things turn very dark very quickly and a murder occurs. You'll know that nothing is quite what it seems because, after all, this is an Elizabeth Daly book. I enjoyed following along as Gamadge persistently put all the pieces together to finally get to the bottom of things.
The reason I only gave this 3 stars is because I found much of the plot of the book strained credulity. For example, the anonymous letters were so vague I don't know how anyone could figure out what they actually meant but of course Gamadge always knew exactly. There were multiple things happening in the book that were hard to swallow. I also thought that if Gamadge had intervened more quickly, disaster could have been averted (more than once). However, the book was still enjoyable because the story was so well-written otherwise.
Family corner: nothing objectionable.
In this particular mystery, Henry Gamadge starts receiving anonymous notes from someone who is in danger in the New York City Fenway mansion. Can Gamadge figure out the mystery before someone is hurt? No, because after all this is a murder mystery. But he does solve the mystery.
Residing in the Fenway mansion currently are multiple people. They are first, the owner, Blake Fenway, then his impoverished cousin Mott Fenway, add in Blake's daughter, also his widowed sister-in-law, her son, and various servants. Initially, Gamadge is asked to find a picture torn out of a valuable book owned by Blake Fenway, but things turn very dark very quickly and a murder occurs. You'll know that nothing is quite what it seems because, after all, this is an Elizabeth Daly book. I enjoyed following along as Gamadge persistently put all the pieces together to finally get to the bottom of things.
The reason I only gave this 3 stars is because I found much of the plot of the book strained credulity. For example, the anonymous letters were so vague I don't know how anyone could figure out what they actually meant but of course Gamadge always knew exactly. There were multiple things happening in the book that were hard to swallow. I also thought that if Gamadge had intervened more quickly, disaster could have been averted (more than once). However, the book was still enjoyable because the story was so well-written otherwise.
Family corner: nothing objectionable.
February 13, 2025
Lies, family secrets, deception, blackmail, inheritance and greed: all found along with murder, in the Fenway Mansion of New York’s elegant East Side.
The Fenways are an old family who shun any publicity. It seems that one member wishes to contact Henry Gamadge for help — via a balled up, used envelope, tossed onto the path the mailman walks to deliver their mail. After finding these messages five days in a row, the post office calls in the FBI. The FBI decides to give the case to Gamadge.
Gamadge’s appreciation of books is his ticket to be introduced to Blake Fenway, head of the Fenway family. The relationships between the residents of Fenway Manor is a tangle of blood, long term friendships and unusual personalities. There is also an atmosphere of sinister activity can be felt in the mansion. Someone wants Gamadge’s help, but who?
Gamadge finds himself with an added case. A unique book, written by Fenway’s grandfather, about the family history is missing a page — the one of the original family home, which no longer exists. Gamadge is asked to solve the mystery of its disappearance and possibly find the page.
A dog found dead, a family member dies, questions about who the residents really are are all threads that Gamadge has to unravels to find the answers.
The Fenways are an old family who shun any publicity. It seems that one member wishes to contact Henry Gamadge for help — via a balled up, used envelope, tossed onto the path the mailman walks to deliver their mail. After finding these messages five days in a row, the post office calls in the FBI. The FBI decides to give the case to Gamadge.
Gamadge’s appreciation of books is his ticket to be introduced to Blake Fenway, head of the Fenway family. The relationships between the residents of Fenway Manor is a tangle of blood, long term friendships and unusual personalities. There is also an atmosphere of sinister activity can be felt in the mansion. Someone wants Gamadge’s help, but who?
Gamadge finds himself with an added case. A unique book, written by Fenway’s grandfather, about the family history is missing a page — the one of the original family home, which no longer exists. Gamadge is asked to solve the mystery of its disappearance and possibly find the page.
A dog found dead, a family member dies, questions about who the residents really are are all threads that Gamadge has to unravels to find the answers.
August 3, 2021
Manhattan, años 40.
El detective aficionado Henry Gamadge —escritor y bibliófilo experto— recibe unos extraños anónimos que parecen sugerir que algo macabro sucede en la mansión de la familia Fenway...
Poco después, una muerte inesperada, confirmará que extraños sucesos y amenazas se ciernen sobre los diferentes habitantes de la casa.
Elizabeth Daly empezó a escribir su serie sobre Henry Gamadge en los años cuarenta, ciñéndose a las convenciones literarias que consagraron Agatha Christie y el resto de autores de la Edad de Oro de la novela negra.
La misma "reina del crimen" la consideraba una de sus autoras favoritas.
La autora maneja muy bien una historia plagada de personajes imposibles que tras diversos giros dramáticos, acabará haciendo encajar como el mejor puzzle.
Una gran lectura negra conjunta con @clubcazandoconpasion
Una dirección equivocada, 1944
(Arrow pointing nowhere)
Elizabeth Daly
@siruelaediciones 2017
Traducción de Raquel Rojas
#arrowpointingnowhere #elizabethdaly #unadireccionequivocada #leoclásicos #leeresvivir #leermola #libros #leoautoras #womenwriters #murdermistery #goldenageofcrimefiction #crimefiction
El detective aficionado Henry Gamadge —escritor y bibliófilo experto— recibe unos extraños anónimos que parecen sugerir que algo macabro sucede en la mansión de la familia Fenway...
Poco después, una muerte inesperada, confirmará que extraños sucesos y amenazas se ciernen sobre los diferentes habitantes de la casa.
Elizabeth Daly empezó a escribir su serie sobre Henry Gamadge en los años cuarenta, ciñéndose a las convenciones literarias que consagraron Agatha Christie y el resto de autores de la Edad de Oro de la novela negra.
La misma "reina del crimen" la consideraba una de sus autoras favoritas.
La autora maneja muy bien una historia plagada de personajes imposibles que tras diversos giros dramáticos, acabará haciendo encajar como el mejor puzzle.
Una gran lectura negra conjunta con @clubcazandoconpasion
Una dirección equivocada, 1944
(Arrow pointing nowhere)
Elizabeth Daly
@siruelaediciones 2017
Traducción de Raquel Rojas
#arrowpointingnowhere #elizabethdaly #unadireccionequivocada #leoclásicos #leeresvivir #leermola #libros #leoautoras #womenwriters #murdermistery #goldenageofcrimefiction #crimefiction
July 29, 2022
Una historia policíaca clásica ambientada en Nueva York. Una persona pide ayuda a un detective de una manera muy improbable: lanzando pelotitas desde su ventana. Parece que en esa casa todo el mundo entra y sale cuando quiere, así que es un medio de comunicación extremadamente raro... salvo que las cosas no sean lo que parecen.
Me ha gustado bastante la forma en que la narración sigue al detective pero, aun así, juega con las percepciones del lector en temas tan básicos como qué sabe el protagonista, qué deduce o, incluso, qué está buscando y por cuenta de quién. Hay aquí un poco de trampa, pero caigo en ella con gusto porque está muy bien llevada.
Me ha gustado bastante la forma en que la narración sigue al detective pero, aun así, juega con las percepciones del lector en temas tan básicos como qué sabe el protagonista, qué deduce o, incluso, qué está buscando y por cuenta de quién. Hay aquí un poco de trampa, pero caigo en ella con gusto porque está muy bien llevada.
August 8, 2018
Tres estrellas.
Los personajes tienen cierta personalidad y conflictos, lo que aumenta el interés por lo que pueda sucederles.
A veces resulta poco creíble que casi cada personaje con el que conversa Gamadge le hable voluntariamente, en ocasiones sin que él se lo pida, justo de los temas que le interesan.
Es posible deducir algunos de los giros y sorpresas antes de que se produzcan, pero eso no le resta interés a la historia.
En resumen, una novela muy entretenida, bien escrita, que mantiene el interés, la tensión y la intriga hasta el último momento.
Los personajes tienen cierta personalidad y conflictos, lo que aumenta el interés por lo que pueda sucederles.
A veces resulta poco creíble que casi cada personaje con el que conversa Gamadge le hable voluntariamente, en ocasiones sin que él se lo pida, justo de los temas que le interesan.
Es posible deducir algunos de los giros y sorpresas antes de que se produzcan, pero eso no le resta interés a la historia.
En resumen, una novela muy entretenida, bien escrita, que mantiene el interés, la tensión y la intriga hasta el último momento.
August 30, 2020
A pesar de ser el séptimo libro de la serie, es el primero que ha traducido la editorial, por lo que las relaciones entre los personajes están ya asentadas y al principio eso me hizo sentir que me estaba perdiendo algo, pero fue una sensación que desapareció en unas pocas hojas. La verdad es que puede leerse de forma independiente sin problema. El inicio también me resultó un poco enrevesado con el gurruño de papel. Aparte de eso, es una novela de misterio que, sin llegar a las complejas tramas de otras obras del mismo género, es de lo más disfrutable.
April 8, 2021
Another upper-class New York City mystery, which keen-witted Gamage as usual, figures out before the reader realizes there even is a mystery. I like these a lot as they always involve something bookish. This time it was a missing photograph from an old irreplaceable book, and lives and fortunes hung in the balance. However, it was so complicated that three people had to explain the solution, but in the end, it made perfect sense.
June 1, 2022
Two and a half stars: Daly's leisurely writing style is almost too placid in the first part of the book. Once the mystery starts to unfold it becomes more interesting. And it's a surprise when the villain is unmasked.
But the original clues that Gamadge receives and prompts him to act are pretty farfetched and outlandish, which makes you question the whole plot. An okay read, but not Daly's best effort.
But the original clues that Gamadge receives and prompts him to act are pretty farfetched and outlandish, which makes you question the whole plot. An okay read, but not Daly's best effort.
June 15, 2020
All of these Gamadge books are charming and well written, but this one has an especially charming - and daft - opening, one worthy of Albert Campion. It also has a particularly offputting reveal, using a rather well-worn mystery trope but with great originality. Right up til the villain became obvious, I really wasn't sure who it was.
January 12, 2022
Elizabeth Daly is at the top of her form here. The plot at first seems silly beyond belief; someone has contacted Mr. Gamadge by means of crumpled paper balls inscribed with ambiguous messages. Gamadge takes these novel communications seriously and manages to foil a wicked plot. Such is Daly's artistry that she makes the reader believe this.
June 8, 2022
Nice twists to this one, although some of the plot points kind of strained my credulity. But it is fiction. I still think Daly’s weakness is in her descriptions of the physical layout of places, particularly houses, and unfortunately I think that if those were clearer, it would be easier to understand the mystery and its resolution.
December 12, 2018
My first Gamadge mystery, and I very much enjoyed it. Seems to be in the classic mystery line and thankfully, not gory, vulgar, or erotic. I liked Henry Gamadge's character, his modest attitude, and his sense of humor.
January 4, 2020
Un “murder mistery” clásico, elegante, en el Nueva York de los años 40 y que pese a que el misterio tampoco es que sea la quintaesencia de lo enrevesado, y la solución final del caso tenga alguna inconsistencia, es muy entretenido y fácil de leer.
November 21, 2021
Another Tour de Force
Usual twists and turns, deaths and drama. The final denouement is especially interesting. SPOILER ALERT... The state of inheritance during this period plays a role.
Usual twists and turns, deaths and drama. The final denouement is especially interesting. SPOILER ALERT... The state of inheritance during this period plays a role.
January 3, 2022
"Si nos situamos en una elegante mansión inglesa donde de printo alguien aparece asesinado misteriosamente..." Pero aqui no es inglesa sino americana, una historia de un caballero detective que investiga a una buena familia...
Me ha encantado
Me ha encantado
February 8, 2022
Well done!
Didn’t see it coming at all. Did feel it was being tidied a little too easily, and it was. But still didn’t expect the reality as it was. I look forward to the next book.
Didn’t see it coming at all. Did feel it was being tidied a little too easily, and it was. But still didn’t expect the reality as it was. I look forward to the next book.
January 17, 2023
More complex and hard to follow than most, but very satisfying. The ending was unexpected, but made total sense when Gamadge went over the information we had in the story. Very little character development as usual, especially for his wife and friends, but otherwise a very good mystery.
October 24, 2023
🦇🔪🧚♀️👻 #Cozyween 👻🧚♀️🔪🦇
3,5☆ Es buejo leer novelas de misterio escrito por mujerss qye no sea Agatha Christie.
Una lectura diferente y muy interesante la trama, pero a ratos se me hizo pesado y lento.
3,5☆ Es buejo leer novelas de misterio escrito por mujerss qye no sea Agatha Christie.
Una lectura diferente y muy interesante la trama, pero a ratos se me hizo pesado y lento.
June 1, 2017
Una novela clásica , al leerla no me cabe duda que le encantará a Agatha Christie. Buena novela y bien seleccionada en esta colección de Nuevos tiempos Siruela
July 4, 2020
3 1/2 stars. A clever mystery with misdirections and red herrings.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews