From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

Death in the Stocks (Inspectors Hannasyde and Hemingway, #1)

Georgette Heyer

Start date: November 13, 2021

Finish date: December 7, 2021

Discussion: Buddy reads

Why we're reading this: Next in our series of Georgette Heyer buddy reads.
[close] Next in our series of Georgette Heyer buddy reads.

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What Members Thought

Jan 28, 2016 Judy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Georgette Heyer is a writer I keep meaning to read more of. In the past I've enjoyed a couple of her Regency romances, most recently listening to one of the audiobooks read by Richard Armitage, but this is the first time I've tried one of her mysteries.

The style of writing seems quite similar to that of her Regency novels, with a lot of witty dialogue and larger-than-life characters. The story is also laced with romance. Although this is the first in the Inspector Hannasyde series, I'd have to s ...more

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Aug 10, 2012 Susan in NC rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, my-library, tbr-with-gr-groups, currently-re-reading, reread

2023 reread: reduced rating to 3-3.5 stars for this first Hannasyde/Hemingway mystery; Vereker family attorney (and cousin) Giles Carrington spends more time investigating alongside Hannasyde, and cracks the case in the end. We spend much more time in the company of utterly obnoxious artist Kenneth Vereker and his sister Antonia, both suspected of killing wealthy half-brother Arnold. Not my favorite of Heyer’s mysteries, and it drags on too long, but entertaining, at least for the first half.

20 2023 reread: reduced rating to 3-3.5 stars for this first Hannasyde/Hemingway mystery; Vereker family attorney (and cousin) Giles Carrington spends more time investigating alongside Hannasyde, and cracks the case in the end. We spend much more time in the company of utterly obnoxious artist Kenneth Vereker and his sister Antonia, both suspected of killing wealthy half-brother Arnold. Not my favorite of Heyer’s mysteries, and it drags on too long, but entertaining, at least for the first half.

2021 reread: first time rereading Inspector Hannasyde’s first case. I really enjoyed Hannasyde and Sgt. Hemingway, and family attorney Giles Carrington - trying to rein in his outrageous cousins, Kenneth and Antonia Vereker, both possible suspects in the murder of their very disagreeable cousin, found stabbed in the stocks on the village green near his weekend cottage. I mostly listened to the audiobook, ably narrated by Ulli Berve, who has the plush accent required for Heyer’s upper class characters, but admirably switches to different accents for Sgt. Hemingway and other characters.

Entertaining, but I could still cheerfully strangle Kenneth, one of Heyer’s cheeky but brilliant artist types! This one went on a bit, and ends with Giles admirably doing the amateur gentleman detective bit to assist Hannasyde to the solution. It felt like Heyer perhaps wasn’t yet fully committed to whether she wanted a Scotland Yard detective solving her cases, or a gentleman amateur. Entertaining and fun all the same - I personally am glad she went with Hannasyde-of-the-twinkling-grey-eyes, and the snarky, quick-witted Hemingway!

2014: I love Georgette Heyer - nobody can match her for sparkling, witty dialogue, dark British humor and wonderfully outrageous characters - in both her Regency romances and her mysteries. This case opens with the discovery of a murdered man in evening dress with his feet locked into the stocks on a village green. Shocking enough, until Heyer introduces the half-brother and sister of the deceased, who not only couldn't care less about his death but appear downright jubilant at the prospect of their pending inheritance!

I could cheerfully strangle temperamental, moody artist Kenneth Vereker as he tries to lead Superintendent Hannasyde around by his nose with his foul temper and uncooperative demeanor, but sister Antonia is much more sympathetic and likeable - and a wonderful romantic interest for cousin Giles, the calm, low-key family lawyer who works alongside Scotland Yard to save his family and solve the puzzling case. Delightful! ...more

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Oct 05, 2013 Teri-K rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, old-favorites, great-to-re-read

Quite a fun story in which the older half-brother with the money is found murdered in the town stocks. Of course suspicion falls on his siblings, especially Kenneth, an artist with a money-hungry fiance. Their sister Antonia is really the focus of the story, as she struggles with her own unsuitable fiance, her difficult brother, their handsome cousin and attorney Giles and assorted friends. I knew who-dunnit but it was great fun watching everything unfold.

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Apr 16, 2014 Jan C rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2016, gr-group-read, mystery, between-the-wars

My first experience with Georgette Heyer. I will probably read more of her mysteries with Inspector Hannyside. I probably will never read her Regency books - not really up my alley.

This was okay. When I was about 80% through when I suddenly woke up and said to myself - hey, wait a minute, it has to be so-and-so. And, lo and behold, it was.

A not very well liked man is found dead in the stocks near his country place. A half-sister is found the next morning in the house. So there's her. The police ...more

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Jan 24, 2019 Becky rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2019goodrule-old, 2019reviews, reviewcopy, shareatea2019, 2019familytreechallenge, rereads_2019

First sentence: It was past midnight, and the people who lived in the cottages that clustered round the triangular green had long since gone to bed and to sleep.

Premise/plot: You know how some murder mysteries seem to take forever before the body appears and the detectives arrive? Not Death in the Stocks. Within the first two pages we have a corpse: Arnold Vereker. He was found stabbed to death in the village stocks. How peculiar indeed. He only comes down to the village occasionally on weekends First sentence: It was past midnight, and the people who lived in the cottages that clustered round the triangular green had long since gone to bed and to sleep.

Premise/plot: You know how some murder mysteries seem to take forever before the body appears and the detectives arrive? Not Death in the Stocks. Within the first two pages we have a corpse: Arnold Vereker. He was found stabbed to death in the village stocks. How peculiar indeed. He only comes down to the village occasionally on weekends--usually with a woman. His family isn't surprised that he's dead. He wasn't well-loved--or even liked. It could even be likely--in terms of motive--that one of his own family did the crime.

Throughout the novel readers get a chance to know his family quite well: Antonia, "Tony," and her brother, Kenneth. Giles Carrington, their cousin and lawyer. Tony is engaged to a man who was pilfering money from Arnold Vereker's company. Kenneth is engaged to a gold digger. No doubt the inspectors soon realize this family is CRAZY ECCENTRIC. But is anyone in the family capable of murder?

My thoughts: I loved, loved, loved this one. I believe this was my second time to read this one. I love the characters. I love the dialogue. I love the pacing. It was just a delight to spend time with the characters.

Quotes:

And I have one of those cast-iron alibis which I understand render one instantly suspect.
'People who start a sentence with personally (and they're always women) ought to be thrown to the lions. It's a repulsive habit.'
'Whatever will you say next, Miss Tony? Your own brother too, as wouldn't hurt a fly.' 'If you had a fly-swotting competition, he'd win it.' Antonia replied sensibly.
'She can't possibly not talk at all, Kenneth,' said Antonia reasonably. 'What he means is, Don't talk Art.' 'Thank you. I'm quite aware that nobody but Kenneth knows anything about Art.'
'My fiancee says it's such a rotten story you're bound to believe it. She ought to know. She reads about seven detective thrillers a week, so she's pretty well up on crime.'
'That boy is either an incorrigibly truthful young ass, or a brilliantly clever actor.'
'Obviously if you were clever enough to commit a murder and plant yourself down in the murdered man's house afterwards you ought to have told as many people as you could that you were going down to have it out with Arnold. No one'd believe you killed him after that.'
'But I don't like policemen. Some people feel the same about cats. Always know the instant one comes into the room, and begin to get creepy. Not that I've any objection to cats, mind you. Far from it. In fact, if I had to be bothered with any sort of animal, I think I should choose a cat.'
If there's one thing that wears me out quicker than anything it's having to choose a lot of food for someone else to eat. ...more

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Jun 01, 2013 Becky rated it it was amazing

Shelves: reviewcopy, readin2013, ng_rc_hallshame

Death in the Stocks may just be my favorite Georgette Heyer mystery so far. I really enjoyed Why Shoot A Butler, and, Envious Casca had its great moments. But. Death in the Stocks was so enjoyable throughout. Some murder mysteries take too long to introduce the corpse, that is NOT the case in Death in the Stocks! Readers get a chance to know all the suspects and work alongside the detectives in solving the mystery. Of course, not all the characters were lovely people that you'd want to spend tim ...more

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Sep 17, 2018 Aussie54 rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: nostalgia, library-book, not-gay

I remember not enjoying Heyer’s mysteries in the past, but this time around I’m loving them. There’s humour, clever writing, and an interesting mystery. I love how modern her characters seem – I imagined people living back then to be quite different, but they often compare quite well to how people are now.

“Death in the Stocks” was an enjoyable read, although at times I felt the dialogue rambled on a bit. I liked the characters, especially Giles, the not-quite cousin. It’s interesting that in the ...more

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Nov 01, 2018 Jenn Estepp rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: kindling, sleuths-and-gumshoes, comfort-food

I remember giving the Heyer mysteries a bit of a go a few years ago and not really being that bowled over, but I really enjoyed this one! Despite figuring out the killer pretty early on and doing a lot of reading to confirm that I was right. But the dialogue is very witty - it's not quite a Bright Young Things novel, but sort of in that vein - and the characters appealing. I've a stack of these that I picked up at library book sales & some digital arcs of the re-issues coming soon and I suspect ...more

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Feb 02, 2019 Annarella rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I love whatever Georgette Heyer wrote but I think this is not one of her best mysteries.
It seems to be more a comedy of manners than a mystery.
The focus is on the different characters and inspector Hannasyde just appears from time to time.
The pace is gentle, sometimes a bit slow, but there are a lot of funny bunters.
The cast of characters is quirky and interesting but not always likable.
It was interesting to read this book and I recommend it to fan of Georgette Heyer.
Many thanks to Sourcebooks L ...more

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Feb 22, 2024 Lillian rated it liked it

Shelves: mystery-vintage-golden-age, read-in-2024

Started off really nice. Started to lag in the middle. It felt drawn out. I did guess the murderer but that isn't a turn off for me. Was hoping it was going to be more like "footsteps in the Dark" which is one of my favorites. ...more

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