From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

The Unfinished Clue

Georgette Heyer

Start date: July 11, 2021

Finish date: August 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

Dec 22, 2012 Leslie rated it really liked it

Shelves: mysteries

March 2021 - I did manage to figure out with the help of vague recall who the culprit was this time!
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2016 review:
One of the best benefits of a bad memory is the ability to reread mysteries! I didn't remember this at all when I started rereading it -- I know I have read it as I own it and I love Heyer but nothing about the blurb seemed familiar. About halfway through I suddenly did recall a big part of the solution (though as it turned out, not the guilty person!) but by that time ...more

31 likes · Like · see review

Feb 18, 2018 Lady Wesley rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-golden-age-or-similar, aud-rev, listened

Georgette Heyer, best known for her Regency romances, also wrote several mysteries, and The Unfinished Clue was the first that I have read. Actually, I listened to the Audible audiobook, narrated by Ulli Birve, who also has narrated several other Heyer mysteries. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and plan to try some of the others.

Given that I am a big fan of Agatha Christie and that I also love house party settings, this book was right down my alley. It features an ill-assorted group of house guest ...more

18 likes · Like · see review

Aug 02, 2023 Lady Clementina ffinch-ffarowmore rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: england, murder, mystery, country, country-house, georgette-heyer

Set in her somewhat typical dysfunctional family with a despicable patriarch and over a country-house weekend, The Unfinished Clue by Georgette Heyer was first published in 1933. But despite playing out in the usual frame that she follows in her mysteries, this standalone gave one a solid mystery, a range of well-fleshed out (though certainly far less eccentric than usual) characters, and a thoroughly good read.

The book opens in the midst of a weekend at the Grange, the home of the ill-tempered Set in her somewhat typical dysfunctional family with a despicable patriarch and over a country-house weekend, The Unfinished Clue by Georgette Heyer was first published in 1933. But despite playing out in the usual frame that she follows in her mysteries, this standalone gave one a solid mystery, a range of well-fleshed out (though certainly far less eccentric than usual) characters, and a thoroughly good read.

The book opens in the midst of a weekend at the Grange, the home of the ill-tempered and domineering General Sir Arthur Billington-Smith. He is married to the much younger and soft natured Fay, always at the receiving end of his outbursts. At the house are staying Basil and Camilla Halliday whom the General has recently befriended. While Basil is a weakly kind, the beautiful and provocative Camilla encourages the General’s attentions, hoping to benefit from them (the Hallidays aren’t financially stable), something Basil strongly disapproves. There is also Stephen Guest, a relation of sorts of the General, who is much in love with Fay. The latter reciprocates but is unwilling to bear any unpleasantness (like the divorce courts) even if this will free her from the stifling life she’s leading. Then the General’s nephew Major Francis Billington-Smith is visiting, and the General’s son from his first marriage, Geoffrey, an artistic, and also weakly type is bringing home his new fiancée, the beautiful and fashionable Lola de Silva, a cabaret dancer! A formula for trouble as you can already see. Amidst this mess also arrives Fay’s younger sister, Dinah Fawcett who has far more spunk than the delicate Fay and not only gives her some comfort but also stands up to the General defiantly. At dinner, a few more guests join in, among them an old friend of the General Mrs Twining and the Vicar and his wife (the latter two disapproving of the General’s lifestyle and ways)

Expectedly the fireworks begin almost instantly between the General’s brazen flirtations with Camilla, annoyance with Geoffrey (but more so the lovely Lola, who makes no secret of her mercenary intentions), and Fay being ‘blamed’ by him for all that goes wrong. Francis, perpetually in need of money hopes to touch the General for some more, and the foolish Geoffrey believes the sight of Lola would soften his father, and also that Lola actually loves him! Disagreements abound and tempers boil over, and just as the weekend comes to an end, with some guests having departed and others preparing to leave, the General is found murdered in his study—stabbed in the back with his own dagger.

The local police, Superintendent Lupton and Sergeant Nethersole arrive and interview the guests, but the Chief Constable realises soon enough that the matter is far beyond their competence (the worst they’ve handled are robberies and road mishaps) and calls in the Yard. Inspector Harding arrives—a gentleman policeman, educated at Oxford but having joined the force after the war. What follows is of course the investigation, mostly interviewing a range of suspects all of whom had ample reason to want to do away with the General and also ample opportunity. But as these interviews proceed, rather than getting simpler, the mystery begins to only get denser with each as likely to have committed the crime as the next. Can he get to the bottom of it all?

While The Unfinished Clue doesn’t have Heyer’s usual profusion of eccentrics (the only truly eccentric character is Mrs Fawcett, Dinah and Fay’s mother with her fads and penchant for (melo)drama, but she remains offscreen), she does give us a great set of suspects, each with motive and opportunity; each has their interests and secrets (some might be open secrets), and while none may seem ‘capable’ of murder, who knows? As Inspector Harding speaks to each, we can see as he does that each is not only holding back things, but also that they are trying to shift suspicion away from either themselves or those they care about. In the conversations too, we can see small points of facts that don’t agree from account to account, but do they really amount to anything? And may be I was wrong about the eccentrics for we do have La Lola, who is certainly a singular character, quite open about her objects and interests, and given to drama, hoping to be taken for the ‘assassin’ if only that would bring her good publicity.

With Heyer’s mysteries that I have read so far (mostly the Hannasyde and Hemingway ones, and one standalone), my experience of the puzzle itself has been mixed. While some did give complicated ones where some aspects were hard to work out, in others I had whodunit quite easily. This one was different in that it did take me by surprise. About two-thirds of the way into the book, I was sure I had the answer but of course read on for confirmation. But guess what? I didn’t, or rather I got only part of it right—spot on about whydunit, but who, I wouldn’t have thought of that person at all (she’s done this to me in one other mystery I read), so this was certainly very satisfying on that account.

Although we get our share of banter in the book, it wasn’t that sparkling and clever dialogue that one finds in some of her others, but all the same quite enjoyable. There is also a thread of romance which we spot early on (that is as soon as the characters in question ‘meet’), and it was fun watching it play out.

Another entertaining Heyer mystery, enjoyable both for the puzzle and the characters!
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Jul 05, 2021 Susan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This Georgette Heyer mystery revolves around an ill-assorted house party. General Sir Arthur Billington-Smith delights in bullying his younger, second wife, Fay. He had hoped to enjoy a weekend with a couple they had met on holiday - Basil and Camilla Halliday - so he can flirt with Camilla. However, his plans are upset when other visitors arrive. There is Dinah, Fay's sister, Stephen Guest, who is in love with Fay and dislikes her husband's behaviour towards her. Then there is the General's nep ...more

6 likes · Like · see review

Aug 14, 2015 Doris rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: z-2015-challenge, 2025-challenge, mystery, reread, z-2017-challenge, z-2022-challenge

While I enjoy Ms. Heyer's mysteries, I wish she didn't insist on working a romance into them. The romance in this one is especially thin. The mystery itself, though, is entertaining. ...more

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Nov 28, 2016 Damaskcat rated it it was amazing

General Sir Arthur Billington-Smith is stabbed to death in his study during a house party. He has humiliated his wife in front of his guests, disinherited his only son and upset several of his guests as well as refusing to help his nephew financially. It comes as no surprise then when someone snaps and stabs him.

Inspector Harding, from Scotland Yard, has to work his way through a great many secrets and lies before he works out the truth of the case and reveals the murderer. As ever Heyer describ ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jun 07, 2021 Jackie rated it it was amazing

One of my favorites of her mysteries! I find the characters to be interesting, the romance sweet, and a lot of humor in the dialog. It's not perfect, but it's a wonderful read. ...more

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Jul 03, 2021 Carolien rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2021, english-mystery

Probably my favourite of Georgette Heyer's mysteries. Interesting characters and plot in a classic house-party murder setting. ...more

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May 24, 2021 Andréa rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: british-isles, mystery-thriller-crime, classics, digital

Like with Behold, Here's Poison, the conclusion of this one surprised me because (view spoiler)

And I was fine with the romance in this one; the characters were both likable people and not assholes. ...more

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Jun 28, 2021 Jill rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: georgette-heyer

An English country house murder, but the difference is with this one is the humour along the way. The murdered victim, Major Billington-Smith, is a man who is not liked by anyone. He is a tyrant to all, even his closest family. His wife is his second and his son is the child of his first marriage. He is also rather a lecher, which he flaunts in front of his wife and in this case the woman's husband. Certainly, not a man to be missed. The house party where this story takes place, includes some in ...more

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Oct 13, 2014 ShanDizzy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Wow! What an interesting story and some parts were laugh-out-loud funny. For example, "...Lola turned her candid gaze upon her, and said "I do not find that there is any reason for a detective to see you. You are not at all important, let me tell you, so it's quite foolish for you to create for us any scenes." Camilla, pale with anger, said... ...more

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