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Penhallow

Georgette Heyer

Start date: October 15, 2023

Finish date: November 6, 2023

Discussion: Buddy reads

Why we're reading this: For our Heyer fans
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What Members Thought

Aug 08, 2011 Gina Dalfonzo rated it it was amazing

I think "Penhallow" may be the most tragic mystery I've ever read. And the irony is that the murder victim is one of the least appealing, least sympathetic victims I've ever seen. Heyer spends a long, long time building him up as the object of our dislike (he doesn't even die until something like two-thirds of the way through), but just when we're tempted to feel that he deserved what he got, everything in the little world that he dominated starts falling apart. The book is really quite profound ...more

10 likes · Like · see review

Oct 10, 2023 Susan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Published in 1942, this is a far darker mystery than Heyer's previous ones. I was, at first, concerned at the mixed reviews, but I found this an interesting crime novel. If you go into this, not expecting her usual, light-hearted mystery, and embrace it as something different, then that is best.

Adam Penhallow is a cruel and despotic patriarch, who keeps his family firmly under his thumb. Almost every member of his family have a reason to dislike him, including downtroddon second wife, Faith, who ...more

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Jun 04, 2017 Louise Culmer rated it it was ok

This book is, rather oddly, classified with Heyer's mysteries, though it is not one. The murder occurs late in the book, and we know who has done it and why. The only real mystery is why the ghastly victim has not been murdered years earlier. Most of the book is about horrible, tyrannical Adam penhallow tormenting his sons and enjoying making them hate him. The sons mostly hate each other as well. Adam also likes to torment his rather feeble second wife Faith. Faith hates and fears her husband, ...more

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Mar 05, 2011 Bev rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: british-mystery, vintage-mystery, bought-2010, mystery

I have had Penhallow by Georgette Heyer on my TBR (and, in fact, my TBB--To Be Bought) List for ages. Ever since I first discovered her 1930s/40s mysteries about 10-15 years ago. Up until this year, Penhallow has proved very elusive-the library never had it and I never could find it on my used bookstore rounds. But Sourcebooks Landmark has recently re-issued Heyer's books in a compact, nicely covered series and when I saw Penhallow sitting on the shelf at my local Border's I snatched it right up I have had Penhallow by Georgette Heyer on my TBR (and, in fact, my TBB--To Be Bought) List for ages. Ever since I first discovered her 1930s/40s mysteries about 10-15 years ago. Up until this year, Penhallow has proved very elusive-the library never had it and I never could find it on my used bookstore rounds. But Sourcebooks Landmark has recently re-issued Heyer's books in a compact, nicely covered series and when I saw Penhallow sitting on the shelf at my local Border's I snatched it right up.

I believe I know why this book has been so hard to find. It is a definite departure from Heyer's usual mystery-fare. It is dark and depressing, full of snide and sarcastic characters. How the Penhallow children managed to reach adulthood without murdering each other and their tyrannical father long ago is the real mystery here. Set at the Penhallow manor, we meet Adam Penhallow, an old man with a cruel streak who rules his family with an iron fist. Various members of the clan have left the hallowed halls of home, but Adam is determined to bring them all back and bring them to heel. He has had enough of his "artistic" son's debts, his youngest son's wasted years at college, and the other children who are not living up to the Penhallow name. But it isn't just that he wants them home...he sets out to re-fashion their lives so they must employ themselves in ways least suited to their nature. It really seems that the old man is out to make everyone as miserable as possible.

The novel is unusual in a number of ways--beyond the darker, more depressing tone. The first two-thirds of the novel is primarily character study. We are given a full run-down of every member of the Penhallow clan, including his son Jimmy, who was born on the wrong side of the blanket. And it's not a pretty picture. Penhallow's offspring are the most sarcastic, competitive, quarrelsome bunch you're likely to come across in fiction. The house is continually in an uproar and it seems unlikely that there is ever a moment's peace--even at night. What with Adam calling for the servants at all hours. We also have Heyer presenting us with the murder way in the last half of the book...handing us the culprit right up front so there isn't even any mystery to be solved. Her books usually begin with the murder and follow the usual who-dunnit procedures.

As a psychological study, this book is superb. A dysfunctional family at its worst. Heyer has every character dissected before us and plays each type to the hilt without quite going over the top. However, as a mystery--and particularly as an example of the type of mystery that Heyer fans will expect--it is less than stellar. This makes it very difficult for me to rate. It is well-written as all of Heyer's books are, but definitely takes me out of my comfort zone. As psychological fiction: 4 1/2 stars. As an example of the mystery genre: 2 1/2 stars. Final score: Three stars (a nice middle of the road rating.)

This review was first posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks. ...more

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Oct 22, 2023 Jill rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: georgette-heyer

I had only read Heyer's mystery series before, and they mostly seemed to be about dysfunctional families, but this one has to be about the worst family. I hope this was not a reflection of Heyer's own family.
This was a much darker read than the detective books, but I did enjoy it. I will admit that I found the beginning was too taken up with the descriptions of rooms and furniture, but did find the characters interesting, and although a death did not occur until over halfway through, it was a my ...more

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Dec 11, 2020 Teri-K rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, mystery-golden-age

I'd forgotten how much I dislike this book! It's well done - you spend at lot of time getting to know the characters before the murder happens, and the aftermath felt pretty realistic to me. But the people in this book aren't nice at all. In fact they fight, verbally and physically, at the drop of a hat. They're mean, sarcastic, and not at all the kind of folks I like reading about. Personally, I find I love Heyer's books if they have some humor in them. She does witty dialogue I could lap up wi ...more

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May 14, 2021 Geraldine Byrne rated it liked it

Shelves: crime

Not the best of the Heyer detective novels. Nothing by this author is less than well written but Penhallow sits awkwardly among the lighter, wittier offerings. It has the gothic romance feel of a historical novel, rather than a detective story. The murder such as it is is almost overlooked among a wealth of characterization, and unfortunately not one of the characters is likeable. There are too many reasons to dislike the victim and every member of the household, to invest in any of them. it's s ...more

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Aug 31, 2024 Sarah G rated it did not like it

What a bleak story. Completely unlike her other detective novels, which I’ve enjoyed so far.

Fun? No. Likeable characters? No. Mystery? Again no. Murder? Barely. Any actual detectives doing on the page detecting? Absolutely not.

I’m going to pretend this one never happened, read the last two and hope for the best. (Audiobook)

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