Let's take a nice, quiet, after-dinner stroll through the little village of Frazer's Mills, New York. We'll stay off the main street, I think - it's easier and more private to walk down the little lanes and paths behind the houses, near the woods. Somebody else has been this way tonight. The walker tried to open old Mrs. Norbury's door at the rest home, which scared her - but there was nobody there when she finally peered out. At the library, the walker frightened the librarian, Hattie Bluett, and at the Bay Horse Tavern, apparently tried to get into Mr. Compson's room, only he was out. The walker did leave a small hatchet outside the door, though. And the next stop, apparently, was the Carrington place. That's where somebody got murdered. And that after-dinner quiet was pretty thoroughly shattered...
That's the picture we're given in Elizabeth Daly's 1947 mystery, Night Walk
I like Henry Gamadge. He's deceptively quiet, very smart, and hard to rattle or to fool, as antagonists generally learn to their sorrow. He is invited to Frazer's Mills by one of the possible suspects, who is a friend of a friend, and it doesn't take him long to work out what's going on - though it may not be in time to prevent another murder. As always with Daly, there are a lot of surprises in the plot; it is easy to see why Agatha Christie had such a high opinion of Daly's work.
The Felony & Mayhem Press has been reissuing Elizabeth Daly's books, both in printed versions and as e-books. You really should get to know Henry Gamadge.
The 2015 Bingo Challenge
I have already mentioned that I am participating in the 2015 Vintage Mystery Bingo challenge. The Bingo card has 36 squares to be filled by reading a book appropriate to each square's instructions. Night Walk is my entry for the square (fifth row, fifth column) that calls for a book set in England or the U. S. In this case, it's the U. S.
This is the first Daly novel I ever owned (not the first I read--that was Death & Letters), but it's been long time since I read it. Glad to see you feature it, Les.
Another that I wish I had more time for rereads....
Off-topic: I've sent you an email about the 2014 Vintage Challenge prize offerings...just wanted to make sure you got it. Send me an email at phryne1969 AT gmail DOT com if the email didn't make it to you.
Posted by: Bev Hankins | January 12, 2015 at 08:36 PM
I really enjoy Daly, Bev. Her first couple of books weren't as strong, IMHO, as her later ones, but she quickly became expert at fooling readers and hiding clues in plain sight. My favorite, I think, is still Book of the Dead - a final confrontation scene that really took my breath away. (And I've just sent you an e-mail with my choices... ?-)
Posted by: Les Blatt | January 13, 2015 at 02:48 PM