Pity poor Inspector Hemingway.
Sent by Scotland Yard to investigate a murder, he found himself confronted with a large number of suspects, nearly as many motives, a scarcity of good alibis - and Ermyntrude. And Vicki.
What am I talking about, you ask? Why Georgette Heyer's 1939 mystery No Wind of Blame
I have read (and reviewed) a number of other Georgette Heyer mysteries - as a group, they're quite well done, with clever plots, witty dialogue and delightful, often outrageous characters. A friend who enjoys Golden Age mysteries recommended No Wind of Blame to me, saying it was one of Heyer’s funniest mysteries. I’d have to agree with her.
Consider Ermyntrude - and I love that name. Ermyntrude Carter used to be an actress. She married a very rich man named Fanshawe who was good enough to die and leave her a very wealthy widow with a young daughter, Vicki. Ermyntrude then had the misfortune (or bad taste) to marry Wally Carter, a man whose behavior and character were both dubious at best. She has also attracted a fortune-hunter of an exiled Georgian prince who is looking to marry the very wealthy Ermyntrude, if she will only divorce her husband. As for her daughter Vicki - now Wally's step-daughter - she is indeed a Drama Queen, going so far as to change her personality and her clothing to fit her mood of the moment (now being a Woman of Sport, now a Comfort-to-Mother, now a Woman of the World, or perhaps a Notorious Woman - all fine roles, to be sure). There are some unsavory neighbors, too, and assorted other friends and servants. Oh, and some hints of a blackmailer working in the neighborhood, too.
A lot of people are unhappy with Wally, so perhaps it's no surprise that someone apparently takes a shot at him one day. Everyone insists it was an accident - except Wally, who may be forgiven for taking such things seriously. And there is, very soon, a murder. And Inspector Hemingway arrives to find himself surrounded by this very unusual if highly entertaining group of characters.
It's all handled with a light and deft touch and it is indeed very funny. One quick example of what to expect: at one point someone says to Ermyntrude – talking about Vicky –
“If I were you, I’d let her go on the stage…I believe that’s what she’d really like best.”
“Don’t you suggest such a thing!” said Ermyntrude, quite horrified. “Why her father would turn in his grave – well, as a matter of fact, he was cremated, but what I mean is, if he hadn’t been he would have.”
Yes, that's Ermyntrude.
George Heyer is best known for her historical regency romances, but I believe her mysteries - she wrote several very good ones - deserve a wider audience. No Wind of Blame is available in printed and e-book versions. It's a delightful light read.
The 2015 Bingo Challenge
Regular visitors to this blog know 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. As I do not own a copy of this book and borrowed it from the excellent mystery collection of my local (Springfield, NJ) public library, No Wind of Blame is my entry for the square (bottom row, fifth column) which calls for one book that you have to borrow (you do not own).
I agree with you, Les. Heyer used wit and solid dialogue very effectively in her series. This is a good example of that.
Posted by: Margot Kinberg | February 09, 2015 at 10:10 AM
I enjoy authors such as Heyer, Craig Rice and Phoebe Atwood Taylor who were able to mix humor with their mystery, Margot. This one is quite funny - and a pretty good mystery, too.
Posted by: Les Blatt | February 09, 2015 at 10:19 AM
I love this one--and I love Ermyntrude and her daughter Vicki.
This is one of my favorite parts which takes place as Vicky tries on the persona of innocent girl in the hands of the badgering policeman:
Vicky, who had cast herself down on the sofa, raised her face from her hands, and demanded: "Why don't you say something?"
"I haven't had time to learn my part miss," replied the Inspector promptly.
"Inspector, it's a privilege to know you!" said Hugh.
Vicky said fiercely, between her teeth: "If you ruin my act, I'll murder you!"
Posted by: Bev Hankins | February 09, 2015 at 12:10 PM
Yes indeed, Bev - that's exactly the kind of dialogue I'm talking about. It is VERY funny indeed - and the mystery is still quite carefully worked out.
Posted by: Les Blatt | February 09, 2015 at 12:14 PM
Yes, a very nicely done mystery, indeed.
Posted by: Bev Hankins | February 09, 2015 at 12:17 PM