Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Review: They Found Him Dead

They Found Him Dead is the third book in Georgette Heyer's mystery series featuring Inspector Hannasyde.  I have all the books in this series, but have not been reading them in order.  I don't feel anything is lost using this method because Hannasyde is very much only the inspector in the books- he is not the center of the story, ever, and so his character never evolves, which is very different than most mystery series that feature one detective in multiple books.But Heyer is really all about the other characters in her mysteries- the ones that are affected by the murder itself.  In a way, this is unfortunate for the reader as if you come across a character you would like to know better, you are never going to see him again.  Contrastingly, Inspector Hannasyde makes no real lasting impression, but is in multiple books.

But perhaps I should get around to actually describing this book.  On the evening of his 60th birthday, Silas Kane goes out for a walk along his property and never returns.  He is found dead the next morning.  Just a few days later, his cousin is shot through the head, and Scotland Yard begins to pay attention.  Everyone is a suspect, from Jim Kane, who stands to inherit it all, to the beautiful, highly sensitive (so she claims repeatedly) Rosemary, who is newly widowed, to, stereotypically enough, the butler.  When Jim's life is endangered by multiple accidents, finding the murderer becomes critical.

It's no secret that I am a Georgette Heyer fangirl and have been for years.  I am predisposed to like her work.  While I prefer her romances, I do enjoy her mysteries because her wit is so sharp in them.  I am not a person who reads mystery novels for the whodunnit.  That's why I prefer those set in the period between the wars, maybe- I love the tension between the classes, the clash of tradition vs. modernity, and all the rest.  I don't think Heyer's mysteries are particularly thrilling- many of them revolve around inheritance issues, in which someone who is likely to come into a great deal of money is also very likely to commit murder (or be suspected of doing so).  So it's not overly difficult to figure out who the culprit is.  But that's not why I read them.

This story has a few hilarious scenes and memorable characters.  Timothy Harte, a 14-year-old obsessed with gangster films, is a gem.  I really enjoyed reading scenes with him, though I think his age is improbable- he acted more like a 10-year-old than a 14-year-old.  I also thought Rosemary, the highly sensitive widow, had some great lines about her nerves and her intuition.  While I am sure the other characters will fade from my mind, these two are probably who I will remember the most in this story.  And while They Found Him Dead is not my favorite mystery, or even my favorite Heyer mystery (that honor belongs unreservedly to Footsteps in the Dark), I still really enjoyed curling up on my sofa reading this in the last few days I had before school started!

17 comments:

  1. I really liked Timothy Harte too! Very funny. And I agree that you don't need to read these in any sort of order because Hannasyde isn't ever developed as a character. I still like him though!

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  2. I've never read a Heyer mystery - even though I too am a fan of her historical fiction. On the strenght of your recommendation, maybe I'll try Footsteps in the Dark!

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  3. Ack heyer, will I ever read her books? One day, one day

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  4. I have only read one Heyer, and it wasn't a mystery, it was more of historical. I have been wanting to give her a try, and have seen lately that the book store has a huge display of her books that have been re-released. I am going to take your advice and start with Footsteps in the Dark, as it's your favorite!!

    I also owe you an e-mail with some questions about Al-Rassan, so I will try to get that to you soon!!

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  5. I haven't read any Heyer, but I did just pick up one of her mysteries this past weekend after hearing so much good stuff about her from fellow bookbloggers. I might have preferred to read one of her romances, since that seems to be what others read most of, but this is what was available, and I figured it was better than nothing. Glad to hear she's a strong mystery writer; it sounds like she writes the kind of mysteries I most enjoy.

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  6. I've never read a Heyer mystery, but then I've read very few Heyer books at all. Most of what I've heard says they aren't as good, and since the romances are already pretty fluffy, I just haven't thought to pick up a mystery. But maybe I will. I like between-the-wars stuff too. :)

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  7. How funny, I just started this one! I like it very much so far, the characters are Heyer classics.

    How was vacation? Good luck moving!

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  8. Great review!!! The one Heyer mystery I read was Behold, Here's Poison and I really enjoyed it! She is the one author who can make me laugh out loud...I just love her!

    Adding this to my wishlist, thanks for the review!

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  9. I think it is funny that the inspector is the one who isn't developed and yet you get him over and over again.

    I've never read this author but so many book bloggers seem to love her so I think I'll have to give her a try one day!

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  10. Kristen- I read your review! I like Hannasyde, too- he's a nice guy. Hemingway, too :-)

    Katherine- Footsteps in the Dark is by far my favorite! Hilarious.

    Blodeuedd- She'll still be around for you when you're ready.

    Zibilee- I remember us talking about the book you read and I think it was a bad representation, so definitely try again! And looking forward to your email.

    Steph- I like her mysteries, and I think they have a very different style (except for still having lots of wittiness), so you may like them.

    Jenny- I actually don't think the mysteries are as fluffy as her romances- they're darker, but aren't particularly inventive.

    Sudha- Yes, they are fun characters! And I tagged you in the picture I told you about.

    Amy- Yes, she IS very funny and sharp in her humor. I love it!

    Jenners- Yes, it's rather odd, isn't it? Maybe she was just taking a different tack...

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  11. It sounds like a nice rainy day book. And I do like a bit of 'was it the butler?' nonsense from a knowing author.

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  12. "I am not a person who reads mystery novels for the whodunnit. That's why I prefer those set in the period between the wars, maybe- I love the tension between the classes, the clash of tradition vs. modernity, and all the rest. "

    Yes, exactly! I really have to read Heyer one of these days. And you more Sayers ;)

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  13. Sounds like a great read. You gotta love that vintage cover!

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  14. I need to get back to reading some Heyer. I have The Grand Sophy on my Kindle but haven't gotten to it yet. Then maybe I will move on to some of these mysteries

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  15. I've really got to read one or two of Heyer's mysteries. From your reviews, she sounds quite a bit like Agatha Christie, who I love. Christie's sleuths never really evolve either, but her book-specific characters are often interesting enough to make up for it. I am fond of the guess-along aspect, though, so I wonder if that might trip me up with Heyer.

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  16. I'm biased, I've loved Georgette Heyer for decades. Probably Timothy comes off differently nowadays - kids weren't always so exposed to everything that went on they way they are today.

    Those Stephen Benatar books sound so interesting, especially The Man on the Bridge but annoyingly, my library doesn't carry ANY of his books. Pfft.

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  17. I haven't given Heyer a try yet. My friend in school was reading one of her books and called it GORGEOUSS, making me want to give them a try since forever. But I still don't know which one to start with! Great review, btw. Just discovered your blog and I love it :-)

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