A Zebra Mystery Puzzler #33 - Who's Next?

This thirty-third entry into the Zebra Mystery Puzzler series is the second book authored by Joan Allan, whose true identity remains a secret (although there is a clear connection with author Martin A. Grove, who wrote a number of books in this series under the pseudonym "Marjorie Grove").  While the first book by Allan, Who Killed Me?, has a dedication to "Marjorie, Martin and Geoffrey Eric Grove," this book has a dedication to Marjorie and Geoffrey - with Martin noticeably missing!  Once again, this begs the question as to whether "Joan Allan" is just another pseudonym for Grove himself.  In any event, this book sees the return of advertising executive Valerie Lambert, who must play amateur sleuth once again when faced with an ever-growing pile of dead bodies!

 

Who's Next? takes Valerie and her assistant, Oscar Fryman (known simply as "Fry"), to Paris, France, where they are to meet with the owner of her agency's latest client, Abbe-Roi, a vineyard famous for its champagne that is hoping to break into the American market.  Joining Val and Fry for the trip is wine expert Franklin Hertford, an Englishman who has agreed to offer his expertise to assist Val in coming up with a campaign for Abbe-Roi.  While there for the weekend, the trio are staying with their host at a rather lavish - and, coincidentally, very isolated - chateau that once belonged to the original owner of the land - Pierre Alexandre Saulnier, who was brutally murdered on the property and who is said to still haunt the halls of the somewhat worn down homestead.  No one believes in ghosts, of course, but for Val, it does set the mood for what is about to be a terrifying weekend!

 

Allan eases readers into the story, with 60 pages of build-up as Val and Fry first meet Hertford, and the three travel more than a couple of hours by limousine to the chateau.  They are welcomed and introduced to their hosts, Henri-Robert Verlaine and his wife, Claudine.  At the lavish wine-tasting being held down in the wine cellar, Val and Fry also meet the other guests for the weekend:  Michael Rochambeau, the vineyard's chef de caves; Edouard Cherbourg, the vineyard's advertising director; Nicole Courteline, who is Edouard's secretary; Roger Saint-Benoit, head of sales for the vineyard; and Alexandre Saulnier-Carpeaux, descendant of the original owner of the chateau.  Of course, there is also Gerard (the butler), Caroline (the maid), and Alain (the cook).  With the cast fully introduced, Allan wastes no time at that point getting to the murder we've all been waiting to happen.

 

Rochambeau is the first to be killed, before the wine tasting can even get off to a good start.  With everyone there in the room, it's next to impossible to figure out who the killer is.  Then Cherbourg's secretary is killed rather gruesomely, with a mess left behind (hint: this is the scene from the cover of the book).  After that, Saint-Benoit literally has his brains beaten out of his skull, making him victim number three.  Before the night is even over, Hertford is nearly killed, saved only by the fortunate turn of his head at the most opportune moment!  One of the survivors of the group disappears, leaving everyone else to wonder if perhaps this points to the guilt of that person - but that suspicion comes into question when two more dead bodies turn up, bashed in their heads by a heavy tree branch (with a rather horrific image of those bodies depicted in one of the internal illustrations, page 171!).  With everyone being picked off so quickly, over the span of one evening, it leaves Val and Fry wondering - who's next?  (Hence, the book title!  In fact, the author asks this question three times in the story:  pages 82, 108, and 143.)

 

I was actually rather surprised by the rather explicit descriptions of the bloody deaths.  "Roger Saint-Benoit's skull had been cracked open ... The sight of his brains splattered among the bedclothes was sickening..." (p. 103).  The last two victims "had been bludgeoned to death ... and now lay in a shallow pool of blood that trickled directly across the narrow trail" (p. 165).  This is a murder mystery, so I would certainly expect some description of the crime scene; but I believe this is the most horrific descriptions I have seen to date in any book in this series.  And the illustration on page 171, with those last two victims - definitely not for the faint of heart!

 

Speaking of illustrations,  Sanford Hoffman once again provides the internal illustrations, and interestingly enough, three of the six internals are horizontal, rather than vertical.  Normally, we might see one or two in this way, but to see half of them depicted in this form is a bit unusual.  What is not unusual is the framing around the illustrations, since that seems to be a standard for Hoffman in this series, which, to be honest, I rather like.  Especially when he has part of the illustration extend beyond that frame (as he does with that gruesome scene on page 171).  The clues in the illustrations are not obvious at all, except maybe for the one on page 151, which becomes extremely clear once you know the identity of the killer.

 

There was a part of me, as I was reading the story, that was hoping this would all turn out to be some elaborate hoax, such as the film April Fool's Day (1986), and in the end, it would turn out no one was dead, but it was all staged just to test the analytical and detecting skills of the guests.  But, alas, it was not.  Instead,we got a replay of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, in which ten individuals at a secluded estate suddenly find themselves being picked off one by one (with the only obvious difference being not everyone dies in this tale!).

 

There are a few things worth pointing out about this book.  Published in October 1979, I was surprised to see a reference to Star Wars (p. 14).  Yes, the movie had been out for two years at this point, but normally I would not expect a pop cultural reference like this to appear so soon.  The author also throws in a number of real newspaper columnists, such as Dorothy Kilgallen and Louis Sobel from the New York Journal-American; Frank Farrell from the World Telegram; Earl Wilson and Leonard Lyons from the New York Post; and Walter Winchell from the New York Daily Mirror (p. 44).  These came up as Val revealed her original dream of becoming a columnist, before changing direction and working in advertising.

 

9 shattered bottles of champagne out of 10 for piling up the bodies, subtly laying out the clues, and providing readers with a creative climax to the story! 

A Rather Charming Invitation - third in a series of "Rather" mysteries

I did not even realize it had been nearly eight months since I read the previous book in this series, so it was definitely time to delve back into the world of Penny Nichols and her ever-so-charming fiance, Jeremy Laidley. I absolutely love these characters - not just because the title character shares the name of a vintage sleuth written by Mildred Wirt Benson (under the pseudonym Joan Clark), but also because Penny and Jeremy truly come alive on the page.  Their banter, their reactions, their choices - they are all filled with every normal human trait that we experience in real life - humor, fear, tenderness, anger, love, and pretty much every other emotion.  Author C.A. Belmont truly draws you into their lives and adventures, making each of these books a true page-turner that you literally cannot put down until you finish!

 

A Rather Charming Invitation takes readers on a wild ride leading up to Penny and Jeremy's wedding day.  (Which is rather amusing, since the most recent Posie Parker mystery I read also involved the main couple facing adventure and mystery leading up to their wedding day!)  It all starts with the surprise visit from a French cousin that Penny never knew she had.  It seems there is a whole side to her father's family of whom she had been unaware - until now.  With the arrival of Honorine, Penny's world widens all that much larger, as she comes to meet her very prim and proper aunt Leonora, her somewhat more relaxed uncle Phillipe, and her all-business cousin, David.  Much to her dismay, she quickly learns that her aunt expects her to have her wedding to Jeremy at their chateau - and Leonora even "allows" Penny to use a rather elaborate bridal tapestry for the backdrop of her wedding.  But who said she even wanted it?  Well, the more Penny studies the antique tapestry, the more she realizes there is more to it than anyone realizes.  The intricate designs, the exquisite details, and the beautiful images all form a rather unique message ... and more than that, they hide a map to a long-lost dowry that could change all of their lives!

 

Belmond takes Penny and Jeremy all over Europe in this adventure, as they travel from London to Mougins to Antibes to Paris to Grasse to Lake Geneva to Monte Carlo - so many cities, so many clues to follow up on, so much adventure, so much danger - so much fun!  Despite the trouble between the families (Jeremy's English relatives want the wedding in London their way, Penny's French relatives want the wedding in France their way, and Jeremy thinks they should just elope and avoid it all!), Penny and Jeremy manage to keep up the usual banter that will make the reader smile.  And while the mystery surrounding the tapestry and all the danger that comes with it once the tapestry is stolen and Penny learns the true message it holds, Belmond never lets the readers forget that Penny and Jeremy have a wedding to plan.  The question is - will they ever actually find time to sit down and plan it?  For that matter, does Penny even really want a wedding?

 

I enjoyed the fact that Belmond did not make it obvious from the get-go just what was so important about the tapestry.  It was obvious there was going to be some sort of secret it held, particularly once it is stolen.  For Penny's relatives, it is the historical significance and its potential high value if it were to be sold that made them so determined to get it back.  For Penny, it was simply her natural curiosity about the man who wove the tapestry and the history surrounding its creation.  But for someone, the tapestry held the clue that could lead them to a long-lost treasure that could be worth more than anything else in the world.

 

It is fun to see some of the previously introduced supporting cast make their appearances - even cousin Rollo seems to have turned over a new leaf - well, a little bit, at least.  Penny's parents are always a hoot, and Jeremy's mother and her beau (a clockmaker named Guy) are quirky in their own ways.  Even Penny's former co-workers, Erik and Tim, put in an appearance to help with the wedding plans.  But it is the introduction of Penny's French relatives and Jeremy's stern and controlling grandmother who really take center-stage in this book, and they help Penny grow as a character as she must find ways to not only satisfy both sides of the family, but to also stand up to them and not allow them to take control of a day that is meant to be hers and Jeremy's.  I think every reader will be thrilled with the final wedding adventure - oh, and believe me, it is an adventure!  It's the kind of wedding that middle-class people like us could only dream about, but the multi-million dollar American heiress who is living in London can afford to get married in style, and boy, does she!

 

The one new character that really packs a punch in this story is Parker Drake - an obscenely wealthy collector who is so crazy rich that his parties are the ones anyone who is anyone are dying to get invited to - and only so few are chosen!  Well, as fate would have it, Penny and Jeremy just have to get into one of his parties to follow up on a clue regarding the missing tapestry.  Needless to say, they manage to worm their way into some tickets, and they sneak onto the Drake property and manage to connive their way into a yacht party for some deadly snooping and tricks that nearly cost them their lives!

 

At more than 400 pages, this mystery is quite lengthy; yet, it is so engaging from the very first page, that it won't take long for you to work your way through it (I finished it in two days, I just could not put it down!).  The only sad thing about the book is the fact that this is the next to the last book in the series.  Book four concludes the adventures of Penny Nichols and Jeremy Laidley, and I do not look forward to seeing their sleuthing tales come to an end!

 

RATING:  10 gold Lunaire coins out of 10 for keeping the romance, mystery, adventure, suspense, and danger all so equally balanced as to make for superb reading! 

Agatha, Girl of Mystery #5 - The Eiffel Tower Incident

Well, I didn't wait quite as long between reading the installments of Agatha, Girl of Mystery this time (last time, there was a year gap between books!).  This time, I managed to only let five months pass before picking up the next book in the series.  I cannot say enough just how much FUN this series is!  Yes, it is aimed at young readers, and yes, each book is relatively short (only 120 or so pages, with large font and plenty of illustrations); but the stories and characters are unique and whimsical, and the mysteries are so wonderfully plotted, with clues to their solution placed right there for the reader to pick up on, you can't help but enjoy yourself reading them!  I am thankful that Grosset & Dunlap picked up the series and translated it from its original Italian into the English language for us to read.

 

The Eiffel Tower Incident takes Agatha and her crime-solving cohorts into new territory - solving a murder! Agatha and her cousin, Dash, are off to Paris to visit with Dash's older brother, Gaston, who is a painter - and, of course, Chandler (the butler) and Watson (the cat) are along for the ride.  Dash gets delayed, though, due to one of his detective classes, and he inadvertently causes a severe injury to his teacher who is headed to Paris as well to solve the mystery of a murdered Russian diplomat - so with no other choice, he sends Dash in his place.  Poor Dash doesn't know what to do, so he immediately seeks Agatha's help, and she is more the ready to step in and save the day.

 

Author Sir Steve Stevenson does create  rather crafty little mystery here.  Boris Renko, a 60-year old Russian diplomat was having dinner at the famous Jules Verne restaurant, located more than 400 feet above the ground on the second level of the Eiffel Tower (which, as it turns out, is an actual restaurant located exactly where the book says), when he suddenly choked and fell to the floor in a faint.  By the time he reached the hospital, he was pronounced dead.  The police discovered traces of poison in his wine and arrested the sommelier (otherwise known as a wine steward) who had been serving him.  But Agatha finds this too convenient and sets about solving the crime and uncovering the identity of the real killer.  But the only clue she has is the phrase, "red rose," which were the dying man's last words.  This leads them to three possible suspects.

 

Gerard Clouseau is a boxer with a red rose tattooed on his neck.  He had a sour confrontation with the diplomat in the elevator riding up to the restaurant the night of the murder.  John Radcliffe was a brilliant New York attorney having dinner with his girlfriend that night; but when he proposed, she left in tears, leaving behind the engagement ring and the red rose he had given her.  Madame Roxanne Pigafette is a  food critic whose brother owns a restaurant in competition with Le Jules Verne.  Any one of the three had a motive, yet, Agatha has to figure out which of them had the means and opportunity.  As it turns out, the real killer set up an entire faux scenario, and as revealed through the interviews with the suspects, stumbled out of the restaurant just before the diplomat was poisoned - knocking into some patrons, as well as a waiter, and stopping for a moment at the bar where the wine glasses were waiting for the steward to deliver.  With the means and opportunity cleared up, Agatha, Dash, Chandler, and Watson (that cat goes everywhere!) had across the street from the Russian embassy in Paris to confront the killer!

 

Readers are treated to an exciting roof-top chase, as well as an unexpected rescue from the most unlikely source.  And, once again, the case is wrapped up nicely, the criminal is brought to justice, and Dash is pulled out of the frying pan and not kicked out of school - all thinks to the quick-thinking and analytical skills of Agatha, Girl of Mystery! 

 

Artist Stefano Turconi provides plenty of illustrations throughout the book, and his stylized art provides readers with a fun romp through the streets of Paris and the Eiffel Tower at twilight (with a gorgeous two-page spread in the middle of the book).  Turconi captures the character descriptions provided by Stevenson so nicely, and while they are a bit cartoony in nature, it fits the feel of the book. I would so love to see this done as an animated series, with Turconi's art as the basis and style for the animation!

 

From Egypt to Bengal, from Scotland to Niagara Falls ... Agatha Mistery travels the world to solve what appear to be impossible crimes!  Sure, the stories are short, easy reads (an hour at most to read one book), but they are well worth it for the entertainment value alone!

 

RATING:  9 bottles of cockroach poison out of 10 for giving young readers a chance to enjoy a carefully crafted murder mystery that even they can solve! 

A Rather Curious Engagement - second in a series of "Rather" mysteries

It has been a year since I read the first "Penny Nichols" mystery, written by C.A. Belmont.  I still can't get over the name of the title character - I cannot believe it is merely a coincidence that her name mirrors that of Mildred Wirt Benson's character from her series of children's mysteries published back in the late 1930s, especially since the title character's mother wrote a series of book about "Penny Nichols, Girl Detective" (named after her daughter), and Penny's mother's name happens to be Nancy (after an even more famous girl detective, perhaps?).  I tried reaching out to the author via her website to inquire as to the names, but I never got a response, unfortunately.  Perhaps now that I have read the second book in her series, I'll try again and see if I have any better luck this time (you know the old saying: if at first you don't succeed....)

 

A Rather Curious Engagement picks up not too long after the last book.   Author C.A. Belmond drops us into a rather ritzy auction, where Penny and her step-cousin / boyfriend, Jeremy Laidley, are waiting to bid on an item - THE item - that Jeremy was willing to splurge on and sink a large chunk of their combined inheritance to win.  But rather than reveal that right away, Belmond instead turns back the clock to that exact moment when the last book ended - and Penny walked into Jeremy's apartment, only to be met with a rather snooty woman who believed she was the one and only Mrs. Laidley.  Fortunately, Penny was already aware of the former Mrs. Laidley, now the ex-Mrs. Laidley, and so she set about to show this woman that she would not be intimidated.  And thus begins a subplot that manages to maneuver its way through the entire book, pitting the current love of Jeremy's life against his former love - and poor Jeremy is stuck in the middle!

 

But this is not a romance novel!  Or, well, at least, the romance side of things is not the main story.  No, the main story is supposed to be a mystery, and I had to bide my time until I was nearly 200 pages into the story before I finally reached the point of the mystery - the ever elusive and more-than-likely mythical Beethoven Lion.  It seems that the gorgeous yacht that Jeremy and Penny won at the auction (yes, that was Jeremy's dream - to own a yacht) comes with a backstory.  The previous owner was a collector, and one of his most precious items was an aquamanile known as the "Beethoven Lion" (because the sculptor crafted the bronze lion to look like the great composer!).  The lion seems to have a sordid history, changing hands from one family to another, back and forth, and Count von Norbert, the previous yacht owner, had finally got his hands on it - but upon returning home in a horrific storm, the Count's health not only deteriorated under unexplainable circumstances, but the lion also disappeared.  Now, it is up to Penny to put her research skills to use and see if she and Jeremy can locate the missing lion!

 

 The story takes our sleuthing couple from England to France  to Italy and some little islands along the way - from the apartment house of Penny's aunt to the villa Jeremy inherited to a foreboding castle to a small grave to the stormy seas - Penny finds herself following up one clue after another, digging into the history of not only the Beethoven Lion itself, but also its creator's family and the sad love story that goes with it.  Belmond takes readers on a ride, because just like with Penny, the reader is constantly changing direction as to who might be the one currently in possession of the lion.  As we learn more about the family history of the lion's sculptor, the more complicated the story becomes.  Plus, there's a seer who gives out dire warnings, a blind woman who can sense the truth, a photographer who wants nothing more to do with the lion after accidentally photographing it, and a dangerous antique dealer whose connections are less then reputable.  And on top of all of that, there is plenty of fun and moments of humor along the way to keep the story from becoming too dark.

 

Oh, and did I mention that the Beethoven Lion holds another secret within its empty shell?  A secret that is literally worth millions and could very well be the reason why so many are after the famed sculpture...

 

I mostly enjoyed this story, as I did the first book; however, I was a bit annoyed that a couple of plot threads were never resolved.  The first is the Count's strange illness.  His family reveals that the Count went away to buy back the lion, but when he returned, he was ill and was no longer his former self (which is why the family sold the yacht).  There was never any explanation as to what the illness really was, how he contracted this unnamed illness, and why it affected him the way it did.  The second is the shooting that takes place in Calvi, on the island of Corsica.  As Penny and Jeremy are heading back to the yacht after meeting with the family who once kept the lion, someone takes several shots at them, forcing them to run through the thickets to get down to the docks.  They never really follow up on this, and it is never revealed who took those shots (while Penny's other cousin, Rollo, suggests it was someone hired by the antique dealer, that is never actually confirmed).  It is almost as if these elements were put into the story to strengthen the mystery elements, but without any explanation for them.  Oh, well, I suppose there is plenty that happens in the real world that goes without explanation, so why not in fiction, too?

 

The book ends with a phone call that Penny is about to answer - but before she does, she breaks the fourth wall and tells the reader, "But that, I'm afraid, is entirely another tale."  Which, one can assume, is the perfect lead in for the next book.

 

RATING:  8 small Chinese sailor clocks out of 10 for a good European mystery that takes the reader from country to country, while also moving the story of Penny and Jeremy's personal life forward, as well! 

A Rather Lovely Inheritance - first in a series of "Rather" mysteries

I came across this series because I was actually looking for a completely different series - but it just so happens that the title character in both series share the same name - Penny Nichols!  For those who don't know, Penny Nichols was a four-book series published by Goldsmith back in the 1930s, written by Mildred Wirt (Benson) under the pseudonym of Joan Clark. It featured a spunky teen detective and her private investigator father who solved mysteries, much in the vein of Nancy Drew (who first appeared at the beginning of that decade).  It apparently did not have the sales to warrant an ongoing series, and after only four books, the series ceased publication.  I have had those four books for quite a while, have read and enjoyed them all, and have never really given much thought to the actual name of the title character (i.e., the fact that her name is actually two coins - "penny" and "nickel").  Now, flash forward to this year, and while strolling through Amazon, I happened across a series of mysteries by author C.A. Belmond whose title character is named ... you guessed it ... Penny Nichols!  Not too long ago, I read a graphic novel with the same-named character (Penny Nichols), and now I found this relatively new series of novels with Penny Nichols.  So, I have to ask - why is this name suddenly becoming popular again?

A Rather Lovely Inheritance is written by an author who has experience with making documentaries, and thus, her protagonist's position as a historical researcher on documentaries of women of the past could possibly  have been drawn upon Belmond's own experiences in the film industry.  Even if that is not the case, Penny Nichols' work plays a large part of the story, and it also adds some humorous elements to an otherwise very dramatic tale.  Penny's father is the son of a war hero who married a French woman.  Penny's mother, Nancy, is from England, but she has lived in the States since she was eighteen and married Georges Nichols after she moved to New York to pursue a career in art.  Penny is named after her Great-Aunt Penelope, and it is a name she hates - after all, who names their child Penny Nichols (say it out loud and you'll understand)?  But, she's stuck with it, so she makes the best of it.

This first entry into the series of "Rather" mysteries centers around the death of Great-Aunt Penelope and her will.  It seems Penelope was very specific about her bequests and who they should go to.  Her spend-thrift nephew Rollo inherited the bank assets, while Penny's parents received Penelope's London apartment and all of its furnishings.  This seemed to cause no problems (even after learning that Penny's parents did not want the apartment and had already informed the lawyers to transfer everything into Penny's name).  However, when it came to the will governing Penelope's assets in France - well, that's another story.  Penny's cousin Jeremy inherited Penelope's villa, while Rollo inherited the contents of the villa.  Penny, on the other hand, inherited the garage attached to the villa and all the contents.  Which really did not make much sense, as Penny could not imagine anything in a garage that would be of any importance to her.  Rollo and his mother grew outraged and threatened to contest the French will, and Jeremy (who Penny had been friends with since their childhood) assured Penny they would not present any real problem.

Boy, was Jeremy wrong!

Surprisingly, the mystery here was not a murder mystery that I expected.  Instead the mystery centers around the French inheritance, a stolen photograph from the London apartment, a rare 1936 Dragonetta (which does not appear to be a real car, but one simply made up for the story - at least, from what I could find online), a missing painting, and a dark family secret that could change everything.  There's also a break-in at the London apartment, during which Penny gets nabbed and thrust into the bathroom while the thief makes his escape - a break-in that leaves Penny questioning who she can trust and whether anyone really is who they say they are!  But, just like her 1930s namesake, Penny is determined and unwilling to back down, so she sets about to uncover the truth about her great-aunt's past, her childhood friend's real family heritage, and the importance of the contents of the garage she was willed.  And by the end of the book, Penny is in for a number of surprises, all of which will definitely change her life!

The story is a very enjoyable read, and the characters extremely likable.  The cast and crew of the documentary on which Penny is working in England when she receives the call about her great-aunt's passing are all just a bit over-the-top - but not so much as to make any of them unbelievable.  Rather, they are just zany enough to give the story some humorous elements and remind the reader that not everything the world is all doom and gloom.  Erik, the set designer, and Timothy, the prop-master, are probably my two favorites of the group.  Their reaction to Penny's inheritance (and Erik's reaction to Jeremy!) are hilarious.  

 

Now, one last thing I have to wonder about the use of the name Penny Nichols...  I purchased the book because of the name being the same as that of Mildred Wirt's sleuth in the 1930s.  What I did not expect to find was the following passage in this book:

Actually, the name may strike you as familiar, if you were the kind of kid who liked to read children's detective stories.  Because not only did my parents give me this ridiculous name, they also took it into their heads to invent Penny Nichols, Girl Detective - a picture-book character supposedly based on me.

 

She was a spunky little sleuth who went around snooping for her friends and neighbors, solving scientific puzzles and natural phenomena as if they were murder mysteries and crimes and kidnappings, by using deduction and logic, certainly, but also memory and intuition and instinct.  She carried around a magnifying glass, and she had cooper-colored hair like mine, which she wore in pigtails.  (p. 10)

Reading this, one might wonder if perhaps Belmond actually did utilize the name "Penny Nichols" as a way to pay homage to that original 1930s crime-solving teen.  That, and the fact that in this series, Penny's mother is named "Nancy" - and it's pretty common knowledge at this point that Mildred Wirt (Benson) was the original ghostwriter who breathed life into Nancy Drew, the ultimate girl sleuth.  Sure, it could all be a coincidence, but is it really...?

I would say this book is a must-read for mystery fans, as it is a wonderful break from all the murder mysteries on the market, it introduces a wonderful new female sleuth, it is well-written, and it is truly engaging.

RATING:  10 long-forgotten unmailed letters out of 10 for giving an old-fashioned mystery name a new lease on life!