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MacDougal Duff Mystery #2
The Case of the Weird Sisters
Alice Brennan is going to marry a millionaire. She has caught the eye of her boss, Innes Whitlock, but before they can tie the knot she must meet his sisters: three women who are so awful that no amount of money is worth enduring their company. One is blind, one is deaf, one is missing an arm, and they all want their brother dead. The accidents begin as soon as Alice and Innes arrive at the sisters’ creaky old Michigan country house. A lamp falls from the ceiling, narrowly missing Innes’s head. When he goes for a drive, a detour sign disappears, sending him off the road and nearly killing him. Before the sisters can finish the job, Alice contacts her old history professor, MacDougal Duff, who makes his living solving murders. He is the only one who can save Alice’s millionaire from his murderous family.
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First published January 1, 1943
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About the author
Charlotte Armstrong
173 books73 followersFull name Charlotte Armstrong Lewi. Wrote 29 novels, plus short stories and plays under the name Charlotte Armstrong and Jo Valentine. Additional writing jobs: New York Times (advertising department), Breath of the Avenue (fashion reporter).
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
October 9, 2015
I read my first Armstrong novel at about age 13. It was The Chocolate Cobweb and I found it a rattling good yarn. The local library had a few other Armstrongs which I read, but I had no idea until joining Goodreads that she was quite so prolific.
To any reader starting Armstrong's corpus with this volume, I will say--don't give up. She has done better work. The cover calls this book "pleasantly creepy" but I have to say that to the 50+ reader I am now, it had the stale smell of the old Peyton Place-type soap operas. A secretary decides to marry her millionaire (of course) boss for his money--and to show the guy who broke up with her that she doesn't care. En route to what is tacitly presented as a naughty weekend at the rich man's "camp" (ie country home), the car breaks down and they take refuge with his weird sisters who live nearby. And mayhem ensues.
This is Armstrong's third novel, which may explain some of the oddnesses. How can a person eat beef with no ill effects--but veal (a young cow, also biologically "beef") makes him sick enough to take to his bed for days? The narration is choppy--one minute they're wondering whether to accept that fateful dinner invitation, and the next they're debating whether he's well enough to leave. What? At first I thought a page must be missing! With such a bumpy beginning, I had my doubts. The development is convoluted to say the very least. I stayed up late to finish it, but it didn't keep me awake.
To any reader starting Armstrong's corpus with this volume, I will say--don't give up. She has done better work. The cover calls this book "pleasantly creepy" but I have to say that to the 50+ reader I am now, it had the stale smell of the old Peyton Place-type soap operas. A secretary decides to marry her millionaire (of course) boss for his money--and to show the guy who broke up with her that she doesn't care. En route to what is tacitly presented as a naughty weekend at the rich man's "camp" (ie country home), the car breaks down and they take refuge with his weird sisters who live nearby. And mayhem ensues.
This is Armstrong's third novel, which may explain some of the oddnesses. How can a person eat beef with no ill effects--but veal (a young cow, also biologically "beef") makes him sick enough to take to his bed for days? The narration is choppy--one minute they're wondering whether to accept that fateful dinner invitation, and the next they're debating whether he's well enough to leave. What? At first I thought a page must be missing! With such a bumpy beginning, I had my doubts. The development is convoluted to say the very least. I stayed up late to finish it, but it didn't keep me awake.
June 23, 2008
A rich man visits his childhood home and introduces his new fiancee. Almost immediately, someone tries to kill him. He suspects it is one of his sisters, but which one? They all have a motive, but who is capable of the crime? One sister is blind, one is deaf, and one has only one arm. The suspense escalates and comes to a violent conclusion.
This is not the best of Armstrong's books (I like A Dram of Poison best), but it is good. The characters are all well done, and lots of creepy suspects. A fun thriller that kept me up until I could see whodunnit.
This is not the best of Armstrong's books (I like A Dram of Poison best), but it is good. The characters are all well done, and lots of creepy suspects. A fun thriller that kept me up until I could see whodunnit.
November 20, 2023
Kind of a low three, but I did keep reading, and I did want to know what happened. I liked it better than the first book, but it has much the same issues.
My main concern is it doesn't feel like Charlotte Armstrong is writing about real people. She's writing about characters. No one, not one of them, for an instant, every leaps off the page and seems authentic. She's devised a highly artificial situation: three sisters, each with their own disability, but (in two cases) acquired accidentally. You can almost picture her looking at an image of the three monkeys (see no evil, etc) and having it spark this idea.
The protagonist is about as likeable and interesting as the cake of soap next to my kitchen sink. No one behaves in a manner consist with human behaviour, and the proferred solutions suggest even less plausible behaviour (for instance, trying to kill someone by pushing a lamp over a balcony based on hearing footsteps and hoping they're in the right place at the right time, sigh).
In some one else's hands this may have been a fun and engaging concept, but it barely eked out 3 stars for me, and only because I finished it. Oh, and it was too long, with too many conversations.
I really enjoyed her A Dram of Poison which comes later in her career, so therefore I'll keep slogging away in chronological order, regretting it, until soon enough she will have had enough practice to turn out the kind of book I love.
(Note: I'm a writer, so I suffer when I offer fewer than five stars. But these aren't ratings of quality, they're a subjective account of how much I liked the book: 5* = an unalloyed pleasure from start to finish, 4* = really enjoyed it, 3* = readable but not thrilling, 2* = disappointing, and 1* = hated it.)
My main concern is it doesn't feel like Charlotte Armstrong is writing about real people. She's writing about characters. No one, not one of them, for an instant, every leaps off the page and seems authentic. She's devised a highly artificial situation: three sisters, each with their own disability, but (in two cases) acquired accidentally. You can almost picture her looking at an image of the three monkeys (see no evil, etc) and having it spark this idea.
The protagonist is about as likeable and interesting as the cake of soap next to my kitchen sink. No one behaves in a manner consist with human behaviour, and the proferred solutions suggest even less plausible behaviour (for instance, trying to kill someone by pushing a lamp over a balcony based on hearing footsteps and hoping they're in the right place at the right time, sigh).
In some one else's hands this may have been a fun and engaging concept, but it barely eked out 3 stars for me, and only because I finished it. Oh, and it was too long, with too many conversations.
I really enjoyed her A Dram of Poison which comes later in her career, so therefore I'll keep slogging away in chronological order, regretting it, until soon enough she will have had enough practice to turn out the kind of book I love.
(Note: I'm a writer, so I suffer when I offer fewer than five stars. But these aren't ratings of quality, they're a subjective account of how much I liked the book: 5* = an unalloyed pleasure from start to finish, 4* = really enjoyed it, 3* = readable but not thrilling, 2* = disappointing, and 1* = hated it.)
June 21, 2025
Very tense writing, particularly at the climax, but I was disappointed that they didn’t obscure the culprit more. If there’re 3 suspects, it was impossible for one to do murder attempt 1, it was impossible for another to do murder attempt 2, and we can more or less assume the suspects aren’t working with another, then you’d assume the final one, so why didn’t they work from there?
Also the parts with the Native American character didn’t age well and are kinda pointless. I guess a red herring sake, but pretty weak.
Also the parts with the Native American character didn’t age well and are kinda pointless. I guess a red herring sake, but pretty weak.
July 9, 2023
This was a re-read, but I definitely didn't remember the plot. And it's no wonder, since it's a page turner without really having much of substance to latch on to.
While there's some interesting character work, there's a lot of ableism in here; each disabled character is made to look utterly grotesque. That might be in furtherance of the plot and atmosphere, but it's unpleasant. I can't recommend this read.
While there's some interesting character work, there's a lot of ableism in here; each disabled character is made to look utterly grotesque. That might be in furtherance of the plot and atmosphere, but it's unpleasant. I can't recommend this read.
March 27, 2021
The second of the Mac Duff detective story, also a Edgar Allen Poe winner. I found it amusing that the gold digger, admitted her plan to marry for money honestly. I was kept guessing throughout the novel as to the identity of the perpetrator.
August 3, 2022
Kept me guessing
Armstrong’s style, like Christie’s, mixes and changes possible villains. The end is a thrilling logical puzzle, solved by Duff, with the help of a secretary and a chauffeur.
Armstrong’s style, like Christie’s, mixes and changes possible villains. The end is a thrilling logical puzzle, solved by Duff, with the help of a secretary and a chauffeur.
April 1, 2025
Three creepy sisters, all with odd disabilities, live in the family homestead. When their brother shows up with his fiancee, a plot is concocted to murder him for his money. There's a new target when he writes a new will. Which one of the sisters is behind it?
July 5, 2019
Meh. Not my favorite Charlotte Armstrong.
August 14, 2019
A quick quirky read that reminded my of an Edward Gorey drawing - fascinating but flat.
January 3, 2022
Very vivid characters and some interesting twists.
April 9, 2022
Supremely creepy and atmospheric
May 13, 2022
Weird is right
A clever and yes weird little mystery. Duff is an awesome detective and the motive is as old as time.
A clever and yes weird little mystery. Duff is an awesome detective and the motive is as old as time.
July 12, 2023
Weird sisters
Weird sisters are really creepy. Good mystery though, and I like Alice and Fred as the romantic interest and normal characters. Duff the detective is very cool.
Weird sisters are really creepy. Good mystery though, and I like Alice and Fred as the romantic interest and normal characters. Duff the detective is very cool.
March 20, 2013
The past is a foreign country…sometimes best not visited
On the rebound, Alice agrees to marry her rich boss, Innes, reckoning that if she can’t have love she might as well be rich. But a car breakdown means that Alice and Innes have to spend some time with his three older half-sisters and it’s soon clear that someone in the house would like to inherit Innes’ money before he marries. And it’s up to amateur detective MacDougall Duff to work out who the aspiring murderer is before she succeeds.
This book was first published in 1943 and I’m afraid it shows. While some books (Wodehouse, for instance, or Agatha Christie) have a timeless quality to them, and others can be forgiven a lot of outdated attitudes for the quality of the writing and story-telling (Rider Haggard springs to mind, or John Buchan), this one falls into neither of these categories. A fairly average mystery story with some extremely unpleasant racism and lots of disparaging jokes and comments about disability, this book made me feel quite queasy in places. I tried hard to make allowances for the time of writing, but to suggest not only that Native Americans smell and are stupid, but that any woman who has a sexual relationship with a Native American puts herself beyond the pale of civilised society and acquires the same unpleasant smell, takes racism beyond acceptable in any period surely?
Which begs the question – should some books be allowed to quietly fade away rather than being republished into a time with very different attitudes? In general, I’d be reluctant to say so, but if a book has no particular literary or other merit, what’s the point of reviving it when there are so many new books out there looking for readers? One of the things that bothered me most about this book, though, is that of the few reviews it has garnered on Goodreads and Amazon since it was republished, only one other reviewer seems to have commented on the overtly racist aspects of it. Perhaps I’m particularly politically correct and overly sensitive. Or perhaps other people are better able to make allowances for the time of writing. Or perhaps casual racism is still considered OK.
I digress. The book is a reasonably well written mystery with a rather overly complicated solution. The three sisters are ‘weird’ – i.e. each has a disability, one blind, one deaf and one with an artificial arm. These disabilities are the subject of much speculation with regard to each sister’s ability or otherwise to have committed the various murder attempts. Each of the characters seems a little clichéd and Alice, our gold-digging heroine, comes over as very unlikeable in the early parts of the book although she improves somewhat as the book progresses. A fairly average book made unenjoyable by the outdated attitudes of both author and characters. I understand several of Armstrong’s books have been re-published, but I certainly won’t be reading any more of them.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher.
On the rebound, Alice agrees to marry her rich boss, Innes, reckoning that if she can’t have love she might as well be rich. But a car breakdown means that Alice and Innes have to spend some time with his three older half-sisters and it’s soon clear that someone in the house would like to inherit Innes’ money before he marries. And it’s up to amateur detective MacDougall Duff to work out who the aspiring murderer is before she succeeds.
This book was first published in 1943 and I’m afraid it shows. While some books (Wodehouse, for instance, or Agatha Christie) have a timeless quality to them, and others can be forgiven a lot of outdated attitudes for the quality of the writing and story-telling (Rider Haggard springs to mind, or John Buchan), this one falls into neither of these categories. A fairly average mystery story with some extremely unpleasant racism and lots of disparaging jokes and comments about disability, this book made me feel quite queasy in places. I tried hard to make allowances for the time of writing, but to suggest not only that Native Americans smell and are stupid, but that any woman who has a sexual relationship with a Native American puts herself beyond the pale of civilised society and acquires the same unpleasant smell, takes racism beyond acceptable in any period surely?
Which begs the question – should some books be allowed to quietly fade away rather than being republished into a time with very different attitudes? In general, I’d be reluctant to say so, but if a book has no particular literary or other merit, what’s the point of reviving it when there are so many new books out there looking for readers? One of the things that bothered me most about this book, though, is that of the few reviews it has garnered on Goodreads and Amazon since it was republished, only one other reviewer seems to have commented on the overtly racist aspects of it. Perhaps I’m particularly politically correct and overly sensitive. Or perhaps other people are better able to make allowances for the time of writing. Or perhaps casual racism is still considered OK.
I digress. The book is a reasonably well written mystery with a rather overly complicated solution. The three sisters are ‘weird’ – i.e. each has a disability, one blind, one deaf and one with an artificial arm. These disabilities are the subject of much speculation with regard to each sister’s ability or otherwise to have committed the various murder attempts. Each of the characters seems a little clichéd and Alice, our gold-digging heroine, comes over as very unlikeable in the early parts of the book although she improves somewhat as the book progresses. A fairly average book made unenjoyable by the outdated attitudes of both author and characters. I understand several of Armstrong’s books have been re-published, but I certainly won’t be reading any more of them.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher.
August 6, 2020
Copertina terrificante e mi aspettavo una storia altrettanto spaventosa. Non lo è. I personaggi sono caratterizzati con l'accetta e la storia "romantica" è scontatissima. Però le vecchie case abitate da "vecchie fuori dal mondo e imbottite di cattiveria" hanno sempre il loro fascino. Così come i vecchi gialli Mondadori che uno si ritrova per caso, lascito di chissà quale zio o nonno e, dopo decenni che li sbircia nella libreria, decide di dar loro una chance. Non è stato tempo perso, comunque.
December 6, 2012
I’m a big fan of mysteries generally, especially murder mysteries- though I don’t think I’ve ever read an ‘un-murder’ mystery before!
This great little read revolves around millionaire Innes Whitlock, who, with his young fiancée in tow, returns to the family home where his three spinster sisters still reside. Once he is ensconced at the homestead, a series of bizarre accidents immediately befall him. Is someone trying to kill him, and what motives can they possibly have for doing so?
This was a well-written mystery with just the right degree of suspense and tension. It was also much more atmospheric than I had anticipated with some really great scene-setting. The awkward first encounters between Alice (Whitlock’s fiancée) and the elderly sisters was excellently done and I genuinely cringed on her behalf. The characters were all beautifully drawn and I was able to envisage them very clearly.
With a list of potential ‘un-murder’ suspects as long as your arm, the author kept the mystery unravelling masterfully and I must confess that I was never quite sure who was trying to bump Whitlock off, which is the sign of a terrific mystery writer. Lots of subtle red-herrings really drew me into the story and kept me guessing (or mis-guessing in my case!). Overall I found this to be an engaging, easy read, and as I am a fan of this genre, it is safe to say that I would seek out more novels from this author in future.
This great little read revolves around millionaire Innes Whitlock, who, with his young fiancée in tow, returns to the family home where his three spinster sisters still reside. Once he is ensconced at the homestead, a series of bizarre accidents immediately befall him. Is someone trying to kill him, and what motives can they possibly have for doing so?
This was a well-written mystery with just the right degree of suspense and tension. It was also much more atmospheric than I had anticipated with some really great scene-setting. The awkward first encounters between Alice (Whitlock’s fiancée) and the elderly sisters was excellently done and I genuinely cringed on her behalf. The characters were all beautifully drawn and I was able to envisage them very clearly.
With a list of potential ‘un-murder’ suspects as long as your arm, the author kept the mystery unravelling masterfully and I must confess that I was never quite sure who was trying to bump Whitlock off, which is the sign of a terrific mystery writer. Lots of subtle red-herrings really drew me into the story and kept me guessing (or mis-guessing in my case!). Overall I found this to be an engaging, easy read, and as I am a fan of this genre, it is safe to say that I would seek out more novels from this author in future.
July 4, 2013
I've never really read a mystery before. This book was dramatic but entertaining. A lot of the facts were repeated and some of the relationships weren't very clear but I liked the idea of it. The Whitlock sisters were surprising. I didn't feel that I knew them (or any of the characters really) as much as I was just told facts about them to have them later be somewhat shown. For example, Isabel holds onto items and never cuts her losses. Innes said this but it wasn't really demonstrated until later when MacDougal Duff goes through her room. I would've liked it better if he had come to the realization himself instead of having Innes tell him. However, I suppose that wouldn't really work for a detective. My opinion of who was setting up the murder kept changing but my original instinct was correct. Altogether, I think I will read more mysteries as they are fast paced and entertaining.
October 12, 2011
Alice Brennan has decided she will marry her wealthy employer. Her heart's been broken, anyhow, so why not take the security that Innes Whitlock offers? On their way to close up his summer home, with World War II on the horizon, a car problem forces them to stop for the night and visit Innes' three half-sisters in their spooky house in a rundown mining town. Soon Alice must wonder if their engagement has sparked murderous feelings in--someone, as Innes becomes victim to a series of strange accidents that prolong their stay. Fortunately, Alice's old college professor Duff, now a private detective, is on the scene.
August 21, 2012
Still a very good suspense novel, after all those years.
Secretary to a Chicago millionaire, her boss's marriage proposal is just the ticket for Alice Brennan, who lives for "the percentages."
On the way to his Northern Michigan retreat, car trouble forces the chauffeur to take a detour, right into his boss's childhood home town and a visit to his three step-sisters.
Will they be thrilled by this family news? Or are a series of accidents a portent for murder?
With the help of Alice's former college professor, now a detective, and a cast of local characters, can everyone live long enough for there to be a Mrs. Innes Whitlock?
Secretary to a Chicago millionaire, her boss's marriage proposal is just the ticket for Alice Brennan, who lives for "the percentages."
On the way to his Northern Michigan retreat, car trouble forces the chauffeur to take a detour, right into his boss's childhood home town and a visit to his three step-sisters.
Will they be thrilled by this family news? Or are a series of accidents a portent for murder?
With the help of Alice's former college professor, now a detective, and a cast of local characters, can everyone live long enough for there to be a Mrs. Innes Whitlock?
May 6, 2013
When I recovered from the relentless terror of Shirley Jackson's House on Haunted Hill, I searched for another novel that flies out of the gate like a rocket-powered robin, whispering horrors in my ear with the loveliest of voices.
A re-release of Charlotte Armstrong's Case of the Weird Sisters fell into my lap, and more than made the grade. Armstrong maintains a a fierce commitment to suspense and character, even as certain aspects of the narrative fall flat.
Full review here: http://theoncominghope.blogspot.com/2...
A re-release of Charlotte Armstrong's Case of the Weird Sisters fell into my lap, and more than made the grade. Armstrong maintains a a fierce commitment to suspense and character, even as certain aspects of the narrative fall flat.
Full review here: http://theoncominghope.blogspot.com/2...
June 27, 2018
Because I thoroughly enjoyed the first Mac Duff book by Armstrong, I bought this and the third one when they were recently on sale. Apparently I've read this one before, although my memory of it was mostly hazy. It's not the best, although it's serviceable and I do like the characters that I'm supposed to like enormously.
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December 20, 2016I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
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