Reading the Detectives discussion

Welcome to our July/August 22 buddy read of They Found Him Dead first published in 1937.

The sixtieth birthday party of Silas Kane was marred by argument and dissension amongst his family. And then, the morning after the celebrations, Kane is found dead at the foot of a cliff. The theory that Silas accidentally lost his way in the fog is confirmed when the coroner returns a verdict of death by misadventure.

But then Kane's nephew and heir is murdered and threats are made on the next in line to the fortune, throwing a new and sinister light on Silas Kane's death. All clues point to an elderly lady of eighty as the killer. But as the redoubtable Superintendent Hannasyde delves further into the case he discovers that nothing is quite as it seems...

Please feel free to post spoilers in this thread.

Really felt this ran out of steam at the end. What did anyone else think of the rather dull ending?

Definitely agree, I’ve read this a few times, STILL never remember the ending, vaguely remember the whodunnit- probably because Hannasyde dryly tells it to the family, we don’t see it. Doesn’t stick with me!

There were quite a few characters to keep track of, some easier than others to identify. Every one of which seeming to have a good opportunity to murdering those victims. I had suspicions of several the characters, but managed to whittle it down to one, but I was completely wrong, which makes a book far more interesting to me. So I would rate this a strong 4.5 star rating. I think Heyer must have thought all families are dysfunctional.

I enjoyed it until the end and just felt it kind of petered out.

Yes, I felt there were too many quick revelations at the end: the gun in the barrel, the detonator fuse (too many Christies made me question the timing of the shooting so I was prepared for that one), the culprit.

It seemed pretty clear to me that Roberts and the unknown Australian were one and the same, especially when he told that dodgy story of meeting a man called Leighton in a bar who was married to the Kane cousin!

I wanted a bit more wrapping up: that off-stage arrest was unsatisfying, and I wanted more from the family, maybe Jim and Patricia riding off into the sunset together ;)

Still fun though - Heyer never really fails for me.

I was reminded of Hercule Poirot's Christmas, which was actually published after this book (TFHD 1937, HPC 1938). But there are probably others using the same ruse. It does make you immediately suspicious of anyone with an alibi when the shot is fired!

Good catch with HP's Christmas! Possible spoilers for anyone who hasn't read it so I'm putting the next bit in tags: (view spoiler)[not just the device that changes the time of the murder but also the unknown identities of various characters. (hide spoiler)]

Roman Clodia wrote: "Yes, I felt there were too many quick revelations at the end: the gun in the barrel, the detonator fuse (too many Christies made me question the timing of the shooting so I was prepared for that one), the culprit.

It seemed pretty clear to me that Roberts and the unknown Australian were one and the same, especially when he told that dodgy story of meeting a man called Leighton in a bar who was married to the Kane cousin! ."

Agreed-I picked up on both those aspects fairly early so the denouement was not particularly surprising. I did start to wonder about Adrian Harte, particularly when he was found in the garage, but couldn't figure out a motive.

I also agree that I would have liked more of a wrap up of the characters-what happened to the odious Rosemary, do Allison and Jim marry in the end and continue living with the crotchety Mrs Emily, what happens to the business etc. All in all an enjoyable read for a golden age mystery lover, and I look forward to reading the rest of her mysteries in this series.

I don't think that Roberts actually claimed that the Leighton he met was married to a Kane. But it did seem very unlikely - even for an Australian - that there would be so few Leightons around that his having met one once was worth reporting (or remembering). If it had been Cholmondeley, that would be different.

I do agree the ending was a bit dull - it seemed too obvious that the only Australian might turn out to be the villain of the piece. I had noticed that he seemed to speak in a more American way (or more in the way that American characters speak in Golden Age books) and wondered if this might turn out to be a clue, but it wasn't.

I wondered about the number of references to Jim's previous girlfriends, which made him seem rather fickle, but he does seem devoted to Patricia, so hopefully they have a happy ending!

Roman Clodia wrote: "Good catch with HP's Christmas! Possible spoilers for anyone who hasn't read it so I'm putting the next bit in tags: [spoilers removed]"

GILDED FLY relies on that premise too, if I remember correctly.

I enjoyed Betty, Rosemary, and Emily. Such vivid characters. Norma was a hoot.. I loved her rant at Rosemary about her "sensitivity" ". . .you are indolent, shallow, parasitic and remarkably stupid!"

I kept having to remind myself that Timothy was 15, not 10. His behavior seemed more acceptable in a younger child. Heyer calling him Mr. Harte seemed silly.

I wondered about Ogle as her obsessiveness seemed dangerous. I liked Roberts as he seemed so capable and helpful. Obviously, I am a poor judge of character.

I liked this one much better than Death in the Stocks and Behold, here's poison. I agree the ending is a bit lame and that we kind of run out of people to suspect, so you end up with Roberts a bit by default.

Good point about Ogle - I also thought she was going to emerge as one of those dangerous 'old maid' types, but seems she's just wallpaper. Heyer has so many great characters that she just doesn't need to do much with Ogle.

ChrisGA wrote

I kept having to remind myself that Timothy was 15, not 10. His behavior seemed more acceptable in a younger child.

I agree.
in the Heyer group were just finished reading Sylvester and the child who is supposedly 6 really seems more like 3 to me.

I agree that Norma was a hoot and loved hearing her tell off Rosemary, who is such a good "bad" character - I love to hate her!

Jackie wrote: "ChrisGA wrote

I kept having to remind myself that Timothy was 15, not 10. His behavior seemed more acceptable in a younger child.

I agree.
in the Heyer group were just finished reading [book:S..."

Yes! And the audiobook with Ulli Berve (sp?) narrating has her down pat, all drama and rather whiny, ugh! And Norma speaks in this strong, no-nonsense bark, it’s perfect!

I was thinking of Timothy as about 11 or 12 - must have missed the fact that he is 15.

I think I'm right, but I returned the audiobook and can't look it up. Anyone else remember his age??

Yes, 15 - we're told when he's introduced.

I also thought Timothy was younger than 15; must be the way he acts.

Judy wrote: "I was thinking of Timothy as about 11 or 12 - must have missed the fact that he is 15."

Yes, he was 15.

Just finished this, and I agree that the mystery seemed to fizzle out in the end.

It started off rather well, and then the mysteries just kept building up with no resolution in sight.
Neither the police, nor the family ever seemed to have a handle on the situation. I would have thought that the rain barrel outside the window would be the first place the police would search.

I thought the story really dragged in the middle, where every event had to be repeated for all the characters to hear. Such as the boat incident. First its we see it happening through the eyes of Roberts and Manelli, then Timothy and Jim, Jim and Patricia, Jim/Patricia and the rest of the family and then still more discussion between Timothy and Patricia. I think the police also discussed it.

And in the end the police use a child as bait to get the murderer to make a wrong move so they can catch him?

The characters were all great, and what kept me reading through to the end was the promise of a resolution of some kind for any of them, but we just seem to leave them with things unsettled.

Bit disappointed overall.

Frances wrote: "...do [Pat] Allison and Jim marry in the end and continue living with the crotchety Mrs Emily..."
Yes, they turn up briefly in 'Duplicate Death', with an older Timothy, having married and gone through WW2 together.