Leslie Charteris–Creator of The Saint

Those of us who love mysteries are living in a splendid time. There are so many channels and streaming options available to help the mystery lover, like you, find a movie or a television show representing the genre. One of the channels I’m enjoying is showing the television series The Saint starring Roger Moore. And there are also a variety of channels featuring the movies with George Sanders and other actors playing this famous detective. With so much personal enjoyment I wanted to find out more about the author, Leslie Charteris, who created this much-loved character.

Leslie Charteris

Leslie Charteris was born Leslie Charles Bowyer-Yin in May 1907 in Singapore to a Chinese father, Dr. S.C. Yin, a surgeon, and an English mother Lydia Florence Bowyer.

In 1926 he legally changed his name to Charteris, and one report states he chose that name from a Colonel Francis Charteris. But this Charteris was a despicable soldier from the 1600s, charged and convicted of rape. Leslie Charteris’s daughter disputes this claim and states that her father chose this name from the phone directory. It was not from Francis Charteris, or a combination of names and didn’t have any other special meaning.

Charteris and Writing

Charteris started writing at an early age. He created a magazine to showcase his articles, short stories, poems and even a comic strip.

In his first year at King’s College, Cambridge, Charteris wrote a book and left the university to pursue his new writing career. His goal was to have a career he loved while attaining financial wealth. However, the road to achieving this was not a direct path. While writing thriller stories, he worked in a tin mine, and on a rubber plantation, prospected for gold, dived for pearls, drove a bus and toured with a carnival around England to name a few of his job experiences.

The Saint Writings

Simon Templar appeared in short stories, novellas and full-length novels, and in a syndicated comic strip.

Charteris wrote two previous novels before completing his third book Meet the Tiger (1928) where the Saint makes his first appearance. However, Charteris was not happy with this book as the introduction to the Saint. Instead, he maintained the Saint series really launched with the second book Enter the Saint (1930).

For 55 years from 1928 to 1983, Charteris wrote and managed one of the longest running series featuring Simon Templar, which matched Agatha Christie’s series featuring Hercule Poirot.

Simon Templar Emerges as The Saint

On the origin of the Saint….

 “Who knows where an idea comes from? The Saint was just originally a character who came to life in my head not so long after I started writing, but he was not the first character I thought of. He was, as a matter of fact, the fifth. I went on and created two or three other characters, each of them in an individual book. And then I suppose I got lazy, or I got the idea that it was better to continue and build up one character than to spread yourself around among a dozen. I looked back over the characters I had created so far and picked the Saint, liked him the best, and decided to go on with him.”

When asked how he chose the name Templar, Charteris credited his childhood fascination with the Knights of the Round Table. Aside from the swords and the battles, this was the age of chivalry with a special code of justice. The name Templar is reminiscent of this era and his behavior matches that of a knight fighting the good fight.

What are the origins of Templar’s nickname, the Saint? There isn’t a definitive explanation, but we learn from the writings he began using the name at nineteen. Charteris provided no further explanation.

Characteristics of the Saint

The saint lets people know he’s made an appearance by leaving a calling card with the stick figure of a man with a halo over his head. He is humorous, debonair with a saintly smile and remains calm and collected in the direst of situations.

Perhaps his cool and collected manor is because we are told he is British. But in the first book Meet the Tiger there are hints that he spent time in America fighting the bootleggers of prohibition.

Simon Templar’s nickname was the saint, but we also knew him as the “Robin Hood of modern crime.” The Saint’s mission is to beat criminals at their own game. And if there is a reward for the criminal’s capture or the opportunity to seize some other spoils because of his work, Templar sees this as his just reward for eliminating the bad guys. But he is also generous in sharing the proceeds with his colleagues, victims and charities.

He targets those who prey on individuals who cannot fight back. The targets can include the criminal class, corrupt politicians or even the Nazis. Like the hardboiled detectives of a later era, Templar exacts his own form of justice and is not above killing the villain. Achieving his form of justice has him walking a fine balance between bringing criminals to justice and the law.

The Saint on Radio

In the US we first heard a radio broadcast of the Saint in January 1945. This was a quick series which starred Edgar Barrier with Bromo-seltzer as the sponsor and ended on March 31, 1945. Broadcasters started a second series in June 1945 as a summer replacement show featuring Brian Aherne with Campbell soup as the sponsor. The third version started July 1947 but was heard only on the CBS West Coast network. This time producers tapped Vincent Price for the role of Templar and Lever Brothers was the sponsor. Vincent Price continued to play the role as it switched between several radio networks. The show relied on the Ford Motor Company for financing until the series finally ended in October 14, 1951. Besides Vincent Price, Tom Conway, George Sanders brother, briefly played the role along with Barry Sullivan.

Charteris approved the selection of Vincent Price as the voice of Simon Templar and tailored many of the scripts for his talent. For the stories he didn’t write, Charteris oversaw the scripts. He also scripted stories for the Sherlock Holmes radio series with Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce.

The Saint in the Movies

While Simon Templar was a popular character in literature, the goal of having the Saint appear on the big screen eluded Charteris. Finally, between 1938-1943 RKO produced eight films. The first film was The Saint in New York starring Louis Hayward based on the Charteris novel of the same name. Jonathan Hale played Inspector Henry Farnack who was the American version of Claud Eustace Teal the Chief Inspector with the British police.

With the success of the first film, RKO authorized seven more films. George Sanders starred in The Saint Strikes Back (1939), The Saint in London (1939), The Saint’s Double Trouble (1940), The Saint Takes Over (1940), and The Saint in Palm Springs (1941). George Sanders did not like playing the same role multiple times and dropped out of the series after the fifth picture. Hugh Sinclair played the role for The Saint’s Vacation (1941) and The Saint Meets the Tiger (1941–this film did not release until 1943). Louis Hayward returned for the role in a ninth film The Saint’s Girl Friday (US title-1953)

Charteris was not happy with the RKO Saint movies because he felt the scripts were not true to the original stories. Charteris continually annoyed RKO and as the feud developed RKO stopped making the Saint pictures. They replaced it with a new series featuring an equally suave detective -the Falcon. And believe it or not, RKO tapped George Sanders for the role. He did three films before being replaced by his brother, Tom Conway.

Charteris sued RKO for copyright infringement, claiming that the Falcon was merely a duplicate of his character. George Sanders had already established the character of the Saint, and with Sanders playing the new role it strengthened the case against RKO. They did not release the details, but RKO settled the suit. The suit delayed the release of The Gay Falcon (1941) until 1943.

Charteris mentions the Falcon in his novel The Saint Steps In. When the suggestion of attending a Falcon movie comes up between the Saint and his lady friend, the answer is why watch someone doing “a bargain-basement imitation.”

The Saint on TV

From 1962 to 1969 Roger Moore played the part of the Saint in the British production. Prior to accepting the lead role, Moore wanted to produce the shows and tried to buy the rights to the books. Later, Charteris sold the rights to Robert S. Baker and Moore became one of the co-owners.

When the series started, the creators based many episodes on Charteris’s short stories. Later, when other writers created the scripts, Charteris turned some of these scripts into novels or collections of stories published under his name.

For the viewer, the Saint travels throughout the world, but they filmed most episodes on sets at the Elstree Studios in England. The studio used blue screen technology, superimposed different backgrounds or painted moveable scenes to create different locales. For a few episodes, the studio sent doubles to locations where they were filmed from a distance and not identifiable as Moore.

As in the books, the TV series portrays Templar as the hero helping to bring the criminals to justice and protect the victims who find it difficult to fight the bad guys. But to do this Templar often needs to skirt the law. Two of the policemen he interacts with are Inspector Teal (featured in 26 episodes) and Colonel Latignant (featured in six episodes). In the books, the police are as smart as Templar but focus on the wrong piece of information to solve the crime. In the television series, these two policemen along with others are presented as bungling and incompetent. Regardless of their interaction, by the end of the episode they appreciate the Saint’s help.

In early episodes, at the beginning of the show, Roger Moore addresses the audience directly to set the scene. When the episodes switched to color, in the opening scene someone recognizes the Saint and a cartoon-like Halo appears above his head.

Interesting Facts about the Roger Moore Saint Series

  • The producers asked Jaguar to provide a car for the series, but the car company refused. Instead Volvo was happy to provide their P1800 car and it became known as the “Saint’s car.” His license plate was ST1.
  • Most of the wardrobe Moore wore in the series was his own.
  • They offered the James Bond role twice to Moore during the time he was playing the Saint. He finally accepted the Bond role after the series ended. In one episode, the saint is mistaken for Bond,
  • The series was broadcast in 60 countries besides the United States and the United Kingdom. The shows were highly profitable

Charteris Becomes a Citizen of the United States

In 1932, Charteris moved to the United states and spent time in Florida and Hollywood. While he continued to write and publish short stories, he was also a screenwriter for Paramount Pictures. For example, he worked on the film about London jewel thieves called Midnight Club starring George Raft.

The United States prohibited Charteris from permanent residency because of the Chinese Exclusion Act. This law prohibited immigration for persons of “50% or greater” Oriental blood. Because of this act, Charteris continually had to renew his six-month temporary visitor’s visa. Eventually, an act of Congress granted his daughter and him the right of permanent residence in the United States, with eligibility for naturalization. He became a US citizen in 1946.

Charteris Personal life

Charteris married four time starting with Pauline Schishkin (1931-1937 and had a daughter, Patricia), Barbara Meyer (1938-1943), Elizabeth Borst (1943-1951) and Audrey Long (1952-1993- until his death)

The Saint appeared in nearly 100 books. Charteris wrote his last Saint story in 1963 with The Saint in the Sun, but he approved and edited stories ghost written by others which continued the brand. In 1964 Vendetta for the Saint was published and Charteris took credit as the author, but science fiction writer, Harry Harrison wrote it. He also wrote for and edited The Saint Mystery Magazine. In 1983, Salvage for the Saint was the last book published in the series.

In later years Leslie Charteris return to England with his wife Audrey Long. He died April 15, 1993, Princess Margaret Hospital Windsor, Berkshire.

Revisiting the Saint

Leslie Charteris books are still in print. The movies and the Roger Moore television series are available on DVD. And if you prefer to watch the Saint, on your TV or other device, check your local cable channels and streaming networks for the opportunity to catch a movie or television show of the Saint in action created by Leslie Charteris.

Interesting Facts About Leslie Charteris

  • Charteris’s papers are not in England but housed at Boston University.
  • Charteris was one of the earliest members of Mensa.
  • Charteris invented Paleneo, a wordless pictorial sign language, and also wrote a book about it.
  • Charteris also wrote a column on cuisine for The American Magazine
  • Charteris made a cameo appearance in one episode of the Return of the Saint, the second British television series.
Posted in Blogs, Mystery -TV Shows, Mystery Authors, Mystery Detectives, Mystery Films | Leave a comment

The Saint Titles #1- Soultion

Here are the answers to Puzzle #1 of The Saint Titles Word Search in case you need to do a quick check. If I were a betting person, I would bet that you found them all.

Posted in Word Search Solutions | Leave a comment

Leslie Charteris – The Saint Titles #1

Today, with so many cable channels and streaming options it’s easy to find a film or a television show featuring the Saint better known as Simon Templar. And these programs were based on the works of Leslie Charteris. Below are the first of two puzzles listing the Saint titles.

Posted in Mystery Detectives, Mystery Word Search Puzzles | Leave a comment

Elizabeth Daly Crossword Puzzle Solution

Here’s the opportunity for you to check your answers- but I know you got all the correct answers.

Posted in Mystery Authors, Mystery Crossword Puzzles, Mystery Detectives | Leave a comment

Elizabeth Daly Crossword Puzzle

Hopefully you’re learning more about Elizabeth Daly. Below is a crossword puzzle as one more activity to test your knowledge. Be sure to read the Daly blog, since you can find many of the answers for the crossword puzzle.

Posted in Mystery Authors, Mystery Crossword Puzzles | Leave a comment

Elizabeth Daly

I recently published a blog on Mary Roberts Rinehart where many mystery experts refer to her as the American Agatha Christie. Even though Christie published many years after her they base the comparison on Rinehart’s entire body of work. However, there is another author who has received the honor of being called the American Agatha Christie. This mystery author is Elizabeth Daly.

Agatha Christie said Elizabeth Daly was her favorite American mystery writer. Daly wrote during the same period as Agatha Christie and followed the guidelines established during the Golden Age of Mysteries by the British Detection Club. Besides being compared to Agatha Christie others liken her to Arthur Conan Doyle because of her intricate plots that challenges the reader to discover the solution. They also compare her detective Henry Gamadge to Dorothy Sayers detective Lord Peter Wimsey.

For older readers of this blog, it’s interesting to note that Ms. Daly was sixty-two when she published her first Henry Gamadge mystery novel.

Although Elizabeth Daly has faded from the public eye I believe its worth taking another look at her mystery series.

Daly’s Early Years

Elizabeth Daly was born on October 15, 1878 in New York City. Her father, Joseph Francis Daly, was a justice on the bench for the Supreme Court of New York County, and she was the niece of Augustin Daly who was a noted 1890s playwright and producer.

From the time she was a little girl, Daly loved games and puzzles. She was an avid reader of detective fiction and her favorite author was, Wilkie Collins. Her own writing career started at 16 when she published her short prose and poetry pieces in periodicals such as Puck, Life, and Scribner’s. However, she did not write a detective story until she was in her thirties. When she embraced the mystery genre, she felt that detective fiction was a high form of literature.

Ms. Daly attended Miss Baldwin’s School in Bryn Mawr, PA. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bryn Mawr College in 1901, and a Master of Arts degree from Columbia University in 1902. After college she did not become a full-time writer. Instead, she tutored in French and English at Bryn Mawr College. Daly, like her detective, Henry Gamadge, had the financial independence and the leisure time to produce amateur theatricals, to read, and to write.

Daly’s first Gamadge novel was Unexpected Night published in 1940 and after this first entry she wrote 15 more Gamadge novels. Only once did she stray from the mystery genre when she wrote her fourth book called, The Street Has Changed.  This novel covered forty years of the world of New York theater. Critics praised the work because of the accurate portrayal of the theater world. Daly claimed her research was easy since she grew up in a theatrical family.

Prior to her death she received an Edgar award from Mystery Writers of America for her body of work. Ms. Daly died in St. Francis Hospital on Long Island on September 2, 1967.

Daly’s Writing

Daly is a skilled craftsman at describing 1940s New York where her detective, Gamadge lives and works. She is a master of transporting the reader to this world laden with the social manners and morals demanded at this time. It’s a time where before being admitted to the drawing rooms of friends and even suspects the visitor must present a calling card.

Her writing emphasizes family history, personal interests, and societal demands which provides the reader with everything needed to understand the characters in her books. This is different from mystery novels in today’s world where there is more of a desire to understand the psychology of what is driving the detective.

This doesn’t mean Daly’s writing is out-of-date. Her ability to describe this earlier time with such precision makes the reader feel these scenes could happen now. She is very adept at describing the location and these descriptions allow the reader to walk the streets with Henry Gamadge.

Daly is probably best known for her complex plots, which involve crimes of forgery, theft, and murder. They incorporate everything from reincarnations to apparitions, and her clever literary clues supporting Gamadge’s expertise with books. She received literary praise for her unexpected solutions to her crimes.

Plots Based on Books

Daly weaves many of her mystery plots around pieces of literature or some literary circumstance.

Murders in Volume 2 (1941) features the poetry of Byron. The Book of Dead (1944) revolves around Shakespeare’s The TempestThe Wrong Way Down (1946) centers on a Bartolozzi engraving of a Holbein portrait, and The Book of the Lion (1948) involves a lost Chaucer manuscript. The solution of Death and Letters (1950), one of her last and most acclaimed novels, relies on the discovery of the secret sale of a Victorian poet’s love letters.

Who is Henry Gamadge?

Henry Gamadge was born in 1904 into a family where both his father and grandfather were interested in rare books. After he finished school, he followed the family’s interest in books, but he also added his own interest in puzzles.

He admits to having worked in intelligence during the World War II but offers few details as to his actual duties. His hobbies are bridge, golf, and listening to music. He married Clara Dawson in 1940 and has one son, born in 1943.

Although Gamadge lives more in the style of an English gentleman, he is a New Yorker and resides in the fashionable Murray Hill section. His family’s wealth allows him to live independently without worrying about employment, unless he accepts a commission for his expertise on old books. And some of these commissions lead to interesting cases. When members of his social set hire Henry Gamadge, they know he will handle their problem quietly and without publicity.

He’s not good-looking but has a way of catching people’s attention. People know he’s smart, but they appreciate that he doesn’t flaunt his knowledge.

One last note, Gamadge doesn’t admit he has a yellow cat named Martin. Instead, he refers to the cat as a guest who came to visit and stayed. But Martin often is present in the room when an important discussion occurs.

Detective Henry Gamadge

Gamadge is not your hard-boiled detective. He is the complete opposite. He doesn’t solve crimes based on streets smarts or how to maneuver in the world of criminals. Instead he relies on information found in his books and understanding the nature of the victims and suspects trapped by strict social guidelines. We overlook Gamadge’s lack of detective skills because the plots don’t require guns and brute force but knowledge to solve the puzzle.

Unlike a hired detective he is not the outsider but accepted as a member of the social set. They trust him with information, gossip and even the scandals that require discretion. People may find him kind, but don’t be fooled. He can be ruthless when he needs to trap the villains and bring them to justice.

Daly’s First Book Unexpected Night

While most of her books take place in New York, Henry Gamadge, makes his very first appearance in Unexpected Night at a golf retreat in coastal Maine.  When the body of Amberly Cowden is discovered at the base of a cliff, it first appears to be a natural death. Cowden was due a large inheritance if he lives past midnight but his death changes the distribution of the money. This factor causes the police to take a closer look at the case.

As the police start the investigation nothing seems to fit between Cowden’s death and the possible suspects. Gamadge who is on vacation, steps in to help the local police sort the clues as they relate to the inheritance, and a troupe of summer stock actors who start dying off. Soon Gamadge’s logic is on full display as he links the suspects to the clues and solves the case.

The events in this first story represents the complexity of the plots Daly creates in all of her stories.

Is Daly the American Agatha Christie?

If you want to make your own comparison between Agatha Christie and Elizabeth Daly, you can still purchase Daly’s books. Felony and Mayhem Press are reissuing them, and they are available in Kindle editions from Amazon. Take the opportunity to read an Elizabeth Daly mystery and enter the world of Henry Gamadge.

Posted in Mystery Authors, Mystery Characters, Mystery Detectives | Leave a comment

Elizabeth Daly Word Search Solution

Here is the solution for our Elizabeth Daly word search puzzle. Be sure to check out the Elizabeth Daly Blog for more information about our author.

Posted in Mystery Detectives, Mystery Word Search Puzzles | Leave a comment

Elizabeth Daly Word Search

Elizabeth Daly is often called the American Agatha Christie. She wrote 16 novels featuring her detective, Henry Gamadge and one other novel about the New York Theater scene. Look for the words in capital letters within the puzzle.

Posted in Mystery Authors, Mystery Word Search Puzzles | Leave a comment

Things That Can Stick You Word Search

Ouch, that hurt!

Here’s a fun puzzle for you to enjoy. It’s all about items that can be used for murder by sticking it to the person. Look for the words that are capitalized.

53

Posted in Mystery Word Search Puzzles, Word Search Puzzles | Leave a comment

Mary Roberts Rinehart Crossword Puzzle Solution

I know you solved the puzzle. Just in case you want to check your answers the solution is below.

60answer

Posted in Cross Word Solutions, Mystery Authors, Mystery Crossword Puzzles | Leave a comment

Mary Roberts Rinehart Crossword Puzzle

Below is a crossword puzzle to test your knowledge about Mary Roberts Rinehart. Don’t forget to read the recent blog on Rinehart to help with the answers. Solution will follow at a later date.

puzzle60

Posted in Crossword Puzzles, Mystery Authors, Mystery Crossword Puzzles | Leave a comment

Mary Roberts Rinehart Titles Word Search Solution

At the end of last year, we gave you the opportunity to do a Mary Roberts Rinehart Word Search. Here is the solution for that puzzle. And be sure to check the just-published blog about this famous author.

54a

Posted in Word Search Solutions | Leave a comment

Mary Roberts Rinehart − An American Agatha Christie

Literary critics often call Mary Roberts Rinehart the American Agatha Christie. This is a somewhat interesting comment since Rinehart published her first mystery novel fourteen years before Christie.

Rinehart wrote over 60 mysteries, seven plays, news stories, travel articles, poems and numerous short stories. Let’s take a closer look at Mary Roberts Rinehart. Mary Roberts Rinehar

Rinehart’s Early Years

Mary Roberts Rinehart was born Mary Ella Roberts in a section of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania formerly known as Alleghany City to Thomas and Cornelia Roberts. She grew up with an extended family including her grandmother, a dressmaker who worked long hours in a shop at the back of the house.

Her father was in the sewing machine business and a frustrated inventor. He designed a rotary shuttle for the sewing machine which received a patent, but many of his other inventions were unsuccessful.  Throughout her childhood, the family often suffered financial problems. In 1895 Thomas Rinehart committed suicide.

She attended public high school and then enrolled in nursing school at Pittsburgh’s Homeopathic Hospital where she would meet Dr. Stanley Rinehart. The hospital strictly forbid friendships between doctors and staff members. They kept their engagement secret until after her graduation from nursing school when they married. They had three sons; Stanley Jr., Alan and Frederick.

Rinehart did not follow a nursing career. She filled her days with raising her sons and helping her husband with his practice. Life was simple and enjoyable until the couple lost all their savings in the 1903 stock market crash.

The Start of Rinehart’s Writing Career

Dr. Rinehart continued his practice, while Mary wrote verse, short stories and articles. She wrote 45 stories in 1903 to help pull the family through their financial crisis. Her first novel, The Circular Staircase brought her national attention. It also launched her career as a mystery writer and novelist when the book sold over a million copies.

Around 1909 the Saturday Evening Post published some of her humorous pieces and her Letitia “Tish” Carberry stories. The Saturday Evening Post sent Rinehart to England as a reporter during World War I, and she was in Paris when the war ended.

The Circular Staircase Plot

All Story serialized the novel for five issues starting with the November 1907 issue, and Bobbs-Merrill published the book in 1908. All Story was one of the early Pulp Fiction magazines before Argosy Magazine absorbed them. (Just a side note, be sure to check out a previous blog on Pulp Fiction.)

The Circular Staircase story follows wealthy spinster Rachel Innes who has raised her niece Gertrude, age 24, and her nephew Halsey, age 20, since they were young children. Gertrude and Halsey talk their aunt into renting a country home called “Sunnyside” for the summer. The home belongs to the Armstrongs, a prominent family.

On the second night after arriving, they find Arnold Armstrong, son of the owner dead at the bottom of the circular staircase. Halsey and the friend he brought for a visit both disappear. Halsey returns without his friend and with no explanations of where he was or what happened to his friend.

In the meantime, many other events occur to the worry the residents and the staff. Rachel decides she must solve what is disturbing her household and looks for clues. When she discovers evidence and bits of helpful information, she doesn’t initially share with the policeman in charge of the case, Detective Jameson. Nor does Detective Jameson detect. Instead, he waits for those involved to tell the truth. Circular Staircase

While searching Rachel is often in dangerous situations. The plot is complex and there are several subplots, but eventually all is revealed and our amateur sleuth restores order to her household.

Had-I-But-Known School of Mystery

Rinehart receives credit as one of the first creators of the “Had-I-But-Known” (HIBK) school of mystery. The Circular Staircase is the first story to introduce this technique. This style of writing foreshadows events yet to come. The person narrating the story misses the hint of a disaster waiting for one or more of the characters.

Neither the narrator nor the reader knows of the mistake until revealed near the solution of the crime. This revelation eventually occurs through the presentation of clues. Characters in these mysteries are also the ones who hear a sound in an empty room and rush in to see what happened.

There are typical HIBK statements from the narrator within the story. For our spinster aunt in The Circular Staircase a typical statement is, “had I but known what lay in wait for me, I would never have rented the country house for the summer.” Handled properly this mystery device can add a real element of suspense. When not handled with skill, the story could turn into a messy melodrama.

“The Butler Did It”

As an avid mystery lover, I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “The Butler Did It.”  Mary Roberts Rinehart receives credit for this phrase from her novel, The Door, published in 1930. I should also note this exact phrase never appears in the work.

Sorry there is no way to give Rinehart credit for this mystery first without giving away the ending. The book is still worth reading because of the interesting plot.

Elizabeth Bell’s runs an efficient and quiet household. When the family nurse, Sarah Gittings, is brutally murdered, Elizabeth discovers there are several suspects within her home. Especially when it appears Sarah knew and probably trusted her murderer. The crimes don’t stop with Sarah’s murder. There’s a burglar in the house, along with a shadowy figure who appears and disappears and there is more than one victim before Bell solves the case.

Rinehart quickly wrote The Door in 1930. She was in the hospital recovering from an illness when her sons launched a new publishing house. As a devoted mother she broke her longtime contract with Doubleday and wrote this bestseller to get their new business started.

The Publishing Firm of Farrar & Rinehart

In June 1929 Rinehart’s sons, Stanley M. Rinehart, Jr (president) and Frederick R. Rinehart (partner) joined with John C. Farrar (vice president) and formed Farrar & Rinehart. Rinehart supported her sons by leaving Doubleday. Her best-selling mysteries were the foundation for the new firm.

The firm continued to grow and with the acquisition of Hearst’s Cosmopolitan Book Corporation in 1931; it became one of the most successful publishing houses for this period. Best-selling authors for the firm included Rinehart and Hervey Allen’s Anthony Adverse (1933) which sold over two million hardcover copies.  For mystery lovers, they also published Elizabeth Daly (1940-43) and the first ten (1931-1944) Nero Wolfe books.

They renamed the publishing house, Rinehart and Company when John C. Farrar left the firm in 1946. He formed a new company with Roger Straus that became Farrar, Straus & Giroux.

Rinehart’s Play “The Bat”

Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood penned a three-act play called The Bat in 1920. The play used elements from The Circular Staircase and is a combination of mystery and comedy. The Bat

It was a dark and stormy night and Cornelia Van Gorder and her guests are at the summer home she’s rented. They are spending their time looking for stolen money, supposedly hidden in the house. Interrupting their search efforts is the appearance of a masked criminal called the “Bat.”  The play also focuses on learning the identity of the masked criminal revealed at the end of the play.

After 867 performances in New York, 327 performances in London and numerous shows by road companies the play was a critical and commercial success. There were several film adaptations, and the play was the basis for the Batman comic book hero. In 1933, RCA’s talking book division released a recording of The Bat.

Rinehart’s Writing Has Benefits

Unlike so many writers, Rinehart’s writing career made her a wealthy woman. She had a 24-room seaside home in Bar Harbor, Maine and an elegant apartment on Park Avenue in New York.

Rinehart once made the comment she wished she had a pen that could keep up with the speed of her thoughts. The Parker Pen company created a special snub-nosed fountain pen for her.

She was also a guest on the popular CBS television show Person to Person with Edward R. Murrow in November 9,1956. The show featured stars from stage, screen, television the world of sports and other famous people who reached a pinnacle of success.

Rinehart’s Real-Life Crime Drama

In 1947, while staying at her Bar-Harbor home Rinehart’s chef attacked her. He worked for her for 25 years, but unexpectedly fired a gun at her and then attempted to slash her with several knives. Other servants rescued her. The police arrested the chef and while being held; he committed suicide in his cell.

Other Rinehart Facts

Dr. Rinehart accepted a post at the Veterans Administration and the family moved to Washington, DC in 1922. Rinehart joined the Literary Society of Washington and remained a member until 1936.

Dr. Rinehart died in 1932, and Mary remained in Washington until 1935 when she moved to New York City.

Rinehart was left handed.  During this time and for years to come, we trained left-handers to use their right hand. I can relate to this having been a left-hander trained to use my right.

She smoked a pack of cigarettes a day; she had breakfast in bed and loved to climb mountains, ride horses and fish.

Rinehart had personal health issues. Diagnosed with breast cancer, she had a radical mastectomy. She discussed her surgery and urged women to have breast examinations in an article for the Ladies’ Home Journal in 1947.

In 1954 she received a special award for her work from the Mystery Writers of America but was too ill to attend the dinner in her honor. She died in 1958 at age 82 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Rinehart Versus Agatha Christie

Why do people say Rinehart is the American Agatha Christie? Even though Christie published many years after Rinehart I think her entire body of work offers many comparisons.

Rinehart’s pieces are dated, but they accurately capture a time from the past. And remember a good mystery transcends time.

Do you think Mary Roberts Rinehart is the American Agatha Christie? There’s only one way to decide. Pick up one of her books and give it a read and decide for yourself.

Posted in Mystery Authors, Mystery Characters, Mystery Detectives | Leave a comment

Mary Roberts Rinehart Titles Word Search

Mary Roberts Rinehart is often called the American Agatha Christie. Below is list of her titles for you to find. Remember to look for the words in capital letters.

A solution will post at a later date

54

Posted in Mystery Authors, Mystery Word Search Puzzles, Word Search Puzzles | Leave a comment

Sue Grafton/ Kinsey Millhone Crossword Puzzle Solution

Just checking back to see how you did with the puzzle solution. I’m sure you found all the answers, but just in case you need a little help−here are the answers. Once again, a big thank you to Sue Grafton for her wonderful contribution to the mystery genre.

55a

Posted in Cross Word Solutions | Leave a comment

Sue Grafton/ Kinsey Millhone Crossword Puzzle

In our final blog saluting Sue Grafton, we’ve created a crossword puzzle to test your knowledge about the author and Kinsey Millhone. If you haven’t read the Sue Grafton blog, remember all of the answers can be found in this piece.

55

Posted in Crossword Puzzles | Leave a comment

Sue Grafton—A Tribute

In December 2017, we lost a fine writer and a giant in the mystery genre with the passing of Sue Grafton.

Grafton was best known as the creator of the Alphabet Mystery series featuring private investigator Kinsey Millhone. She hoped to complete the series from letters A to Z, but her series has ended with Y is for Yesterday.

Sue Grafton—The Beginnings

Sue Grafton was born in Louisville, Kentucky, to C.W. Grafton (1909-1982) and Vivian Harnsberger. (1908-1960) Her father was a municipal bond lawyer and her mother was a former high school chemistry teacher. After her father’s return from World War II when Grafton was five, her home life changed dramatically. Both parents became alcoholics and Grafton said “From the age of five onward, I was left to raise myself.”

Grafton and her older sister Ann grew up in Louisville, Kentucky and attended Atherton High School. She graduated from the University of Louisville in 1961 with a bachelor’s degree in English literature and minors in humanities and fine arts. Although we know Grafton as a writer she had several non-writing jobs, including working as a hospital admissions clerk, a cashier, and a medical secretary.

Grafton’s mother killed herself in 1960 after an operation to remove esophageal cancer brought on by years of drinking and smoking. Her father died in 1982, a few months before A is for Alibi was published.Grafton

Grafton—The Writer

Grafton was inspired by her father who wrote detective fiction at night. He taught Grafton about writing and the editing process and groomed her to be a writer. Based on his teachings, Grafton began writing when she was 18 and finished her first novel four years later. When she started writing crime novels she said the strongest influence on her writing was author Ross Macdonald.

Grafton spent 15 years in Hollywood writing screen plays for television movies, including Sex and the Single ParentMark, I Love You, and Nurse. Her screenplay for Walking Through the Fire earned a Christopher Award in 1979. She also adapted the Agatha Christie novels A Caribbean Mystery and Sparkling Cyanide for television and co-wrote A Killer in the Family and Love on the Run.

She became disillusioned with the movie business when her words were changed, as she said, “by twenty-five-year-old executives.” However, her Hollywood years taught her basic story structure, creating dialogue, writing action sequences and getting in and out of scenes. Judy Kaye, who is the voice of Kinsey on the audio versions, states that Grafton’s books were written like a screenplay. This made them a joy for the actor to record. Lolly-Madonna Movie

Grafton had true perseverance as a writer. Her first, second and third novels were never published. Her fourth novel was published and her fifth novel The Lolly Madonna War was made into a movie. Her sixth and seventh novels were never published and her eighth novel was A is for Alibi.

Grafton’s Writing Method

When Grafton wrote her mystery series, she had to learn about California law and both police and private investigator procedures.

She then created Kinsey who she always treated like a real person. She once commented that when the work was going well, it was like taking dictation from Kinsey. When it wasn’t going well she struggled like every other writer.

She kept elaborate charts of her characters and plots, because she didn’t want to repeat herself and bore her readers. She kept a journal for each book. These were more like a long letter to herself about what she had written.

Grafton used color index cards−one for dialogue, one for action, one for characters, etc. Kinsey also used index cards to keep track of her cases until she had time to type her notes for her final case report.

Grafton believed when writing a book, the reader and the writer are pitted against each other. If the reader figures out on page five who did it−the reader isn’t happy with the author. If the reader gets to the end and they “don’t get it” −meaning the ending doesn’t make sense, the reader is angry. The author has only one in three chances to get it right.

She also believed a mystery concerns three parts−what really happens, what appears to have happened and how the detective figures it out. This is the journey that the reader shares with the detective.

Grafton’s Shadow Voice and Ego Voice

According to Grafton, ‘Shadow’ is the little voice that pops up in your head and tells you the truth. ‘Ego’ is the voice that urges you on even when you know it’s not right. Ego is the voice that tries to please others. Shadow is the voice you must follow as a writer

The writer needs to craft the story in a way that allows the reader to experience emotions−laughter, fear, crying, anger, etc. It’s these experiences that engage the reader in the story.

The Beginnings of the Alphabet Series

In an interview, Grafton said that when she decided to write her crime novels she wanted the books linked. She was familiar with the book The Gashlycrumb Tinies by Edward Gorey. In this book of drawings, Gorey has little rhymes that accompany each of the pictures: A is for Amy who fell down the stairs, B is for Basil who was eaten by a bear, etc. This gave Grafton the idea for linking her books to the alphabet.Alibi 2

Grafton also created some unique murders and interesting traps where Kinsey must use all of her detecting skills. Grafton dealt with a divorce and a custody battle that lasted six years. She imagined ways to kill or maim her ex-husband and these fantasies were often incorporated into her stories.

Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone−The Beginnings

Kinsey Millhone was born May 5, 1950, in Santa Teresa, California. The fictional town of Santa Teresa was based on Grafton’s hometown of Santa Barbara. The first book takes place in 1982 making Kinsey thirty-two when we first meet her.

Her mother, Rita was part of a wealthy family from Lompoc. When she married postal worker, Randall Millhone, her family disowned her.

Kinsey was five when her parents were killed in a car accident. She was raised by her mother’s sister, Aunt Gin. While Aunt Gin wasn’t overtly loving she did teach Kinsey to be independent and self-sufficient. These are major characteristics that govern her adult life.

Kinsey wasn’t an outstanding student, but after graduation, she becomes a police officer. Her independent streak made it difficult for her to fit in with all the rules and policies. She also felt women were treated as underdogs within the Santa Teresa Police Department.

Kinsey leaves the police department and earns her private investigator license. She starts her new career with office space in the California Fidelity Insurance building. In addition to her clients, she handles insurance investigations for them.

Kinsey’s Private Life

When not on a case, Kinsey lives in a studio apartment over the garage of her loveable landlord, Henry Pitts. Henry creates crossword puzzles and in his previous life was a baker. Kinsey finds comfort in the smells that greet her from Henry’s home.

Kinsey does not cook. Top of her favorite food list is a Quarter-Pounder with cheese and peanut butter and pickle sandwiches. When she ventures out for a meal she usually stops by Rosie’s Tavern. Rosie is Henry’s sister-in-law having married his brother William. Kinsey indulges Rosie’s cheap white wine that accompanies her rather unique Hungarian dishes. While Kinsey’s eating habits are not the best, she is physically fit due to her habit of jogging three-miles.

Kinsey was married and divorced twice. Her first husband, Mickey, an ex-cop appears in O is for Outlaw. Her second husband, Daniel, is a struggling musician. He left Kinsey unexpectedly, but reappears in E is for Evidence. He asks Kinsey to keep his guitar safe and this innocent request opens a host of problems for Kinsey. O for Outlaw

Kinsey may not be currently married but she’s had several relationships throughout the series. Her main relationships included Jonah Robb, a police officer, Robert Dietz, another private eye and longtime friend Cheney Phillips, a police detective. Kinsey is a loner. Her love interests are not long-term although they sometimes reappear. Kinsey remains friends with Cheney even after their split and Jonah drops in and out of her life based on his on again-off -again marriage.

Kinsey’s Family

After her Aunt Gin dies, Kinsey assumed all family relationships died with her. Kinsey is shocked when she finds she has family in J is for Judgment. When she meets cousins Tasha and Lisa, she realizes the three look alike. Kinsey and Tasha form a business relationship in M Is for Malice. However, she remains reluctant to become fully involved with her new-found family. She felt they abandoned her when she was orphaned. In U is for Undertow Kinsey discovered her grandmother made efforts to raise her, but Aunt Gin concealed this fact. Kinsey finally agrees to meet Gran at a family event where her grandmother, now very frail, mistakes Kinsey for her mother.

Kinsey as Private Eye

Kinsey is as tough as any of her male counterparts in the field of private eyes. She has a soft spot for Henry, but she has vulnerabilities including her relationships with men.  Kinsey accepts all types of jobs from missing persons, murder, robbery, arson and cold cases. Her routine insurance assignments often turn out to be more complicated. In H is for Homicide she even goes undercover and puts her life in danger to reveal an insurance fraud gang. She has escaped her own murder on more than one occasion.

Kinsey’s Legacy

She is a survivor. At the end of the day she is a good investigator who solves her cases.  She has become one of the best-known female private eyes in the entire mystery genre.

While the books focus on Kinsey’s main case, Grafton often has a subplot running simultaneously. And she has a wonderful way of weaving in other elements that are part of Kinsey’s life—her current love interest, her personal tastes, family matters and memorable characters like Henry.

The End of Grafton’s Series

The readers will never know what Grafton had in mind for her final book which was named Z is for Zero. Instead, it is now up to each of us to create a final adventure for Kinsey.Y for Yesterday

Perhaps this is the best way to end the popular series with Y is for Yesterday. We are left with all the wonderful yesterdays and twenty-five Kinsey Millhone adventures that have kept us entertained for so many years. And finally, a huge thank you to Sue Grafton for creating a detective named Kinsey Millhone.

 

Posted in Blogs, Mystery Authors, Mystery Detectives | Leave a comment

Sue Grafton’s Alphabet Series Word Search-Solution

Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone books are so popular books I know you found all the answers. But just in case you need a little help, here’s the solution.

p52a

Posted in Mystery Authors, Mystery Characters, Mystery Word Search Puzzles, Word Search Solutions | Leave a comment

Sue Grafton’s Alphabet Series Word Search

Even though the mystery world recently lost Sue Grafton, we will always have her detective Kinsey Millhone. Below is a word search of all the alphabet titles from this wonderful series.

p52

Posted in Mystery Authors, Mystery Detectives, Mystery Word Search Puzzles, Word Search Puzzles | Leave a comment

Queens of Mystery Crossword Solution

Hope you enjoyed doing the crossword puzzle about the Queens of Mystery –Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Ngaio Marsh and Margery Allingham. I certainly learned a great deal about these ladies during my research. Just in case you need a little help with the answers –here is the solution.

p51a

Posted in Cross Word Solutions, Mystery Authors, Mystery Detectives | Leave a comment

The Queens of Mystery Crossword Puzzle

Below is a crossword puzzle about the Queens of Mystery. Most of the questions focus on Margery Allingham and Ngaio Marsh, since Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers were previously featured in a Crossword Puzzle. Check the Blog Archive on the home page to locate the Christie and Sayers puzzles.

p51

Posted in Mystery Authors, Mystery Crossword Puzzles | Leave a comment

Margery Allingham & Albert Campion

Margery Allingham is the last member of the Queens of Crime from the Golden Age of Mysteries.

The Queens of Mystery

Agatha Christie was best known for her plots and gathering the suspects together to reveal the murderer. Dorothy Sayers emphasized the intellect of Lord Peter sometimes to the point of overthinking the circumstances. Ngaio Marsh developed the skills of her detective Alleyn, while infusing the stories with her personal knowledge of art and theater. Our last Queen, Margery Allingham, is harder to define, especially since her detective, Albert Campion, in many ways is also a mystery.

Margery Allingham-The Beginnings

Margery Allingham was born in London in 1904 to parents Herbert and Emily Jane who were both writers. Herbert was editor of the Christian Globe and The New London Journal before becoming a successful pulp fiction writer. Emily Jane was a contributor of stories to women’s magazines.

The family moved from London to Essex in a village near Colchester. Margery attended a local school and began writing stories and plays.

Margery returned to London in 1920 to study drama and speech training at Regent Street Polytechnic. These studies helped her cure a stammer which she had endured since childhood. It was also during this time that she met her future husband, Philip Youngman Carter. In 1927, she married Carter, who collaborated with her and designed the jackets for many of her books.

They purchased a country house in Colchester on the edge of the Essex Marshes.  Allingham preferred the image of the country wife as opposed to that of a gifted writer and often down played her writing talents.

Allingham stayed in Colchester while Carter kept a house in London where he was gone for extended periods of time and had many extramarital affairs.

Allingham, while enjoying her county life also suffered from bouts of depression. She sought treatment including electroshock therapy. Her depression and treatments account for the long gaps in her writings, especially in her later years.

Allingham in addition to her depression was diagnosed with breast cancer and died in Colchester, England, on June 30, 1966, at the age of 62. She requested that her final Campion novel, Cargo of Eagles, be completed by her husband and it was published in 1968.

Carter along with Mike Ripley continued to issue additional releases of her work, both with and without Albert Campion. The Margery Allingham Omnibus, comprising Sweet Danger, The Case of the Late Pig and The Tiger in the Smoke, with a critical introduction by Jane Stevenson, was published in 2006.

Allingham the Writer

Margery said she was destined to be a writer. Her father was a writer, her mother was a writer and all the people around her were writers. Allingham

At the age of eight, Margery earned her first money as a writer when one of her stories was printed in her aunt’s magazine. Margery contributed articles and Sexton Blake stories to her father’s papers.

Her first novel, Blackkerchief Dick, was published in 1923 when she was 19. Blackkerchief Dick was well received, but was not a financial success. She wrote several plays in this period, and attempted to write a serious novel. Fortunately for us, she decided that writing mysteries was her true calling.

Allingham’s Albert Campion Appears

Her breakthrough mystery novel was in 1929 with the publication of The Crime at Black Dudley. This book introduced Albert Campion to her readers, although originally, he was only a minor character. He is described by George Abbershaw, who was the main character in this first book, as a “fresh-faced young man with the tow-colored hair and the foolish, pale-blue eyes behind tortoiseshell-rimmed spectacles….”Allingham-Crime at Black Dudley

At first, she continued writing short stories and pieces for magazines such as The Strand Magazine, but her Campion following was growing. Campion returned in Mystery Mile as the lead character. This was in part based on the pressure from her American publishers, but also Allingham found that she liked the character she had created.  With three novels complete and now with a strong central character, Allingham made Campion the centerpiece of another 17 novels and over 20 short stories, until her death.

Allingham’s Albert Campion is a Man of Mystery

Albert Campion is a pseudonym for a gentleman from a prominent British family. In The Fashion in Shrouds he verifies that his real name is Rudolph but he changed it to Albert simply because he liked this name better.

In the early books there are subtle hints that Campion is part of the Royal family and in the succession line to the throne. In later books, the royal connection is not mentioned. However, he has an older brother, Herbert, who is a viscount. Later, we learn from an uncle that Herbert has died and having never married the title now belongs to Campion, although he doesn’t use it

Campion was born in 1900, is well educated at top schools and by his twenties is pursuing a life as an adventurer and detective. He is able to operate in the upper class of society, interface with government officials and mingle with the criminal class all with ease. He is often assisted by his manservant Lugg, who was a former burglar.

Campion had a friendly demeanor and often sported a blank expression which could fool those around him into believing he was no threat. However, when needed, Campion rose to the task at hand and either worked behind the scenes or as the main force fighting evil and solving crimes.

Albert Campion and Peter Wimsey

Many comparisons have been made between Albert Campion and Dorothy Sayers’s, Peter Wimsey. Both are from titled families. Both have sufficient wealth that allows them to concentrate on solving cases and not worry about earning an income.

Wimsey has Mervyn Bunter and Campion has Magersfontein Lugg as their manservants and able assistants when working a case. Both spent their wars years overseas involved in never discussed secret missions for the government. Wimsey marries Harriet Vane. Campion marries Amanda Fitton, an aircraft engineer and pilot, who he first meets in Sweet Danger.  In later stories both wives have equal status with their husbands in solving cases. Wimsey has a family and Campion has his son, Rupert.

Was Campion created in honor of Lord Peter Wimsey, as a parody of Wimsey, or a starting point for Allingham to develop her own distinctive detective? Sayers and Allingham lived only a few miles from each other, but other than their professional association in The Detection Club there seemed to be little contact. Although Sayers wrote a good review of Allingham in a Sunday column stating that only a very good writer would have the versatility to create her variety of detective stories.

Allingham’s Unique Style

Allingham’s counterparts locked their detectives like Wimsey, Poirot and Alleyn into a particular format. However, Allingham was much more willing to experiment with Campion and not confine him only to a traditional mystery format.

Her early mysteries like The Black Dudley Murder, Mystery Mile, and The Gyrth Chalice Mystery are more traditional and might be classified as “village mysteries.”

In The Case of the Late Pig Campion tells the story in first person as an autobiographical account of events. In The Tiger in the Smoke, the book is written as a thriller with Campion playing a lesser role to the psychopathic killer Jack Havoc.  Allinghman--Tider in the SmokeUnlike other detectives, Campion is sometimes in the wings watching the action and not the lead character on stage.  Agatha Christie once said that Allingham’s work was “distinctive” and did not rely on plot twists for impact.

In the Campion books our detective ages along with his police associates like Stanislaus Oates, Charles Luke and L.C. Cockran (Elsie). With this aging there is a little less of the young, well-to-do adventurer that tended to stumble into a problem that needed to solved.  Instead there is a maturity which allows Campion to grow beyond George Abbershaw’s original comment of him being a “silly ass” and he becomes a well-rounded character involved in serious solutions to crime.

Campion Lives On

Campion may not be the deep-thinking detective of a Hercule Poirot with his little gray cells−or have the British government and aristocratic in-roads of Wimsey−or have Alleyn’s police knowledge and access. On the other hand, Campion is more willing to venture into a difficult situation and participate where the other detectives might not go. Campion is also not afraid to admit that he can be frightened and sometimes struggles to remain in control of a situation.

Even after all these years, Campion has his devoted followers and so he should. Allingham has provided a series of interesting mysteries, adventures and thrillers with her unique detective−Albert Campion.

 

 

Posted in Crossword Puzzles, Mystery Authors, Mystery Detectives | Leave a comment

Margery Allingham-Campion Word Search-Solution

Were you able to find the key words from the 32 novels featuring Marsh’s gentleman detective, Albert Campion? Just in case you have any questions, here’s the solution to the puzzle.

f49a

Posted in Mystery Authors, Mystery Detectives, Word Search Solutions | Leave a comment

Margery Allingham-Campion Book Titles

Below is a list of Margery Allingham-Albert Campion book titles. As always look for the capital letters in the puzzle. Solution will follow in a separate post.

f49

Posted in Mystery Authors, Mystery Detectives, Mystery Word Search Puzzles | Leave a comment

Edith Ngaio Marsh

Many of you have heard about the Golden Age of Mysteries. It was introduced in the 1920’s and reached a peak in the 1930’s, and perhaps lasted as long as the authors who wrote in this style. The Golden Age of Mysteries had specific rules that mystery authors were expected to follow. (Note: check my The Golden Age of Mysteries blog from September, 2012)

Agatha Christie for her entire body of work is called the “Queen of Crime.” However, during this same period there were four writers who were designated as the “Queens of Mystery.” The title belongs to Christie and Dorothy Sayers who were discussed in previous blogs, but there are two other women who share this honor. They are Margery Allingham and Ngaio Marsh. This blog is about Ngaio Marsh with Allingham being discussed at a later time.

Edith Ngaio Marsh

Edith Ngaio (pronounced Nigh-oh) Marsh was born in April of 1895 and was the only child of her mother, Rose and her bank clerk father, Henry Marsh.  There is some doubt about her actual birth date because her father did not register her birth until 1900. She lived at the same address for 76 years and died in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand in February, 1982.

Marsh-A Prolific Writer

Marsh wrote 32 mystery novels between 1934 and 1982 featuring her gentleman detective Roderick Alleyn. Although Marsh was a New Zealander, only four of her novels were set in her home country. While known for her Alleyn mystery novels, she also published short stories, numerous plays and three non-fiction books including her autobiography, Black Beech and Honeydew. Over the years March valued and protected her privacy. Thus, many were surprised when she wrote her autobiography which gave readers an insight to not only her writings but her private life.

Marsh was an Avid Researcher

Marsh thoroughly researched her stories and plays. For example, for medical knowledge, she relied on doctors who were family friends and had operated on her. She kept a chart of the command hierarchy for New Scotland Yard. Aside from her own observations, she constantly researched other information for her stories at the library. She kept notebook after notebook of her research work. Marsh -young woman

Marsh as Artist, Actresses and Writer 

March was always interested in the arts. She attended St. Margaret’s College from 1910-14, where she showed a talent for writing poetry, prose and plays as well as acting. In 1913, she attended Canterbury College of Art and when she left in 1919 she had her sights set on becoming a professional painter. However, when she was given the opportunity to tour with a Shakespeare company she delayed her painting plans.

Interest in Theater

While Marsh was known for her creation of mystery stories, she also maintained a life-long passion for the theater. At home her parents followed strict Victorian standards, but they took their young daughter to many theater performances. Her parents also performed as amateur actors. Marsh felt her mother had a creative side that was never fully realized and her mother even performed in one of her plays.

One of the early theater performances Marsh attended was Christie’s Alibi. Charles Laughton played the brilliant detective Poirot.

Ngaio Marsh

Awards for Marsh

Marsh received several awards including Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1966 and the Grand Master Award for lifetime achievement as a detective novelist from the Mystery Writers of America in 1978.

March Visits England

In 1928, Marsh made her first trip to England. She enjoyed London life and worked in theatre, interior design and continued to paint. She stayed with her friends Helen and Tahu Rhodes and their five children and the two women remained lifelong friends. She was an avid people watcher and an observer of events. While staying in England, she earned money by sending travel logs back to New Zealand.

While in England in 1931, Marsh purchase some pencils and several notebooks and started writing her first mystery. She would introduce the world to Detective Chief-Inspector  Roderick Alleyn in 1934.

The Golden Age of Mysteries

Ngaio Marsh was the last to join the other ladies as a Queen of Mystery during the Golden Age. At the time Marsh entered the field, the other writers, Christie, Sayers and Allingham were at their prime and perhaps paved the way for Marsh. In 1934 when Marsh published her first book, the others all added to their list of titles.

1934

Christie’s— Murder on the Orient Express

Marsh—first book A Man Lay Dead

Sayers — Nine Taylors

Allingham—Death of a Ghost

 

The Detection Club

On one of Marsh’s visits to England she was invited to attend a monthly dinner of the Detection Club at Grosvenor House. After dinner, the group retired to a drawing room to watch the induction ceremony for E.C. Bentley. Christie was not at the ceremony, but Marsh meet her later that evening.

Dorothy Sayers was the mistress of ceremonies for this induction. Sayers was an imposing figure who towered over her fellow members. The lights went out, the door opened and Sayers wearing her academic robes, holding a single candle lead the procession into the room. Hidden in her gown was a revolver. In fact, all members had a weapon. The last member of the procession carried a skull named “Eric” on a cushion. Sayers with Eric

While Marsh followed the principles of the Detection Club, she was unable to officially join the group. The club required that members attend five to six dinners per year and with March splitting her time between New Zealand and England she was unable to meet this requirement.

Writing Becomes a Career

Marsh was still torn between her desire to develop her skill as a painter. However, her writing career took off with the publication of Enter a Murderer (1935) and The Nursing Home Murder (1936). These two novels established her place as a leading crime writer.

Marsh’s Detective– Roderick Alleyn

When we meet Roderick Alleyn, in the first book, A Man Lay Dead, he’s 40 years old, but already a Detective Chief-Inspector at Scotland Yard. We learn that Alleyn is a member of the gentry, with an older brother, Sir George, who’s a baronet. He was raised in Buckinghamshire where his mother Lady Alleyn continues to live. He graduated from Oxford, served in army for three years during World War I, spent a year in the foreign service and then joined the police department as a constable.

The first Alleyn Mystery –A Man Lay Dead

A Man Lay Dead is the first novel featuring Alleyn and as mentioned above was published in 1934. The plot concerns a murder committed during a weekend party in a country house where the guests were playing a murder game. This was a popular activity at weekend parties and especially with Sir Hubert. A Man Lay Dead 2

The murder itself concerns a small group of guests staying at Sir Hubert Handesley’s estate. The guests include Sir Hubert’s niece (Angela North), Charles Rankin (a man about town), Nigel Bathgate (Charles’s cousin and a gossip reporter), Rosamund Grant, and Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Wilde. Also in attendance are an art expert and a Russian butler.

During the game, one of the guests is secretly selected to be the murderer. The murderer gets to select the victim. At some point, the murderer taps the selected guest on the shoulder, indicating that they are the victim.  Once the victim is selected, the lights go out, a gong rings, and then everyone assembles to determine who did it. It is all intended to be light-hearted fun. Except at this party, the corpse is for real.

Unlike later novels, this first novel is focused more on Nigel Bathgate and less on Alleyn. However, Alleyn is tasked with uncovering the culprit even though all seven suspects have alibis. He brings it to a successful conclusion while being distracted by sub-plots focused on the Russians and secret societies.

The Marsh Contribution to Mysteries

Marsh is sometimes hidden behind the works of Christie and Sayers, but stands just as tall in following the principles that make a good mystery. There’s a murder, with a substantial list of suspects and many clues. There are sub-plots and of course, red herrings. Then enters Detective Chief-Inspector Alleyn who interviews the suspects and follows the clues until a solution begins to emerge. And if the reader is paying close attention they have an equal opportunity, along with Alleyn, to solve the crime. Ngaio Marsh provides the reader with a good mystery.

One last thought. Now that Hercule Poirot has finished all of his stories on PBS, how about a series featuring Detective Chief-Inspector Roderick Alleyn. There are thirty-two stories just waiting for the opportunity. I do love watching a good mystery on PBS, don’t you?

 

PD James Comments about Marsh

  • “Death is never glamorized nor trivialized in Ngaio Marsh.”
  • “Readers in the golden years demanded not only that the victim be murdered, but that he or she be, intriguingly and bizarrely murdered…the method of murder in a Ngaio Marsh novel tends to linger in the memory.”

 

Posted in Blogs, Mystery Authors, Mystery Detectives | Leave a comment

Ngaio Marsh-Roderick Alleyn Word Search -Solution

Were you able to find the key words from the 32 novels featuring Marsh’s gentleman detective, Roderick Alleyn? Just in case you have any questions,  here’s the solution to the puzzle.

p50a

Posted in Mystery Authors, Mystery Detectives, Mystery Word Search Puzzles, Word Search Solutions | Leave a comment

Ngaio Marsh-Roderick Alleyn Titles Word Search

Ngaio Marsh wrote 32 novels featuring her gentleman detective, Roderick Alleyn. Listed below are the titles and the date they were published. Look for the capitalized words in puzzle.

p50

Posted in Mystery Authors, Mystery Detectives, Mystery Word Search Puzzles, Word Search Puzzles | Leave a comment

TV Mystery Shows #4 Word Search -Solution

Just in case you want to double check your answers to see if you captured all the latest mystery shows, here is the solution. Although, I’ll bet you found them all.

p48a

Posted in Mystery Word Search Puzzles, Word Search Solutions | Leave a comment

TV Mystery Shows #4

There are so many wonderful television shows available to watch. Here are a few more to add to your list. Look for the words in capital letters.

p48

 

Posted in Mystery -TV Shows, Mystery Word Search Puzzles, Word Search Puzzles | Leave a comment

Agatha Raisin Titles Word Search Solution

I know you found them all. However, just in case you want to double check your answers, here is the solution for the Agatha Raisin word search titles.

46a

Posted in Mystery Detectives, Mystery Word Search Puzzles, Word Search Solutions | Leave a comment