The first in the Asey Mayo series, I picked up this book because I had heard about it on the
Classic Mysteries podcast. I didn't find it quite the romp that had been described but still a good book.
Miss Prudence Whitsby and her niece Betsey have once again taken a cottage at Cape Cod. Since it is a particularly hot summer, they have a number of friends who have written to ask if they can visit including a couple who are now divorced. They end up deciding on a friend of Betsey's named Dot and a clergyman's widow, Emma. Also hanging about it an automobile scion who is known to have a pretty big crush on Betsey. It's just too bad that there is a famous author who has also come to town. One that does not particularly impress Miss Whitsby, especially since she doesn't believe his characterizations even though the author is said to take his stories from real life. Basically, they are not nice stories. So, it's not particularly a surprise that he ends up dead. It's just too bad that some of the evidence is against the young scion and the sheriff doesn't seem inclined to look at anyone else.
It's up to the family factotum, Asey Mayo, to figure out what is going on. The young man's father has told him to leave no expense unpaid and he doles out fives liberally in trying to get to the bottom of the story.
Three stars
This book came out in 1931
Borrowed this book from Hoopla
Opinions are my own
Owen doesn't want Maddie to come back either. But, according to the business charter of the shares she inherited from her brother, she has to spend 30 days helping out first. But Owen knows that if they get together at all, she will ruin him for all other women and he doesn't want that.
