The House Without the Door

3.5*
This 4th book in the Gamadge series is the first one in which Henry Gamadge is married (though the signs were clear at the end of the 3rd book that this was on its way). Daly did a good job of providing all the clues that Gamadge picks up on without signalling to the reader which are the important ones and which are red herrings - a feature of this series that I truly appreciate!

An old-fashioned fast and fun who-done-it, and who-may-do-it again) featuring Henry Gamadge as investigator. He specializes in old books but that doesn't stop him from quickly grasping people's motivations, strengths and weaknesses.

Gamadge's style is unconventional but brilliantly right on target!

Elegant and smooth, a classic whodunnit. I really enjoy Daly, although I feel like this one more than many others has some unstated assumptions based on social cues, which her 1940s readers would have been fine with, but with whoosh right past me. Nevertheless a very enjoyable read.

I liked this better than Somewhere in the House, but I'm still a little hard pressed to see why Daly was Christie's favorite American writer. Gamadge is a very appealing detective, but the mystery is a little obvious. Still, you've got to love a writer who published her first mystery at 60, and went on to publish 15 more.

Mrs. Curtis Gregson was acquitted of her husband’s murder a couple of years back, but now is receiving hate mail and there have been a few “attempts” on her life. Just because a jury found her innocent doesn’t mean the public thinks she is. There are also the tabloid reporters looking for another story. She has become a prisoner of her elaborate New York apartment.

Rather than deal with the police, Mrs. Gregson turns to Henry Garmadge for help. His reputation of discretion and ability to solve unusual cases, without publicity, makes him the perfect choice for her.

Gamadge comes up with possible suspects, but when a murder happens, he takes a closer look at everyone involved. The inter-relationships among the people, makes his show more search that much more complicated.

His chief specialties may be old books, signatures and ink, but he is also thorough when it comes to figuring out clues. show less

This 4th book in the Gamadge series is the first one in which Henry Gamadge is married (though the signs were clear at the end of the 3rd book that this was on its way). Daly did a good job of providing all the clues that Gamadge picks up on without signalling to the reader which are the important ones and which are red herrings - a feature of this series that I truly appreciate!

Would like to read more by this author

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26 June 2016