I just finished reading Death in the Stocks, and I must say that it may turn out to be a firm favorite among Georgette Heyer's mysteries. Full of Bright Young Things and slightly more sober members of law enforcement, it was a delight to read from the stunning beginning when a murdered Andrew Vereker is discovered with his feet in the stocks in the village green, to the goings on at the artist's loft where his half-brother and half-sister are more likely to toast his death with champagne than mourn him.

Andrew Vereker, it turns out, was a wealthy bully as well as the guardian of his half-sister Antonia. And Tony is quick to herself as a likely prime suspect number one. Until, that is, her cleverness in stumping the police is outdone by her brother Kenneth, much to the consternation of his grasping fiancée Violet Williams and adoring childhood friend Leslie, not to mention cousin and legal representative Giles Carrington.

Into this mess of a family, which includes Tony's slightly shady but ever so attractive fiancé Rudolph,, steps the stalwart Superintendent Hannasyde and his subordinate, Sergeant Hemingway. And with the various temperaments, a curious death leads to an oddly pleasing combination of 1930's romantic, vaguely screwball, comedy and stylish detective stories.

With some twists being telegraphed, and others a bit less suspected, this might be one of the quickest and most spritely mysteries I've ever read. And while my own theories and suspects abounded, it was a pleasure to watch the unfolding of the investigation and the discussions between Hannasyde and Giles Carrington.

Tony and Kenneth do take a bit to warm up to as characters, with their lack of grief, and their various attachments seem quite shallow. But it all works together quite cleverly in the end. And while Hannasyde's eyes seem to twinkle rather too often for a Superintendent on the trail of a murderer, it is Hemingway who Heyer gives the larger personality. Both leave the reader not unwelcoming to having them reappear in future novels.

If country house murder mysteries are your cup of tea, particularly those from the 1930's, then this is one I would highly recommend.

While I was approved to read a digital galley of the newest edition by Sourcebooks through NetGalley, it was archived before I was able to download it. This review refers to a used copy I purchased at Powell's Books. All opinions expressed are my own.

As an avid Agatha Christie fan, I am not sure why I have never read Georgette Heyer before. This book was wonderful. Great mystery, great family dynamics, (including the long lost return of the prodigal son), romance, and humor, this book has it all. This definitely goes into the highly recommend category.

Before the Thin Man

Hannasyde may be the Inspector but the Vereker family members are the focus of this interestingly staged plot. Written in the 1930s by a highly literate author with an extremely light and humorous touch, we are treated to the manners and mannerisms of the black and white movie era. I patted myself on the back for correctly deducing Whodunit and thoroughly enjoyed the chase.

I can only assume that this book is a re-release, as the author is deceased. I have only ever read her Regency-like romances, and adore them, so when I saw her name pop up on NetGalley I requested this ARC without even really checking to see what it was about.

This is written in the familiar writing style of Heyer, with a typical set of characters, whose whimsical and witty dialogue I’ve read many a time before in her books – and this is not a bad thing. The Vereker siblings are very quirky and very enjoyable to read, even if they exasperate most of the other characters. There was a very matter-of-fact romance which is also feels very Heyer.

The mystery was nothing very special, I felt this is less mystery and more family or whimsical drama, with a murder mixed in for a reason to go and visit them. This is the first book listed in the Inspector Hannasyde series – who was technically investigating the murder but who wasn’t really the main focus in the story, at least not to me. I sort of breezed through the Inspector’s bits and was only really engaged during the Vereker parts of the story. So I do hope that they make an appearance in the other books, or otherwise I think it’s unlikely I would pick them up – unless they feature another pair as quirky and enjoyable as the Verekers!

I love the fact that they are republishing Georgette Heyer's books. This one was written in 1935 so you know there are no cell phones and it's historical. Set in a small English village not far from London Inspectors Hannasyde and Hemingway are called to investigate a dead body left in the town square's stocks. This is book 1 in their series. If you love vintage historic who done it's this is the author and series for you. An enjoyable read. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Death in the Stocks is the first in a mystery series by Georgette Heyer. It has the classic Heyer witty dialog and interesting characters. There are a lot of red herrings before the mystery is solved. However the characters seemed to be too in love with the sound of their own voices. All of the dialog became receptive and caused the story to drag. I think that the mystery is a little dated and it did not hold up as well as Heyer's historical romances have. Even so I was a little surprised by who did the two murders.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

Did somebody play a bad trick on Arnold Vereker while he was drunk and put him in the stocks on the village green? Looks like someone disliked him more than playing a trick since they killed him. On the other hand, he wasn’t a local in Ashleigh Green so maybe it doesn’t matter so much. Poor Inspector Jarrold seems about to pull his hair out since the Vereker family seems to be either joking that they did it or wondering amongst themselves who really did. They sure all had a motive and they sure all disliked him and even more so, they are all a little nutty.
Speaking of the family brings the characters to mind, all which were well-described. This is not a bad story. It just seemed as if there was too much focus on the family sitting around in what must have been the same room and too much dialog by the family about the murder. So much dialog that what was actually interesting and cute, became a little tedious. Still interesting and worth my time to read.

This is a mystery story but it tickled my funny bone more than it challenged my detective skills. The mystery storyline wasn’t bad but the story overall seemed to be more about the relationships between the characters with less police type work than you would expect. Georgette Heyer is probably best known for her Regency romances but she also published quite a few mysteries. This is the first one to feature Superintendent Hannasyde and Detective Hemingway. The murder did keep me guessing and I didn’t begin to suspect the culprit until near the end. My favorite part though, had to be the Vereker family. Not only are there two sets of siblings who can’t seem to get along, but a lost brother who appears out of nowhere and a particularly nasty big brother. Based on this book, I would say that characterization is where Georgette Heyer really shines. None of these people are clichés. This story is also written with a lot of humor and, overall, I found this to be a delightful read.

Death in the Stocks is the first Superintendent Hannasyde mystery written in 1935.

Arnold Vereker is found locked in the village stocks and stabbed to death. Superintendent Hannasyde has a multitude of suspects since everyone seemed to dislike him and no one has an ironclad alibi.

Maybe it is the shadow of Agatha Christie, who was writing at the same time, but Georgette Heyer’s mysteries seem overlong and rather stuffed with English upper crust commentary that seems irrelevant more than eighty years after they were published. Rather than reading Death in the Stocks, read one of the author’s excellent regency romance books for which she is famous. For a great mystery, read Agatha or Dorothy L. Sayers. 2 stars.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was one of the best mysteries I’ve ever written. It had suspense and a compelling mystery! I also thought the historical detail was well-done. This is the first time I had ever a Georgette Heyer novel. I plan on reading more of her work.

Death in the Stocks by Georgette Heyer is the first book in Inspectors Hannasyde&Hemingway.

When Andrew Vereker is found stabbed in the stocks although it look quite peculiar nothing is too strange about this particular murder until Inspector Hannasyde meets the deceased's family. They are all sllightly quirky, not helpful at all and they all had means and motive for killing this man,

I liked how outrageous the main characters are. Their behaviour is so out of line, they make inspector's job so much harder with their attitude, but even so he treats them with such wisdom and ease that he manages to collect the evidence without their realising it.
Cleverly plotted and sometimes too slowly paced, I would have prefered less conversation and more action.
Well rounded characters very vividly portrayed. Inspector has fastly become one of my favourite sleuths.
Great choice for lovers of classic mysteries.

I love whatever Georgette Heyer wrote but I think this is not one of her best mysteries.
It seems to be more a comedy of manners than a mystery.
The focus is on the different characters and inspector Hannasyde just appears from time to time.
The pace is gentle, sometimes a bit slow, but there are a lot of funny bunters.
The cast of characters is quirky and interesting but not always likable.
It was interesting to read this book and I recommend it to fan of Georgette Heyer.
Many thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for this ARC

4.5 Stars
PC Dickenson is returning from night patrol finds a corpse in evening dress locked in the stocks on the village green. He identifies the body immediately. Andrew Vereker was not a well-loved man, and narrowing down the suspects is not going to be an easy job. The Vereker family are corrupt and eccentric and hardly cooperative plus they are all horrid.
It's another case for the resourceful Superintendent Hannasyde, who sets off on the trail of a killer so cunning that even his consummate powers of detection are tested to their limits, he’s aided by the Vereker's solicitor Giles Carrington. In fact Hannasyde & Giles are the only likeable characters. This book was first published in 1935. The characters are stereotyped but for me that made the book even more delightful, the author really hit the nail on the head with the playboy businessman, the sulky artist & the beautiful gold digger. I thoroughly enjoy the author's detective books because they reflect the era & there’s the tongue in cheek element to them
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

This is the first mystery book I have read b Georgette Heyer. . The main suspects were unlikable as they never took their situation seriously. However, the side characters were interesting and the mystery kept me guessing. I'm very willing to try more from this author.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC I received in exchange for my honest review.

First sentence: It was past midnight, and the people who lived in the cottages that clustered round the triangular green had long since gone to bed and to sleep.

Premise/plot: You know how some murder mysteries seem to take forever before the body appears and the detectives arrive? Not Death in the Stocks. Within the first two pages we have a corpse: Arnold Vereker. He was found stabbed to death in the village stocks. How peculiar indeed. He only comes down to the village occasionally on weekends--usually with a woman. His family isn't surprised that he's dead. He wasn't well-loved--or even liked. It could even be likely--in terms of motive--that one of his own family did the crime.

Throughout the novel readers get a chance to know his family quite well: Antonia, "Tony," and her brother, Kenneth. Giles Carrington, their cousin and lawyer. Tony is engaged to a man who was pilfering money from Arnold Vereker's company. Kenneth is engaged to a gold digger. No doubt the inspectors soon realize this family is CRAZY ECCENTRIC. But is anyone in the family capable of murder?

My thoughts: I loved, loved, loved this one. I believe this was my second time to read this one. I love the characters. I love the dialogue. I love the pacing. It was just a delight to spend time with the characters.

I received this book for free from Netgalley. This did not influence my review.

Continuing with Georgette Heyer’s re-released mysteries, I read Death in the Stocks. In this delightfully humorous novel, a corpse is discovered early on, stabbed in the back and propped up in the stocks on the village green. The novel is set in the early twentieth century, so the stocks were a quaint historical relic as well as a bit of a red herring.

The victim is Arnold Vereker, a wealthy businessman from London, a nasty and disliked character who had taken a home in the country as a weekend getaway for himself and various lady friends. The immediate investigation of his home revealed a young woman at the house, his half-sister Antonia (Tony) Vereker, who had come from London to argue with him, but not, she claims, to kill him.

In short order, we meet her attorney, Giles Carrington, a sensible man who is a cousin by marriage, Tony’s artist brother Kenneth, Kenneth’s fiancé, a cold beauty named Violet, and Tony’s fiancé, Rudolph. Rudolph is the accountant for Arnold’s corporation and he has recently been caught embezzling. Everyone hated Arnold for one reason or another, except for Violet, who is nevertheless pleased to hear that he’s dead since Kenneth is the heir and will now be wealthy.

They all have terrible alibis and are quite glib about the whole affair, which exasperates the inspector and troubles Giles. Giles happens to be in love with Tony and is just waiting for her betrothal to Rudolph to fall apart. He works with the inspector while counseling his cousins, a conflict of interest of which they are all aware but accept.

Things are confusing enough, and then, Arnold’s long-lost, presumed dead brother Roger appears on the scene, recently returned from South America. He replaces Kenneth as heir and chief suspect. His alibi is even weaker. The siblings are pleased to pin blame on him, though no one seems to actually believe him guilty. They also bandy about the possibility of their own blame. Kenneth, in particular, takes pleasure in baiting the inspector. However, when Roger is murdered, Kenneth is not so amused. It isn’t the fact that his own guilt now seems assured, but rather, he fears being the next victim.

The inspector is a competent detective who methodically pursues clues and discusses them with Giles, the only sane-appearing member of the family. Giles does his own clue chasing, being better informed and knowing the quirks of the Verekers. Naturally, it is Giles who solves the case.

The plot zips along and the mystery is well constructed to keep everyone guessing. What makes this novel shine, however, is the dialogue and the relationships among the various characters. It is farcical for a murder mystery, and also contains a cute romance. Although the novel started out a bit slowly, establishing who’s who and what their motives might be, it’s well worth sticking with it to see how it all plays out.

I really enjoyed this book! It's my first Georgette Heyer book, and I'd mainly only heard about her Regency romances, but I love a good mystery, so when I had the opportunity to review this book, I thought "why not?" I'm very glad I did, although, honestly, I wasn't sure if I would, based on a few reviews I read that said it was predictable and they were disappointed, so I think that clouded my reading a bit, worrying if I'd be disappointed in the ending. However, when I finished the book, I wasn't disappointed at all and it even made me want to read more from this author.

As I began the book, I was immediately reminded of Agatha Christie, my favorite mystery author ever, but the story took on its own characteristics and the author can stand on her own without saying that she copied Christie's style, in my opinion. The story is told with humor throughout pretty much all of it, and in a way that I felt like the action didn't take a breath, so to speak -- not many stopping points, the action just keeping moving. While the murders themselves are a bit dark (as murder would be), the details aren't gruesome or overly descriptive, just mentioned as facts and then the rest of the book is more light, focusing mainly on the victims' family. While some reviews I read mentioned the characters were annoying, I did get why they would think that because of how flippantly they treated the whole situation, but, as I said, I appreciated the humor and how the story was told.

This book is part of a series, with the policemen being the recurring characters, but one would never know that just based off this book, since the majority of the book is told from others' points of view (the suspects mainly) and the policemen actually appear to play a more minor role in the action and solution. It did make me wish that Giles, at least, would be a recurring character in the rest of the books, since he is the one who ultimately solves the crimes and not the two policemen, so it'll be interesting to see how many of the subsequent books include Hannasyde and Hemingway.

Since I was nervous about other readers' opinions through most of the book, I was afraid I'd have to give this book 3-3.5 stars, but in the end I thoroughly enjoyed it. It kept me well entertained and guessing, with the clues as to the murderer's identity hidden enough for me, though I did suspect that person at one point, which isn't saying much, as I suspected most everyone throughout the book! ha ha I actually would probably give this 4-4.5 stars because I did enjoy it and appreciated the Christie-esque style, though, again, Heyer stands on her own as a writer (it may have simply been the time period the story is set in that felt so much like a Christie book).

Content: Clean, no language, and a lighter mystery, definitely in the style of Agatha Christie but standing on its own without copying Christie in any way, I felt.

Superintendent Hannasyde is called in to investigate when a man's body is found in a village stocks. Andrew Vereker, is the dead man and unfortunately for the police not a well liked man, so there seems to be many suspects especially in his family.
Unfortunately most of the story related to the suspects and not the police procedures, and I did actually work out the guilty party. Overall it was an enjoyable read but I did find most of the characters so annoying I hoped that they would all be found guilty of murder.

In the middle of the night, a man in evening clothes is found dead, locked in the stocks on the village green. Superintendent Hannasyde has to find out who wanted Andrew Vereker, a man hated by nearly everyone, murdered. Could it be his corrupt family members? It will take all Hannasyde's skill at detection to determine who's telling the truth, and who is pointing him in the wrong direction.
Even though I’ve enjoyed Ms. Heyer’s mysteries in the past, this one totally missed the mark. I found it long-winded and boring, and honestly didn’t care to finish it. I hope to have more fun next time I read one of her stories. I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily reviewing it.

Georgette Heyer issued Death in the Stocks in 1935, a classic murder mystery of manners, involving an upper middle class business family whose leader has been murdered and placed in the village stocks. The police examine all the suspects, who indulge in throwing out red herrings. Finally a member of their circle solves the murder for the police.