Thank you to Netgalley for an advance copy of this book. I was excited to read it, as Georgette Heyer has been on my radar for some time. I love mysteries, particularly British mysteries set in this time period. That being said I liked, not loved this book. It had its charm to be sure. The characters were quirky and the humor understated. I felt like I was watching an old black and white film on TCM.
I will read another book in this series, as I would like to see the characters develop a little more. The writing is good and the setting is enjoyable.

Extremely detailed descriptions and plot builds slowly but evenly.

Great period mystery from an author I usually associated with recency romances.

I requested this book by Georgette Heyer because, in my teens and twenties, I read and reread each and every one of her romance novels with incredible enjoyment. The urge to try one of her mysteries was strong.

A man is found dead is a small English village, locked, of all places, in the stocks on the green. Inspector Hannasyde is assigned the case, and soon meets and becomes rather frustrated by the loquacious members of the dead man’s family.

Ms. Heyer was a brilliant writer, with an extraordinary ability to portray the witty and often inane conversations that took place in reception rooms and ballrooms everywhere during Regency England. I did not find, however, that her style lent itself well to this mystery novel. I sussed out all the mystery in this book very, very quickly and, truly, the Verekers had me wanting to tear my hair out.. Sorry, this was not for me.

Having said that, I find I must add that Ms Heyer's ability to confound and confuse simply through the use of repartee is amazing.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Georgette Heyer’s first Inspector Hannasdye mystery, Death in the Stocks, demonstrates her unique wit and exemplifies her characteristic blend of comedy, romance and murder.  Originally published in the 1930’s, Death in the Stocks has an energetic charm frequently found in screwball comedies. There isn’t much action- most occurs “off screen”. Heyer’s primary focus is dialogue - fast paced, witty and frequently cutting.  This is extremely clear in Death in the Stocks, where the Vereker’s dash ideas, accusations and commentary back and forth at top speed. Much of the dialogue is funny, but it can come to grate on the nerves. This may lessen the novel’s appeal to readers more interested in plot and readers less familiar with the style.  The “Bright Young Things” (the Vereker’s, Violet, Rudolph ..) are entirely self-centered, focused on their wants and readily turning on each other in a half-joking half-calculating way. The disconnect visible in all characters with the exception of Giles Carrington, family lawyer, an Inspector Hannasdye, can be quite jarring.  But this was not uncommon for the 1930s, as escapist films and books focused on the glamorous high life. One item I found unusual- although Death in the Stocks is ostensibly the first Inspector Hannasdye novel, he is not the one to solve the mystery.


When Arnold Vereker is found in the stocks, murdered, there are few clues to indicate the culprit.  Both Antonia and Kenneth Vereker, the victim’s half siblings, readily admit they despised their older brother and guardian.  Both stood to gain, and neither has a satisfactory alibi. Also, neither are willing to share information with the police, allowing sheer stubbornness to make the Inspector more suspicious.  Their cousin Giles, also their lawyer, is willing to help, but first he has to discover what parts of his cousins’ ramblings are true and important.


Death in the Stocks will not appeal to everyone, but it is an excellent example of its type.  If you enjoy 1930s screwball comedies or hefty doses of witty banter, you are likely to enjoy Georgette Heyer’s Death in the Stocks.  


4 / 5


I received a copy of Death in the Stocks from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.


— Crittermom

It has been a long time since I have read any books by Georgette Heyer, but as soon as I opened the book, it was just wonderful - the story, the puzzle, the wordsmith and the fun. This book probably will not suit everyone, but for me it was like curling up with a very old friend.
Heyer is probably better know for here romance novels, but her mysteries are just fabulous and so much fun - pure escapism - with so much reality in todays life it is great to just make believe in the fantastic world of the golden age.

The story starts in a Miss Marple type village with the body of Arnold Vereker found in the village stocks.
This story keeps a good pace and takes you into the lives of the extended Vereker Family who have good fun muddying the waters for the police.
The interaction between the characters makes for a good armchair mystery you don’t want to put down.
I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"It's the perfect crime, Superintendent."

One body found stabbed in the stocks of a sleepy village; another found soon after shot in his own apartment. Both crimes seem to be unsolvable. And one family is caught in the middle of it, desperate to keep its secrets…

This was my first mystery by Georgette Heyer. One of the most prolific writers of Regency Romances, I have devoured every book by her I could get my hands on, but somehow never got around to her mysteries. I'm so glad I finally did, though!

As a mystery, I have to say, I found this a bit lacking. It is cozy and entertaining, and the murder mysteries themselves, the many red herrings and twists, were intriguing and really enjoyable. I read this almost in one sitting, but I hate to say, I figured out who did it pretty early on.

Luckily, what Heyer was incredibly brilliant at was her characters. The family of the deceased was one hilarious and biting social satire, and their interactions were incredibly lively and fun to watch. They were the one thing that really kept me on the edge of my seat, because I just couldn't wait to see who they really were underneath the lies they kept telling. The individual conclusions to their fates really interested me more than the murder, which goes to prove how good Heyer was at creating multi-facetted characters.

All in all, this was a very easy, comfortable, highly enjoyable read. A cozy murder mystery with brilliant characters!

I received this ARC via Netgalley in return for an honest review. It was great fun to revisit an old friend of a mystery. Georgette Heyer created a series of murder mysteries, most with a recurring Superintendent and Sergeant that provided continuity. The mysteries have, overall, aged well, considering this one was first published in 1935. A man is discovered, stabbed to death, with his feet locked in wooden stocks (used as a form of punishment a few hundred years ago). Suspects include a half-sister and brother (they are 'whole siblings' to each other), a long-lost brother, two fiancees, a nurse/housekeeper.... And then, there's a second murder. The one quibble I have with the whole series is that the female love interest (I won't give it away) is always an odd pairing to me - why does the thoroughly sensible male character decide to love this woman? Some of them (not completely in this book) are annoying characters and the love relationship just doesn't mesh. Still, it is overall a fun mystery, with little violence or sex. I recommend it.

A huge fan of Georgette Heyer I do so wish she had written more of these crime books! They are the fabulous escapism crime stories and like all her books you are instantly drawn into a perfect world. There are no mistakes in her stories and this as ever is a sheer pleasure to read time and time again!

Georgette Heyer has written many of my favourite books, mainly historical romances, but also her mysteries. Inspector Hannasyde is capable, calm and intelligent, and the usual cast of reputable suspects stomp across the pages. Finding the body in the public stocks was a unique and curious start to the book, and overall it is an enjoyable read.

The story opens with the discovery of a body in the stocks on the village green. Arnold Vereker was an unlikable man, with plenty of enemies. They cast of suspects is relatively small; there is his half-brother Kenneth or half-sister Antonia, Antonia's fiance and one or two other possibilities.
It is an enjoyable little mystery, but as with her other mysteries, it is not particularly tightly plooted in the way of an Agatha Christie, what makes it so entertaining is the characterisation. This, I feel, is where Heyer's talent lies.

**Many thanks to Netgalley for a copy to review.