Engaging husband-and-wife team in a post-Golden Age mystery.

The clever title almost constitutes a spoiler, but even if you figure out the 'why,' you'll still wonder about the who.

The Heldars are equal partners in sleuthing, and ably juggle it with their domestic life. They fall somewhere between the Lockridge's Norths and Christie's Beresfords.

The characters are generally well-developed and interesting. Also interesting is the mid-twentieth century peek into Fleet Street and post-austerity London.

Solid, enjoyable read. I received a free copy from the Crime Classics Review Club in exchange for an honest review.

Taut, tense mystery with clues and a foreboding of what is to happen. The reader is carried along by an incredible plot and sympathetic characters.

Johnny and Sally Heldar are the investigative couple in this, one of four novels featuring them, from Henrietta Hamilton. All four books were written in the 50s and this one, at least, has been reprinted by Agora as part of their Uncrowned Queens of Crime series.

The action in this book revolves around work in the National Press Archives after World War II. Frank Morningside, an assistant archivist, has been receiving poison pen letters and someone is also pulling pranks on him. His boss Toby calls on amateur sleuths Johnny and Sally to look into it. Posing as researchers, they snoop around a bit. Once Morningside gets his head bashed in - by a box of glass negatives -Scotland Yard is called in. Chief Detective-Inspector Lindsay is nominally in charge of the case, but we know that Sally and Johnny will solve it. The list of possible suspects is not terribly long, but they are amusingly drawn, and each is worthy of at least a look by the duo.

The perpetrator was not a surprise to me (according to the ebook, I figured the thing out at 49%), but finishing the book brought me back to my very young days when Agatha Christie was the only real mystery writer I knew.

Those with modern sensibilities may be aghast at how much smoking there is (or, for younger readers in the aughts, why they're allowed to smoke inside) or just how slow the book feels. Keep in mind that this was written in then 1950s, and people didn't have the equivalent of a supercomputer in their hand all day long. There's something to be said for people intelligently discussing something without being able to bounce on to wikipedia when there's a question.

Overall: three stars, as I felt things could have been tightened up a bit.

Thanks to NetGalley and Agora for the reading copy.

This was a bit of a gem! It reminded me a little of Paul Temple, with its husband-and-wife sleuthing team of Johnny and Sally Heldar (including moments when Johnny gets a bit over-protective, though not nearly as irritatingly as Temple!) and also of Sayers' Murder Must Advertise - the latter for the office atmosphere which is so well-realised in both. So, a nice ready-made audience of Sayers and Durbridge fans there, I should think!

I always enjoy books where you're wondering if the person you like most will turn out to be the murderer, and if so, can the author convince you that this nice person might be capable of killing? I also, as I implied above, enjoyed the detail of the photography agency, very much of-its-time - it would all have been digitised now, so there's almost an element of social history wrapped up in this entertaining form.

I'm looking forward to more from Agora and Henrietta Hamilton, I hope she had a nice long list!

Thank you to NetGalley and Angora Books for this ARC. This book is a part of a series and this is the last title in the series, which I didn't know when I started reading. The first few chapters I kept thinking i'd missed something as there are lots of references to characters previously introduced o not really suitable to read as a one off or out of order. The plot was pretty thin too, half way through i'd worked out the murderer and couldn't believe the other characters were ignoring massive hints/clues. Saying that I liked the style of writing and will be reading the others books in the series starting with the first one.

In Answer in the Negative the archive assistant at National Press Archives - Frank Morningside -
has been the receiver of poison pen letters and practical jokes. At first not so bad, but it evolves
and gets nasty. That makes his superior Toby call on his friends for help. His friends are the married
couple and amateur sleuths Sally and Johnny Helder. Johnny reluctantly offers to help and they start
inquiries at the archive pretending to be researchers. While investigating two murders take place
before Johnny succeeds in finding out who the murderer is. It is a real whodunit crime story, but
not that easy to figure out who did it.

In the back of the book is a prologue to Death at One Blow, and after reading Answer in the Negative
you do want to read this as well. I guess that won’t be easy unless Agora Books decide to publish
this too. I do hope so. It will be a treat to read more about the amateur detective couple, and learn
what further happens in Death at One Blow.

This release by Agora books was a very welcome one to me. I loved the book for several reasons. The main characters, the Heldars, were a lovely couple. The story was written in the style of the Golden Age which I always find to be erudite. I loved the struggle to find the truth and the careful analysis of all the information gathered. I also, of course, am a fan of suspense but without terrible violence in gory detail as well as the lack of vulgar language which so many modern authors find necessary in their writing. I guessed the perpetrator only by luck I think we it was not really obvious by the clues in the book but just what my husband always called my intuition. I miss him now and his loving ways toward me. I am sure if this had been made into a movie, we would have loved it and he would have been asking throughout, "Well, have you figured it out?" . I will see you later love.

I'm a sucker for mid-war British women writers, and although this one is a little later, I'm so happy the publisher is bringing these titles back. Easy to get lost in, it's a light fun read with nostalgia that will transport you to another time if you let it. Fun little mystery-- not too complicated, but entertaining. Easy easy read. YAY for re-issuing!!

A very good classic British mystery set in post WWII. The characters are well developed, with a compelling storyline, even if at times it gets bogged down in too much detail.

The story centers around a business, which specializes in old photograghs and news clippings, A fascinating look into a very obscure and unknown type of business, yet extremely important to the newspapers.

The author has created a delightful and entertaining mystery with twists and turns. The atmosphere of this story is intriguing. The mystery flows for the most smoothly with a few detours.

I want to thank Agora Books and Net Galley for this advance copy.

Some of the other reviewers have indicated that they find the whole premise of this book to be cloying at best. I don't find it to be so, and, in fact, I enjoyed the pure escapism the author offered. The protagonist household circumstances aren't anywhere near reality, and that's okay with me since this is a work of FICTION. I personally like to b reminded of a time when not every female in the world felt they had to have an outside job in order to feel that they were contributing the their family and society as a whole.

Anyway, the story itself is fun. The pace isn't too slow, and there is a sort of twist at the end. I admit that I had it figured out before the actual denouement, but I still enjoyed reading until the end. The book was originally released in the 1950s, and it's great to have a husband-wife sleuthing team from that era solving a murder (or two...). I plan to read more by Henriette Hamilton, an author I had not know about until I came across this book. Try it out - you won't be disappointed.

Work in the pictures department of National Press Archives has been severely disrupted of late. Frank Morningside, an archive assistant, has been the recipient of a series of pranks and increasingly malicious poisoned pen letters. When the situation becomes intolerable and begins to influence his work, Toby Lorn, a close friend the Heldars and head of the pictures department, decides to call on his friends Johnny and Sally Heldar for help. But then Morningside is found dead, lying in the doorway of his office, killed by a box of glass negatives that have crashed down on his head. The Heldars find themselves investigating a murder case, can they stop a murderer before they kill again?

Like many others I had never heard of author Henrietta Hamilton, but with the release of Answer in the Negative by Agora Books, she has recently been brought back into print.
Her series of four, written from 1956 to 1959, features Johnny and Sally Heldar.

Set in the world of 1950s journalism, the novel follows antiquarian booksellers and amateur detectives Johnny and Sally Heldar. First, just a little clarification regarding this crime-solving duo. Johnny is the bookseller/detective who served with the Commandos, Sally is technically the “stay-at-home” mother of two. Yes, you do see the typical 1950’s gender roles here, but while Sally’s role is initially more supportive I did not see her as subservient to Johnny. She takes an active role in the investigation, and her observations and insights are valuable to the solving of the case.

Hamilton creates quite a few red herring via her suspects. Teddy, the errand boy and potential prankster who’s dislike of Morningside is apparent; Michael Knox, a volatile Irishman with a habit of withholding answers; Serena, Morningside's former fiancé; the fastidious Miss Quimper who argues with Morningside; as even Toby, who seems to have more than a boss’s interest in Serena.

While the plot started out slowly, with Sally and Johnny merely observing the office and its occupants, it picked up quickly and moved swiftly through to a very satisfying conclusion. In addition to the mystery, it was really intriguing to get an insight into the way newspaper cuttings and photos were handled before computers

Answer in the Negative is a delightful, entertaining read. As I stated earlier this is one of four crime novels written by Hamilton. I for one am hoping that Agora prints the remaining three books quickly!

Plucky that was the word that I kept repeating in my head. Hard to put away once you finished the book.

Hadnt heard of this author before being asked to read and review this title. I found it to be an enjoyable story with a likeable pair of amateur detectives who are also a couple. Plenty of twists and turns keep the story fresh until the final surprise ending. Thank you to Agora books for the ARC.

A call for help from the son of an old friend, sees crime fighting duo Sally and Johnny Heldar, investigating a series of poison pen letters at the National Press Archives. But when the victim of these letters ends up murdered, the couple remain on the scene and run their own investigation inconjuction with that of the local constabulary.

The setting for this outing is 1950s London - and today's readers might find some of the themese running through this as a little dated - but that is what you get when reading something that is over 60 years old. London is still bearing the scars of a war which only ended a few years previous.

This isn't the first in the series but there is enough contained within to ensure that you aren't completely left in the dark. An afternoon's escapism.

Sally and Johnny Heldar are asked by a friend working at the National Press Archives to investigate poison pen letters being received by a work colleague Frank Morningside. Johnny and Sally take up various vantage points to check out people working and visiting the press archives to try to figure out who is responsible. Before they unearth the culprit however Frank is killed by a falling box of negatives. Then another suspicious death occurs when a lady falls out of a window.
Everyone gets suspected at some stage, including their friend Toby Lorn who had initially called them in for help. Everyone bar the actual killer gets suspected but going on some of the clues I had the killer sussed before the big reveal.
A book that was published in 1959 I felt it came across as more 1980's as there was an Irish character in the book whose cousin was purported to be a member of the IRA and involved in bombing campaigns. Aside from that anomoly I enjoyed the book and would definitely read another book by Henrietta Hamilton.

I love classic crime movies and books so was delighted when I was asked to join Crime Classics Review Club. I was sent a digital copy of a book that was first published in 1959. Agora Books is reprinting old classic mysteries as part of their Uncrowned Queens of Crime series. I was asked to write an honest review about this book in exchange for receiving it.

Answer in the Negative is a classic British mystery featuring amateur sleuths Johnny and Sally Heldar. This is apparently the second book in this series because in this book something is mentioned about a body being found in Johnny's antiquarian book shop and people recognize them as amateur detectives from a previous case.

Johnny and Sally are visited by a dear friend Toby Lorn who is a supervisor at the National Press Archives on Fleet Street. He is concerned because one of his archive assistants, Frank Morningside, has been receiving nasty poison pen notes and he has also been the victim of mean practical jokes.These things seem to be escalating and Toby asks Johnny to investigate because they aren't able to find the culprit. Johnny is the main sleuth but Sally helps him and they agree to come to the National Archives posing as researchers to watch the employees and try to determine who is writing these nasty notes and leaving them in Frank's office.

But things take a deadly turn when someone is murdered by a box of glass negatives that were rigged to fall on his head when he opened a door. Then there is another murder. Scotland Yard is called in to investigate but Johnny and Sally are on the case, too. The murderer must be someone working in the National Archives so they begin their investigation trying to rule out the many suspects.

Murder in the Negative started out slow for me, picked up a little in the middle and I stayed with it long enough to finish it. I had a suspicion about who the murderer might be but was surprised by some of the twists in the book.This book is a product of its time as something is said about Sally having to get permission from Johnny and they are constantly smoking but I love the 1950's time period and the British setting with drizzle, pubs, a no nonsense nanny and other interesting characters. Johnny rarely went to his book shop so that left plenty of time for them to investigate the murders.

The setting at the National Archives was interesting and I learned some things about how negatives and newspaper clipping were archived and retrieved during that era. Sally and Johnny aren't in the same league as Nick and Nora Charles but they are a likable crime solving couple. Overall, I found Murder in the Negative to be an enjoyable reading experience.

"Answer in the Negative" by Henrietta Hamilton never took off for me. Too tedious, too obvious and way too much time spent adjusting and readjusting the supposed alibi timeline. Good for a one-time read, but it won't be on my reread list.

Answer in the Negative is the third of four detective novels featuring a married couple, Johnny and Sally Heldar, as central characters. It has been re-released by Agora books as part of their Uncrowned Queens of Crime season. Thank you to them for a review copy.
The author was certainly unknown to me when I received the book so I had no idea what to expect. I was pleased to find a solid mystery story, well written and with nicely drawn characters. The detective duo of Johnny and Sally are likeable and their reliance on ‘nanny’ to watch over their young children when they are out sleuthing is charming if a little dated.
The novel is set in the 1950s and the action centres around a press clippings and photography agency in central London. Although the setting is somewhat anachronistic in today’s digital age where archives can be accessed and searched at the touch of a button, the writing draws the reader in and it is easy to visualise the scene with negatives being selected, prints being made and harassed secretaries trying to get their work done.
The criminal activity is low level initially with one member of staff being targeted by an unpleasant prankster but it is not long before a murder is committed and things take on a much more serious aspect. Johnny and Sally work alongside the police who tolerate their presence quite happily. The inspector in charge of the case is kept in the background of the story as Johnny and Sally investigate and, of course, ultimately solve the mystery.
The writer plays fair with the reader and all the clues are there in the story though most of them are delightfully easy to miss. The criminal’s motive is hinted at throughout the story but I was quite some way in before I began to realise exactly why a seemingly senseless murder has been committed. Of course there are plenty of red herrings along the way with some very shady people working in the building any one of whom may have had a reason to kill. These are a delightful bunch of potential miscreants and they are written in a sympathetic and credible way making Johnny and Sally’s tolerance of the prevarications and economies of truth with which they are faced wholly understandable.
A chapter of one of Henrietta Hamilton’s other novels is included at the end of the ebook to whet the appetite for future releases and I hope that Agora will republish all of her mystery novels in the future. There are a few references in the story to events which have clearly happened in earlier novels and it would be nice to be able to read these other stories in full and spend more time with Johnny and Sally.
Henrietta Hamilton deserves to join those many authors being rediscovered by lovers of classic crime and I would unhesitatingly recommend this book to anyone looking to investigate a new author and an entertaining puzzle.

Very much enjoyed this book by a new to me author. 1950's London, married sleuthing couple, great vocabulary, and lovely imagery. I received a copy from Crime Classics Review Club. Opinions are my own.

Originally published in 1959, this little mystery has recently been re-published by Agora Books. The protagonist couple, Johnny and Sally Heldar, own a bookshop - my interest, obviously - and in their spare time, solve murders. As one does. 

Unless I am much mistaken, this is actually not the first in the series, which at this point is I think just something I do/happens to me. I can't actually be certain, because Goodreads has nothing for me here, but there are references to previous crime-solving in the book which lead me to believe this adventure may occur after the characters have been established in previous arcs. 

Regardless: this was a cool story. Now, it was written in a different time, by someone who had been born and grown up in an even earlier time so the writing style is quite different to modern cozy mysteries. I actually enjoyed this - there is a certain je ne sais quoi to the amazing courtesy of earlier-generation writers that Ms. Hamilton exemplifies. I found this easy to read, and with an interesting plot to boot! There are stage plays, there are Press Archives, there are love triangles (mostly polite ones, these characters are British after all), there's a bit of everything and because it's a British setting it is all remarkably polite. I didn't guess the murderer until toward the end, either, which is a point for the book and the writer. 

This was a lovely read, and worth the time investment on your part if you do enjoy cozy mysteries!