Book #5 in the Dr Basil Willing series from Helen McCloy written back in the Golden Age and published originally in 1942. Trainee medical student Archie Cranford becomes engaged to nightclub singer Frieda Frey and brings her home to Willow Spring to meet the family and neighbours. Some seemingly unexplained events occur starting with a phonecall to warn Frieda off going to Willow Spring and then a few more events when she fails to heed the warning.
At the dinner party of Senator Mark Lindsay a death occurs which prompts Archie to call in Dr Willing. Everyone has a secret and no one is completely truthful so a lot of red herrings are thrown into the mix. It is up to noted psychologist and criminologist Dr Basil Willing, a psychiatric consultant to the FBI, to read between the lines of everyones statements and find the poltergeist responsible for it all.
I love books that give me a list of characters and descriptions at the start of a book. There is even an Objects of Interest list of which I am undecided about it's need. I enjoyed the majority of the book, the wonderful descriptions from McCloy's pen and the way we feel both sorry for Frieda and at times annoyed with her. I just found some of the theorising on mental states and split personalities a little hard but then the main "detective" is a psychologist so an important part of the book and a main point of difference between Dr Willing and other golden age detectives. Overall it was a well written story and I recommend it wholeheartedly to mystery readers.
Thanks to NetGalley and Crime Classics for giving me a copy of the book to review.

So this is a really interesting read - even if I'm not sure if what I'm going to refer to as the psychological side of the story holds up 80 years on! But if you can bear with that, this is a clever murder mystery with a really horrible victim and an interesting cast of suspects - some of whom you like a lot more than others. I enjoyed it.

Once more I have been lucky to receive a book from the Crime Classics Review Club to review. This time it is Who’s Calling by Helen McCloy. It is published by Agora Books in the series Uncrowned Queens of Crime.

It is a Dr Basil Willing Mystery - number 4 in the series.

Frieda Frey is a singer in a night club and recently engaged to Archie Cranford. Archie’s mother Eve lives in Willow Spring, and Frieda and Archie are going for a visit to introduce Frieda to Archie’s mother. Shortly before leaving Frieda gets an anonymous call warning / threatening her not to go. Arriving at Willow Spring supernatural things begin to take place and later on a murder. Dr Basil Willing is summoned to investigate.

The murder takes place at a dance held by Eve’s friends. They are Mark Lindsey (senator), his wife Julia- their young son Ted - and Ellis (a niece) . A cousin Chalkey and his bodyguard Ernesto turn up just before they are leaving for the ball. It is among this little group of people the murderer is to be found. I couldn’t figure it out but it was great fun reading it.
I like the introduction in the beginning with persons of interest in this mystery, and the list of objects also of interest in this mystery. It makes it so much easier to read.
It was an enjoyable read.

Yet another excellent novel by Helen McCloy, with a very interesting cast of characters.
It's difficult to comment further without giving something of the plot away, but readers won't be disappointed.
Dr Basil Willing proves his mastery of psychology yet again.

‘The telephone rang.’

Archie Cranford, a young doctor, has recently become engaged to Frieda Frey, a night club singer. After he arranges to take Frieda to meet his mother Eve at Willow Spring, near Washington, Frieda receives a telephone call warning her not to go to Willow Spring:

‘All sorts of unpleasant things happen to people who go where they are not wanted.’

Frieda doesn’t think that she recognises the voice, although the person says they will see her if she is foolish enough to travel to Willow Spring. Only a handful of people know of her visit: Frieda is both puzzled and concerned.

Frieda and Archie travel to Willow Spring, where they stay with Archie’s mother and meet with Senator Mark Lindsay, his wife Julia and their son Ted, and Ellis Blount, the nineteen-year-old niece of the Lindsays. Chalkley Winchester V, one of Eve Cranford’s cousins is a late inclusion in the visiting party.

‘Have you ever heard of poltergeist phenomena?’

The phone calls continue, as do some other strange events and Frieda’s room is ransacked. Who is behind these events, and why? And then, a murder occurs. Dr Basil Willing, a psychiatrist who does some work for the FBI, becomes involved. He explains that it is possible that the phone calls, the strange happenings, and the murder could all be the responsibility of someone with a double personality, a poltergeist, who has no idea that he or she is guilty. Imagine: each of the main characters is now wondering whether he or she might be the poltergeist.

Of course, once Dr Basil Willing works it all out, some of the earlier events make more sense. But I confess, I did not work it out before Dr Willing did.

This is the third Dr Basil Willing mystery I have read and enjoyed. While the ‘poltergeist’ theory may make less sense in 2022 than it did in 1947 when the book was first published, it adds to the suspense.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Agora Books for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

This books have really grown on me, or to be more precise, Dr Basil Willing has grown on me. I don't think I have read these in publication order but I have read the first and struggled to finish. The more 'Willing' mysteries I read the more I really enjoy the plot. I am not sure this would have got past the rules of 'The Detection Club' and a very novel solution. Glad to say the characters I disliked most got their comeuppance. Thanks to Netgalley and 'Crime Classics'.

Archie Cranford, a young medical student, brings his fiancee, Frieda Frey, a night club singer, home to Maryland to meet his mother. Before leaving New York City, Frieda receives a mysterious phone call warning her not to visit. Not long after they arrive in Maryland, Frieda receives another warning call and her room is ransacked. That evening at a dance next door at Senator and Mrs. Lindsay's home, cousin Chalkley Winchester is poisoned. Archie asks Dr. Basil Willing, a psychiatric consultant to the New York district attorney and to the FBI, to visit and investigate the poisoning and threats. Dr. Willing believes the incidents are the work of a poltergeist--not the ghostly kind; but, rather the workings of a troubled subconscious mind. Only a handful of family knew Frieda was coming to visit and it's up to Dr. Willing to identify the poltergeist before more mayham ensues. A different and entertaining mystery. It bogs down a bit with Dr. Willing's psychological analyses. There are also a few typos that need correcting, such as Dummy instead of Duminy. Overall, however, it is an interesting mystery.

I enjoyed this book. The psychology is cutting edge for the time the book was written but a little dated today. Even so it is well written; an excellent read and transports the reader to another time and place.

Helen McCloy is a master of suspense.
Reading this book is very pleasant, especially in the first part. All the characters are well developed and the setting is well described. Towards the end it gets a little tired, but the finish is satisfying. Recommended.

This is not the best Basil Willing mystery out there, but still worth a read. While it's not as believable as others, it still holds the attention as the characters develop and wonder "who done it". The author writes well and is a master at describing setting and emotion.

I found the pacing very slow, and most of the characters seemed flat. I feel like it could have done with less characters overall -- it felt like many of them were included just to throw the reader off track.

This is the fifth Dr Willing mystery, published in 1942. I’d already read a couple and liked them enough to be pleased to be offered this one. It makes a change to read a golden age detective story set in America.
An ambitious young doctor has become engaged to a nightclub singer, blinded by her beauty to her true character. His mother and friends back home are horrified but a visit is arranged. Before Frieda makes the trip with her fiancé, Archie, the spooky tricks begin, when she receives an anonymous phone call from a mysterious voice telling her not to go or something dreadful will happen. Not to be put off, the pair travel to Archie’s home but the phone calls and other tricks continue; they are attributed to a poltergeist. Eventually and inevitably, there is a murder.
Enter Dr Basil Willing, the psychiatrist detective who is Archie’s hero. For me, this is where the book goes off. He explains that probably the phone calls, tricks and even the murder are the work of someone with a double personality, a person who has no idea he or she is the guilty one. The section in which each character wonders if he or she might be the ‘poltergeist’ goes on for rather too long. The ending is a good surprise, though and I didn’t guess who the unfortunate character is.
I doubt if modern psychiatrists would support Willing’s theory but it does make for a tense story. I read this as a member of the Crime Classics Review Club.

Quite fun! This book was the first Dr. Willing I have read, and I found it engaging and fast-moving. Lots of red herrings and the emphasis on split personality was very much of its time. I was able to guess the murderer, if not all the plot twists, so downgraded it one star but it was a gripping read.

Someone is trying to frighten nightclub singer, Frieda Frey, from travelling to Willow Spring, to meet her future mother-in-law, Eve Cranford. When she arrives strange events start happening. Who or what is causing this and why. Her fiance Archie Cranford asks Dr Basil Willings for help.
An entertaining mystery with some likeable characters. Another good addition to the series which can easily be read as a standalone story.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Originally published in 1942

A threatening anonymous call, the pranks of a poltergeist, and murder. Dr. Willing comes to help sort it all out at the request of one of the small pool of very interesting suspects, none of whom are certain they didn't do it. A delightful addition to a wonderful classic mystery series.

Helen McCloy and Dr. Willing have done it again - that is to say they have produced an excellent book with an intriguing plot containing lots of twists and turns. It has the flavour of a classic country house murder story but set in America! I personally really enjoy the Dr. Willing series and eagerly await the republication of many more. Keep them coming!

I am a fan of vintage mysteries, and I have read several Dr. Basil Willing books. The hook for these books is that Dr. Willing is one of the first practicing psychiatrists to help law enforcement and examine the psychological aspects of crime.

But having said that, I found the plotting and action in this one to be too preposterous for words. The solution involves a split personality and unbelievable machinations. It felt a bit dated anyway, with a black dog named Tar Baby, and an effeminate character who lisps.

I'll have to pass on recommending this one. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Agora Books and NetGalley for a review copy.
McCloy tells a good story with credible, rounded, characters. I lived in their world for a few hours. I doubt the science of personality disorders has stood the test of time since the 1930s when this was written but read in context it not only makes sense but is guessable.

McCloy achieves both a light hearted, slightly amused, touch and an expert authority in her writing about Dr Basil Willing. Despite a touch of 21st century cynicism around the psychiatry, I really enjoyed this one. While the tying up and the end is a bit of a cheat, the writing is convincing and the plot gripping.

Kudos Again..
The fifth in the reissues of the Basil Whilling mysteries combines some wonderful writing with an interesting murder mystery in which a poltergeist takes the centre stage. The authors’ handling of prose is simply magical, perfectly placed and laced with delightful humour and sly wit. The murder mystery itself may be somewhat predictable but, nevertheless, makes good reading. Aficionados of the Golden Age of crime will surely not be disappointed. Kudos once again goes to Agora Books for bringing these titles, once again, to life.

I love the Basil Willing mysteries. I had not read this one before so it was a treat to read it. I love the character development. Characters who seemed so benign and innocent, we'll, let's say maybe not so much. And some were courageous and still so human. And although, like most of the mysteries I love, the plot seemed somewhat fantastical, it still kept my attention and I had trouble putting it down. I have read all of these wonderful stories about Basil that I have found on e book format, I keep hoping for more. The ending was predictable but what I hoped for.