First published: 1931
The plot: Hildegarde Withers, 39, pragmatic, no-nonsense, single teacher of third graders, teams up with New York City detective, Oscar Piper, to solve the murder of Gerald Lester, who she discovers floating, dead, in the penguin pool at the New York Aquarium. And playing detective is what she's always wanted to do.
"I can get a substitute for a few weeks," suggested Miss Withers eagerly. "I'm having the time of my life. ... That's why I came to New York ten years ago, instead of keeping on teaching school out in Iowa. I wanted a little excitement, though it's little enough I've got at Jefferson School. This is great fun, and better than any detective story I ever read....It's the ambition of my life to play detective."
My thoughts: This is not a mystery to be taken too seriously, but it is an entertaining step back in time. Oscar Piper and Hildegarde Withers are amusing characters. I enjoyed how they worked together to figure out the murder; their disagreements and arguments were equally amusing. Derbys and hat pins, the stock market crash, guesses and interrogations, all play a role in this fun 1930s mystery. I liked it, and wouldn't mind reading some of Palmer's other Hildegarde Withers mysteries.
Happy Reading!
An old mystery, but a goodie. Glad it was a fun read.
ReplyDeleteHaha, this sounds adorable! I've never heard of the book or author, but it sounds like it would be a good fit for a 20th century reading challenge I'm working on!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds exactly like my sort of thing and my library has it. Yay!
ReplyDeleteI would read this just on the title alone but throw in when it was published and your review and I definitely need to read this!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds fun! I love the title and cover. I hope you enjoy the other Hildegarde Withers mysteries, if and when you read them.
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