The Importance of Being Ernestine: An Ellie Haskell Mystery [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Dorothy Cannell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2002

Ellie must admit that she's been missing Mrs. Malloy since her caustic, corpulent housekeeper began moonlighting at a private detective's office. So when Mrs. M invites her to Detective Jugg's office one night, Ellie is delighted. Just as the ladies have settled into a chat-and a sampling of Jugg's bourbon and Lucky Strikes-a client, Lady Krumley, walks in. Mistaking the two for private eyes, she reveals her tale of woe. Thirty years ago Lady Krumley wrongfully dismissed her parlor maid, Flossie, who died young, swearing vengeance on all Krumleys. Now several Krumleys have had fatal accidents: could Flossie's daughter, Ernestine, be the cause? Feeling magnanimous, Ellie and Mrs. Malloy take on the case. But can they find the killer without killing each other first?

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In her dozenth delight, Agatha nominee Cannell dishes up a dizzy spoof of American hard-boiled private-eye fiction (after 2001's Bridesmaids Revisited). Ellie Haskell attempts a surprise for her husband, Ben, by redecorating his study, but when her gift seemingly bombs, she seeks comfort and wisdom from her worldly daily, Mrs. Roxy Malloy. Mrs. Malloy has been moonlighting as Girl Friday to a local PI, "Milk" Jugg, and Ellie's nocturnal visit to Jugg's office coincides with the appearance of a new client, Lady Krumley. Mrs. Malloy graciously allows Ellie to act as her assistant in Jugg's absence, and they plunge fearlessly and fecklessly into Lady Krumley's case. Many years widowed, Lady Krumley once sacked a parlor maid, Flossie, whom she suspected of having stolen a valuable brooch. Flossie also managed to get herself in the family way while at Moultty Towers, and later expired from tuberculosis while trying to care for herself and her daughter, Ernestine. With her dying breath, Flossie cursed the Krumley family, and various Krumleys have recently shuffled off the mortal coil in amusingly eccentric ways. Lady Krumley wants to find the missing Ernestine and right ancient wrongs, hoping to avert any further mysterious accidents. Using Ellie's cover as an interior designer, the two gumshoes besiege the denizens of Moultty Towers, and the game is afoot. Cannell orchestrates plenty of laughs along with a clever plot, merrily winking at readers as she pokes fun at numerous genre conventions.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Series sleuth Ellie Haskell (Bridesmaids Revisited) teams up with Mrs. Malloy, her housekeeper, when they bump into a private detective's intended client. Wealthy old Lady Krumley believes that the illegitimate daughter of a parlor maid wrongfully dismissed 30 years ago has begun killing members of the Krumley family in revenge. Totally charming.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 357 pages
• Publisher: Wheeler Publishing (November 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 158724327X
• ISBN-13: 978-1587243271
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,023,072 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars It just lays there, June 30, 2002

By 

JACK "bookophile" (HOUSTON, TX, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Importance of Being Ernestine: An Ellie Haskell Mystery (Hardcover)

Cannell's latest installment in the Ellie Haskell series, "The Importance of Being Ernestine" bears out the old saying that anticipation is greater than reality. I'm an avid fan of the Ellie Haskell novels so I was overjoyed to buy a copy of "Ernestine" after what seemed an interminable gestation time between publications.

The shaming number of inconsistencies in the novel are distracting. On page one or two, a town is called "Mucklesby" and several paragraphs later is "Mugglesby." Throughout the novel there are transpositions and blatant misspellings and wrong word usage (in the novel a character took a peak -- meaning peek).

Despite the sloppy editing, try as I might, I could only find this novel mildly amusing. This time out, all the silliness that made Cannell's earlier novels (notably "Femmes Fatal," "How to Murder the Man of Your Dreams") at times literally laugh-out-loud escapades, came across as pat and tired. In "Ernestine" the cast of characters were like a family reunion: there was the madcap Mrs. Malloy, still teetering around on 4-inch heels and dying her hair improbable colors, while fracturing the Queen's English; devoted husband Ben, known primarily for his physical beauty and little else; a kleptomaniac Aunt Lulu; and hippy-like Cousin Freddy, who seems to be acting more a mother to Ellie's three young children than Ellie herself. For some reason, these formerly lovable and entertaining characters failed to enchant me this go round.

As for the mystery -- well, Cannell's novels do fall into the "cozy" category, so there are no violent scenes or graphic depictions of murder or mayhem of any kind.

Don't get me wrong: I still love Cannell's work, but I suspect she's fired off the best jokes in her earlier installments in the Ellie Haskell series. Nevertheless, I'm addicted, and will eagerly await the next Ellie Haskell mystery. But please get a decent editor.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars If you have enjoyed mysteries since their inception, this will be a delightful trip down memory lane., March 20, 2007

By 

Liz at reviewedbyliz.com "Because life is too... (Cedar Springs, Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Importance of Being Ernestine: An Ellie Haskell Mystery (Mass Market Paperback)

Ellie Haskell and her housekeeper Mrs. Malloy are mistaken for private detectives and asked to locate a missing person by a woman named Lady Krumley. It seems that Lady Krumley had fired her pregnant maid 30 years before and has recently had a rash of unusual deaths in the family due, she believes, to a vow of vengeance the maid made before dying several months after her dismissal. She wants the two sham detectives to find the maid's daughter Ernestine so she can make amends for her actions 30 years ago.

I am having a hard time figuring out how to describe this book. It is a parody, sort of. It is a throwback in time to an earlier style of mystery, sort of. I liked it, but it is still hard to describe. The suspension of disbelief factor is very high, but the book is very enjoyable. Much of the book is very tongue-in-cheek as the detectives feel their way through their roles and draw from an assortment of mystery styles and genres - from the gritty film noir private eyes, to the frolicking society detectives, and back again for classic plot twists straight out of Sherlock Holmes. If you have enjoyed mysteries since their inception, this will be a delightful trip down memory lane.

One of the strange things about the edition I read is the typos. Or what appear to be typos. Because of the style of the book, you are never quite sure if they are intended or not. Tell me what you think. Look for Mugglesby, micro-cousin, peak, and creak appearing where Mucklesby, microcosm, peek, and creek would be appropriate.

One of the great things about this book is the treatment of an overused mystery theme - the long-lost/illegitimate child. As most dedicated mystery readers know, this concept is tired. But Cannell manages to make it interesting. She peppers the book with Ernestine candidates and lots of red herrings that keep you guessing until the end.

Favorite character? Mrs. Malloy. An eccentric woman who has an outfit for every occasion and detective personality.

Did I guess it? Well, there are really two mysteries in this book. One I did get fairly quickly, but the other involves that old Sherlockian plot twist... Good luck!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Witty and fast-moving., August 11, 2002

By 

booksforabuck "BooksForABuck" (Long Beach, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Importance of Being Ernestine: An Ellie Haskell Mystery (Hardcover)

Ellie Haskell and her housekeeper, Mrs. Malloy are visiting in the detective's office Malloy cleans when a late client drops in. An elderly aristocrat claims that her family is suffering from a curse left behind by a falsely accused maid. The woman, believing that Ellie and Malloy are detectives, asks them to investigate. A gunman attempts to persuade them to drop the case, but only makes them more anxious to find the truth.

Egged on by her friend, Ellie agrees and the two women set off on a proper English play of manners. There are no end of suspects: a nephew who may have killed his parents with an exploding train set; the nephew's wife who is interested in blackmail; actresses turned maid; the elderly lady herself; and the mysteriously missing Ernestine. It takes continued efforts for Ellie and Malloy to get to the truth--and still make it home in time for Ellie to take care of her family.

Author Dorothy Cannell writes a funny, fast-paced novel. The character dialogue kept me chuckling, as did the rather mad-cap action. The mystery itself won't pose much of a challenge for hard-core cozy readers, but in the case of THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ERNESTINE, getting there is where the fun is. And there is plenty of fun in this charming novel.