Styx and Stones (Daisy Dalrymple Mysteries, No. 7) [Hardcover]

Carola Dunn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 1999

In the 1920's, in post-WWI England, the Honourable Daisy Dalrymple, newly married to Detective Inspector Alec Fletcher, is asked by her brother-in-law to discreetly investigate a series of poisoned pen letters that many of the local villagers have been receiving. When the pompous and unbearable brother of the local vicar is killed by a very large rock dropped on his head from a great height, it seems clear to all that this campaign of gossip has escalated to murder. With the help of her husband, who'd rather she not get involved in murder, Daisy undertakes to uncover the identity of the viper in the local nest is and who that person has driven to murder before the murderer strikes a second time.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

At her brother's behest, series sleuth Daisy Dalrymple investigates a series of poison-pen letters that result in murder in a 1923 English village. A pleasant historical.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

So-so eighth in a series set in the early 1920s, dealing with the misadventures and triumphs of the Honorable Daisy Dalrymple, part-time writer and full-time snoop, the latter an activity bemoaned by her fianc, Scotland Yard's D.C.I. Alec Fletcher. Daisy's worried brother-in-law Lord John Frobisher has come to London from Kent to have lunch with Daisy and to tell her about the unsigned poison-pen, obscenely worded letters he's been getting. They accuse him of having an affair with youngish widow Mrs. LeBeau in the village of Rotherden. Its true, unfortunately, though over now, but Daisy decides to pay a visit to her sister Violeto explore the territory and see whether any other villagers are victims of the poison pen. She finds a score of them, including the postmistress, Mrs. Burden; retired Brigadier Lomax; local Dr. Padgett; and mechanic Sam Basin. The Vicar, Reverend Osborne, has an atheist brother, a professor who's anathema to the Vicar's wife, and, it emerges, the Vicar has his own sin to hide. Daisy, asked to address the Women's Institute at the church hall, is on her way to do so, walking through the churchyard, when she spots a body pinned under a large stone angelwhich has obviously pushed or fallen from its stand. The victim is the Vicar's brother, and Daisy, true to form, is soon in the middle of the investigation. The answers, when they come, are hardly believable, even as the characters and events seem contrived most of the time. Only Dunn's most devoted fans will relish this tepid tale. -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Minotaur Books; 1st edition (August 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312205929
• ISBN-13: 978-0312205928
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,464,831 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Carola Dunn is the author of the Daisy Dalrymple mysteries. Born and raised in England, the author now lives in Eugene, Oregon, USA.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Daisy helps out her Brother in Law, January 10, 2003

By 

Moe811 (New York USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Styx and Stones (Daisy Dalrymple Mysteries, No. 7) (Paperback)

Daisy's brother in law Johnny has a major problem. Some years ago, when he was recovering from an horrific injury incurred in WW I, he had a one night affair with a local woman. He is now getting poison pen letters and fears that his wife Violet will find out. Apparently he isn't the only victim, and when the local vicar's brother is killed by a falling statue, all of them are suspects.

As usual, this is a really entertaining mystery. Daisy and Alec solve the mystery with a few twists and turns and arguments. A quick read as usual!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable historical mystery, July 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Styx and Stones (Daisy Dalrymple Mysteries, No. 7) (Hardcover)

In 1923 London, a desperate Lord John Frobisher visits his sister-in-law Daisy Dalrymple to ask for her help. Someone has sent John an ugly unsigned letter filled with profanity, that accuses the aristocrat of having an affair with a widow, Mrs. LeBeau. John acknowledges that he in deed did have a dalliance with the woman, but that it ended. John wants Daisy, who has had success with solving mysteries, to come to his hometown of Kent to uncover the identity of the perpetrator. Even knowing that Daisy's fiancé works for Scotland Yard and fears for her safety, John refuses to go to the police because he does not want to hurt his family.

Daisy, accompanied by her fiancé's daughter, travels to Kent where she quickly learns that the anonymous author has written similar letters to many of the local citizens. However, before she can determine who the culprit behind the crippling correspondence is, Daisy finds the murdered corpse of the Vicar's brother.

The seventh Dalrymple amateur sleuth historical mystery is an entertaining entry in a well-written series. The cozy-like story line moves forward though the motive for the letters seems too stretched for such a campaign. Still Daisy retains her freshness and the support cast makes readers feel they are visiting the decade following WW I in England. Though far from Carola Dunn's best entry in an overall wonderful series, STYX AND STONES remains an enjoyable novel.

Harriet Klausner

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Poorest of the series, May 31, 2005

By 

tme (Washington D.C.) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Styx and Stones (Daisy Dalrymple Mysteries, No. 7) (Paperback)

I've really enjoyed the Daisy Dalrymple series, but this one was truly terrible. It was as if someone else had written the second half. It all starts promising enough, I was enjoying it very much, until about two-thirds of the way into it. Then, everything fell apart. Interesting characters were never more to be seen, the unmasking of the murderer was completely anticlimatic. It felt like the author suddenly stopped midway through the book and quickly decided to pick a murderer at random. Really awful, the real mystery is: what happened in the writing of this book? I'm a bit wary of buying anymore in the series if the next one is going to be the same.