Miss Pym Disposes. Josephine Tey. 1946. 238 pages. [Source: Book I Bought]
Miss Lucy Pym is visiting an 'old friend' who is now a principal at a physical training college. The occasion for her visit is her successful bestselling status as an author of a popular psychology book. Her book is the new "it" book of the moment, Miss Pym gives guest lectures. The students of this college, particularly the juniors and seniors, take a real liking to her. They beg and plead and urge her to stay. So she postpones leaving. (I'm not sure her old college friend is as enthusiastic about keeping her around for the last few weeks of the semester until graduation or not. I'm sure by the end she's thinking: why oh why did I think it would be a good idea to ask her to visit!) It's a super busy time for all. One class is preparing to graduate; there is stress and distress as they prepare for finals and critiques. Some students will be placed in a new job before graduation, others will have to make their own applications after graduation. A really ideal job opportunity arises, and, for some reason this causes great rumbles on the staff and among students. One student is chosen over another. Almost everyone disagrees with the decision. Even Miss Pym is argumentative and opinionated. As graduation approaches the inevitable happens. Inevitable ONLY because it's a mystery book and there is the expectation that at some point a crime, probably murder, but at the very least attempted murder, will occur. This happens extraordinarily late in the novel. One of the graduating seniors has an "accident" that ultimately leads to her death. Miss Pym knows the accident was no accident, and she has proof. But will her proof ever be turned over to the authorities?! Will Miss Pym play god and decided that she has no ethical obligation to turn in the murderer--the girl she's convinced is guilty?!
Miss Pym Disposes is a strange little mystery. I found the academic setting interesting, at least in the beginning. But overall, I was not impressed with this one.
© 2014 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
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Party Shoes. Noel Streatfeild. 1946. Oxford Children's Classics. 320 pages.
Party Shoes isn't quite what I expected it to be. It started out with great promise, I thought. We meet Selina, a girl living with her British cousins through the war (World War II). One day she receives a present from her American godmother. The parcel contains a beautiful (though inappropriate for the times) dress or 'frock' and some lovely shoes. Selina knows, as do her cousins and aunt and uncle that there will never be a suitable occasion for her to wear the dress and shoes. Not with the war on, not with the economy being what it is, not with shortages and restrictions, etc. So the cousins have a meeting. Every person has to suggest at least one idea of how Selina can wear her dress and shoes before she outgrows them. After many ideas are presented, everyone concludes that they will have a pageant on the neighbor's lawn. They set the date for September 20, 1945. And then they each begin writing their piece.
Selina does learn through the process that she is more capable than she ever thought, that she can do things, that she is good at many things, that she is great with working with people, solving problems, etc.
Over half the book is focused on the tiny details of the pageant, each scene of the pageant. We're there for what feels like three hundred rehearsals. Of course, that's not really the case. Probably more like forty. But still. As their scenes are changed, arranged, rearranged, scripted, directed, etc. I found most of the book tedious. I didn't want it to be tedious. I wanted it to be a delight. But most of the delight happened in the first hundred pages.
Read Party Shoes
- If you like Noel Streatfeild
- If you like reading about creativity, drama, etc. (writing poetry, dancing ballet, acting/directing drama, etc.)
- If you like historical fiction set during this time period (1944-1945)
© 2013 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
The Silent Speaker. Rex Stout. 1946/1994. Random House. 288 pages.
Seated in his giant's chair behind his desk in his office, leaning back with his eyes half closed, Nero Wolfe muttered at me:"It is an interesting fact that the members of the National Industrial Association who were at that dinner last evening represent, in the aggregate, assets of something like thirty billion dollars."I slid the checkbook into place on top of the stack, closed the door of the safe, twirled the knob, and yawned on the way back to my desk."Yes, sir," I agreed with him. "It is also an interesting fact that the prehistoric Mound Builders left more traces of their work in Ohio than in any other state. In my boyhood days--""Shut up," Wolfe muttered.I let it pass without any feeling of resentment, first because it was going on midnight and I was sleepy, and second because it was conceivable that there might be some connection between his interesting fact and our previous conversation, and that was not true of mine. We had been discussing the bank balance, the reserve against taxes, expectations as to bills and burdens, one of which was my salary, and related matters. The exchequer had not swung for the third strike, but neither had it knocked the ball out of the park. After I yawned three more times Wolfe spoke suddenly and decisively. "Archie. Your notebook. Here are directions for tomorrow."In two minutes he had me wide awake. When he had finished and I went upstairs to bed, the program for the morning was so active in my head that I tossed and turned for a full thirty seconds before sleep came. (1-2)
I enjoyed
The Black Orchid, but I really enjoyed The Silent Speaker. I just love, love, love Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin. Archie makes for a GREAT narrator! There's just something so delicious, so satisfying, so fun about these Nero Wolfe books. (I can't wait to read all the ones my library has!)
So in The Silent Speaker, Archie and Nero Wolfe are trying to find a way to make some money. I guess you could say they are in between detecting jobs at the moment. There's just been a high profile murder. And though they've not been hired--by any one--Archie is going around town acting like he's on the case. He's interviewing people, writing down clues, making people nervous etc. Soon he's got a handful of people thinking that Nero Wolfe is just days away from solving the crime. So Archie's acting pays off. The NIA hires Nero Wolfe to solve this murder for them. Even though several NIA employees are on the suspect list. But the truth is, Nero Wolfe isn't exactly sure WHO committed this crime. (Or is he?!) You see, there's been a reward offered--a BIG, BIG, BIG reward. And Nero Wolfe may just be out to collect it! If he can outwit the police and everyone else.
© 2011 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
The concept and setting sound intriguing, so it's too bad it turned out tedious. At least there was delight at the beginning.
You should have started with Ballet Shoes. That's the best! I love love love the scene towards the end of You've Got Mail where the Shoes books are mentioned. Up until that movie came out I thought I was the only one who had read them since they were first published.