Murder with Southern Hospitality by Leslie Ford, 1941

 

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About the author: Leslie Ford is a pseudonym of Zenith Jones Brown, 1898-1984. She also wrote as David Frome and Brenda Conrad. Also see this Book Scribbles blog: Leslie Ford's Fall From Grace. 

Locale: Natchez, Mississippi

Major characters:

• Louise Gould, Garden Club member, our narrator
• Cornelia Cartwright, Garden Club president
• Lusby, Cornelia's chauffeur
• Alec Cartwright, Cornelia's stepson
• Miss Laetitia "Letty" Drayton, Garden Club secretary
• Judge Ed Drayton, Letty's brother
• Kate Drayton, Letty's sister
• Anne Drayton
• Lawrence Drayton, Ed's son (Anne's cousin)
• Steven Heywood
• Millicent Storm, Garden Club member

Synopsis: Garden Club president, wealthy (and pushy) Cornelia Cartwright is determined to go to Natchez on a Garden Club pilgrimage. She brings along Louise Gould, and to save on expenses includes mousy club secretary Miss Letty Drayton, as she has family in Natchez; and Cornelia plans to impose on their hospitality instead of (gasp!) spending money on a hotel. Letty is reluctant to go at all, apparently embarassed by her family's poor situation. The three depart, driven by Cornelia's chauffeur Lusby.

Along the way they encounter a young Philadelphian, Steven Heywood, also bound for Natchez to look up a certain young woman. He is the heir to a will which leaves him several plantations if he marries her.

The three ladies arrive in Natchez and are astounded to find Letty's family not in a hovel, but in a palatial mansion, "Antigua". Letty is received coldly by her brother Judge Ed Drayton, sister Kate Drayton, and nephew Lawrence Drayton (Ed's son). Her niece Anne Drayton is the only one to welcome her warmly.  

 

Steven Heywood arrives at the neighboring mansion, "Tangiers", owned by his family. He is looking for his young woman, who turns out to be Anne. However, Anne is already engaged (at her uncle Ed's direction) - to her cousin (!) Lawrence. Anne is also pursued by Cornelia's stepson, Alec.

Letty has a secret concealed in a locket, which everyone tries to obtain. This leads to two deaths; a sour end to a Garden Club event.

Review: Billed as a "romantic suspense", this is a spellbinding page turner in the style of Mignon G. Eberhart. I found it quite enchanting with multiple levels of intrigue - for instance, Steven Heywood's continual flirting with Mrs. (!) Gould, a pushy uncle demanding two cousins marry, the contrast of palatial Antigua (home of the Draytons) and neighboring down-at-the-heel Tangiers (home of the Heywoods). 

There are remnants of southern culture: the north/south feuds, White/Black segregation with Blacks all cast in servant roles, corrupt officials, and several instances of the N-word.

Mysteries include:

Why is Letty's family so hostile to her?

Who exactly is Anne?

Who will Anne wind up with? Lawrence? Alec? Steven?

What is in Letty's locket? Who is doing away with people to get it?

All are resolved in a suprising turn of events.

 

All for the Love of a Lady by Leslie Ford, 1943

 

Series: Colonel Primrose #11

About the author: Leslie Ford is a pseudonym of Zenith Jones Brown, 1898-1984. She also wrote as David Frome and Brenda Conrad. Also see this Book Scribbles blog: Leslie Ford's Fall From Grace. 

Locale: Washington DC

Major characters:

• Grace Latham, our narrator
• Colonel John Primrose
• Sgt. Phineas T. Buck
• Molly Crane, nurse's aide
• Cass Crane, her husband
• Randy Fleming, Molly's former boyfriend
• D.J. Durbin, mysterious war industry financier
• Achille, his chauffeur
• Courtney Durban, his wife
• Duleep Singh, economist
• Horace Blodgett, corporate lawyer
• Corinne Blodgett, his wife
• Mr. Austin, a.k.a. Mr. Armistead
• Lons Sondauer, a.k.a. Louis Skagerlund

Synopsis: In the midst of wartime Washington DC, the story follows two couples: Cass and Molly Crane - Cass being expected home on leave any moment, and Molly a nurse's aide. D.J. Durbin, wealthy industrialist and his wife Courtney. The couples are connected as Cass and Courtney had intended to marry before she met Durbin. On the side is Randy Fleming, Molly's former boyfriend. Problems begin when Cass notifies Courtney (not his wife) that he will be home any moment. Then Durbin's chauffeur, Achille, dies after drinking poisoned alcohol in the Crane's home - but for whom was it intended?

Please note there are troubling references to animal abuse/killing (cats and kittens) as well as two instances of the N-word, as used in the old colloquial expression about a woodpile. Cat lovers may wish to take a pass on this one.

You may also enjoy this review by Bev Hankins on My Reader's Block.

Old Lover's Ghost by Leslie Ford, 1939

 

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Series: Colonel Primrose #7

About the author: Leslie Ford is a pseudonym of Zenith Jones Brown, 1898-1984. She also wrote as David Frome and Brenda Conrad. Also see this Book Scribbles blog: Leslie Ford's Fall From Grace. 

Major characters:

• Grace Latham, our narrator and protagonist
• Bill Latham, 17, her son
• Joe Anders, wrangler/guide
• Cecily Chapman, 23
• George Pelham, 33, has his eyes on Cecily
• Steven Grant, a.k.a. Sam Graham, Cecily's former fiancé - is he dead or alive?
• Mrs. --- Chapman, Cecily's grandmother
• Colonel John Primrose
• Sergeant Phineas T. Buck

Locale: Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Synopsis: Cecily Chapman was engaged to Steven Grant. He contracted infantile paralysis (e.g., polio) and as a result, apparantly commited suicide in a car crash. Her grandmother, Mrs. --- Chapman, organizes a horse pack trip through Yellowstone National Park to help Cecily forget. The trip includes her friend, Grace Latham, and her son Bill Latham; George Pelham, and guide Joe Anders. Pelham was a co-worker of Grant, and pressures Cecily to marry him, which she doesn't want at all.

In the park they encounter a ranger by the name of Sam Graham, who turns out to be Steven Grant - believed dead for three years. Cecily is torn between her love for him and anger at his deception. She then comes to a terrible realization: If this is Steven, then whose body was in the car wreck three years ago?

Review:  Thoroughly enjoyed this one, and it serves as a virtual travelogue of Yellowstone as well. Some portions of the writing I didn't understand too well, such as the episode of "discovering" Steven Grant in the ranger cabin - after I reread it carefully I was able to follow the action.  

If you enjoy mysteries set in national parks, murder on a pack trip through a national park is also the theme of Eleven Came Back by Mabel Seeley (1943). 

 

Road to Folly by Leslie Ford, 1940

 

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About the author: Leslie Ford is a pseudonym of Zenith Jones Brown, 1898-1984. She also wrote as David Frome and Brenda Conrad. Also see this Book Scribbles blog: Leslie Ford's Fall From Grace. 

Major characters:

Diane Baker, interior decorator, our narrator

John Michener, attorney

Of Darien plantation:

• Phyllis Lattimer, wealthy, ambitious, owns Darien plantation
• Rusty Lattimer, her husband
• Anne Lattimer, Rusty's sister
• Brad Porter, Phyllis' ex
• Felice Marin, French maid

Of Strawberry Hill plantation:

• Miss Caroline Reid, 80-year old matriarch
• Atwell Reid, her nephew, deceased before story
• Mrs. Elsie Reid, Atwell's widow, Caroline's niece (by marriage)
• Jennifer Reid, Elsie's 22-year old daughter
• Colleton Reid, Elsie's son

Locale: Charleston, South Carolina

Synopsis: Decorator Diane Baker travels from Philadelphia to visit old school chum la-di-dah Southern belle Phyllis Lattimer. Phyllis and her husband Rusty Lattimer own genteel Darien Plantation, which is adjacent to run-down Strawberry Hill Plantation; owned by the destitute Reid family. 

Grasping Phyllis is determined to get her hands on the Reid's antique furniture, and tries to use Diane to achieve this. She wants Diane to appeal to matriarch Caroline Reid. Caroline, 80, in poor health, is confined to her rooms. The family maintains a charade for her benefit, keeping her rooms and the gardens outside her window in pristine condition; while the rest of the estate is slowly being gutted and sold off. The Reid family consists of Caroline's niece, Mrs. Elsie Reid, widowed upon the hunting accident death of her husband Atwell Reid. Their two children are Jennifer Reid and Colleton Reid. No one talks about Atwell's death, but it appears Colleton had been holding the gun when it happened. Now another death occurs.

Complicating the dynamics are two cross-family love affairs: Rusty Lattimer with Jennifer Reid, and Colleton Reid with Rusty's sister, Anne Lattimer.

Review: This setting of genteel plantation estates reminds me of Rebecca (Daphne du Maurier). As in that story, there are long-kept family secrets which no one talks about; which are gradually revealed. As soon as arrogant Phyllis was introduced, I knew she was to be a victim. I liked the comparisons of the two side-by-side estates, one lavish, one becoming decrepit. The maintenance of the charade of unchanging wealth for Caroline's benefit is poignant. The story is presented through the eyes of third-party Diane Baker, and this is an effective way to move the story along. 

There are two murders, and the victims are left with a mass of Spanish moss over their faces. I was not sure if that is the murder method or not, it was not explained. I haven't seen Spanish moss but it seems an odd way to do away with someone. The cover (above) suggests the right hand is holding a clump of it (the light green stuff?), about to squish it onto the victim.

There is a jarring contrast with the Black servants - they are always spoken to politely and respectfully in person, but when they are not present they are referred to by using the n-word. Hypocrisy at its best.

About the title: Folly is a beach area just south of Charleston, although that does not play a part in the story.

Honolulu [Murder] Story by Leslie Ford, 1946

 

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Also published as "Honolulu Story"

About the author: Leslie Ford is a pseudonym of Zenith Jones Brown, 1898-1984. She also wrote as David Frome and Brenda Conrad. Here is her bibliography. Also see this Book Scribbles blog: Leslie Ford's Fall From Grace. 

Series: This is Colonel Primrose #13.

Major characters:

• Mrs. Grace Latham, narrator
• Tommy Dawson, Lieutenant, Army Air Force
• David Boyer, Lieutenant, Army Air Force
• Swede Ellicott, Lieutenant, Army Air Force
• Ben Farrell, Marines (killed in action)
• Corinne Farrell, Ben's widow
• Mary Cather, formerly engaged to Swede Ellicott
• Alice & Harry Cather, Mary's parents
• Roy Cather, Harry's estranged brother (Mary's uncle)
• Norah Bronson, Harry's sister (Mary's aunt)
• Kumumato, Japanese servant
• Colonel John Primrose
• Sergeant Phineas T. Buck

Locale: Honolulu, Hawaii; 1944

Synopsis: Three Army Air Force friends, Tommy Dawson, David Boyer, and Swede Ellicott are on leave in Honolulu. Their fourth friend, Ben Farrell, had been killed in action. Swede had been engaged to Mary Cather, but broke off the relationship abruptly and is now engaged to Ben's widow; causing hard feelings all around. 

Mrs. Grace Latham, our narrator, has been sent from Washington to duty  in Honolulu. A friend of Mary, she is staying with Mary and her parents, Alice and Harry Cather, in their remote hillside home. Grace is stalked by a man in leafy camoflage who turns out to be Harry's estranged brother, Roy Cather. She also meets Harry's sister, unstable Norah Bronson. There is ill will in the family, as the home had been left equally to the three siblings but Harry and Alice have essentially taken ownership.

Alice Cather has been harboring brother-in-law Roy in their fallout shelter, and it turns out he is a spy from Japan, which puts him on the very-wanted list. Then he is found dead.

Review: At first I thought I was in a Mignon G. Eberhart novel, with its exotic setting, remote household, lurking killers, and love triangles. The wartime setting of Hawaii is done well, and revealed to me many aspects of that time and place of which I was unaware. 

There are twists in the story, as some characters are not who them seem to be. But all is explained.  A great read which puts you right in the home front during World War II.

 

Siren in the Night by Leslie Ford, 1943

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About the author: Leslie Ford is a pseudonym of Zenith Jones Brown, 1898-1984. She also wrote as David Frome and Brenda Conrad. Here is her bibliography. Also see this Book Scribbles blog: Leslie Ford's Fall From Grace. 

Major characters:

• Loring Kimball, philanthropist
• Lucy Kimball, his second wife
• Amelia Kimball, his stepdaughter
• Thorne Kimball, his daughter
• Nat Donahue, indebted to Loring
• Ilya Donahue, his nasty wife
• Prentiss Vale, architect
• Dr. & Mrs. Norton
• The Butts family, Mr. & Mrs and son Freddie
• Grace Latham, narrator
• Col. John Primrose
• Jim Brodie, newspaper feature writer

Locale: San Francisco, 1942

Synopsis: Grace Latham is our narrator, and she describes San Joaquin Terrace where the action takes place. There are six houses in order (the street is U-shaped but that is immaterial):

1. Grace Latham & Molly Macintyre
2. Nat & Ilya Donahue
3. Mr. & Mrs. Prentiss Vale
4. Loring Kimball
5. Dr. & Mrs. Norton
6. Mr. & Mrs. Butts and son Freddie

San Francisco is on edge due to the war, and there are frequent blackouts to prevent bombing by the Japanese. The story centers on philanthropist Loring Kimball, his second wife Lucy, daughter Thorne and stepdaughter Amelia. His first wife reportedly died in the San Francisco fire. Kimball is seen as an eccentric, having physically moved his Victorian home up the hill to its present location, next to architect Prentiss Vale's modern home.  He keeps his first wife's bedroom as a shrine, as it was, locked, with the lights on all night. This has become a concern as the wardens have to get the light turned off during blackouts.

Neighbor Nat Donahue is employed by Kimball, who controls him by holding a number of financial notes owed by Donahue. Although married to Ilya, Nat is in love with Kimball's daughter, Thorne.

Kimball is working in his study one night, as the air raid siren goes off. All the lights in the neighborhood go out, and when the All Clear sounds, he is found dead at his desk. An autopsy reveals poisoning by cyanide.

Review: This book gives a thorough description of life in San Francisco during the war, with the frequent air raid warnings and blackout procedures. The story is fascinating, with a lot of drama between the neighbors, as well as the mystery of the locked shrine room and the unrequited love story of Nat and Thorne. I enjoyed the first 95% of the story, but I did not like the ending. It revealed the murderer, but the conclusion was sad, and to my mind, an unnecessary resolution. 

Death Holds the Key by David Frome (1933)

 

The Mystery League came to an end with the publishing of #30, Death Points a Finger by Will Levinrew. However, the next title had already been announced to be Death Holds the Key by David Frome.
 

promo appearing in #30, Death Points a Finger

I obtained a copy, published by Grosset and Dunlap under the title Scotland Yard Can Wait! So let's call this an "honorary" Mystery League title. Let's take a look at it.

Zenith Jones Brown

About the author: David Frome was a pseudonym used by Zenith Jones Brown, 1898-1984. She also wrote as Leslie Ford and Brenda Conrad. Here is her bibliography. Also see this Book Scribbles blog: Leslie Ford's Fall From Grace. Here is her resting place, St. Anne's Cemetery, Annapolis, Maryland.

photo by Linda Lyons

Principal characters:

• Sprat Marlin, aka T. K. White, just released from Dartmoor, the only one who knows where the money is
• Oliver Marlin, Sprat's son, living in Detroit
• Cissie Gay, Sprat's lady friend
• Algernon Charles (A. C.) Sitwell, owner of the Temperance Club
• Inspector Thomas Lord, who has been waiting a long time for this day
• Jerry Drake, law office clerk for Attorney Prothero
• Ernest Prothero, his firm is responsible for vacant 10, Barkston Mews
• Phil R. Bailey, former Branch Manager of Lombard Street Branch bank
• Kitty Bailey, Phil's daughter
• Sir John Bailey, Phil's brother
• Hal Franklin, Sir John's ward, was a clerk at the bank
• Alfred Sutton, Sir John Bailey's cousin and secretary
• James Oliphant, Sir John Sutton's butler

Synopsis: 

Eleven years ago, Sprat Marlin was sent to Dartmoor prison for a theft of
£60,000 from the Lombard Street Branch bank, which was never recovered. It was suspected to be an inside job. Now he is released, and Inspector Lord has been waiting. A long time. Marlin is immediately put under surveillance, and is believed communicating with someone through the 1930's version of the text message: a line in the Personals column of the newspaper.

Sprat eludes the watchers. Jerry Drake, junior attorney for Attorney Ernest Prothero, notices a curious little man (Sprat) engage a taxi and give an address of 10, Barkston Mews, which is a property up for sale by his office. Suspicious, he follows him, then finds him dead inside the house, pausing to take a key found beside the body. The killer takes the body away and dumps it in the river.

Drake is sent to see a client, Sir John Bailey. Drake is astounded to see that James Oliphant, the butler, is a man he saw meeting with Sprat earlier. Soon everyone is after Drake's key, which must unlock the hiding place of the loot.

Review:

My first novel by David Frome/Leslie Ford, and an enjoyable one. The writer's characters are fully developed, and fun to follow. We are treated to Jerry Drake's and Inspector Lord's thought processes throughout as they seek to unravel a complex mystery. Ex-actress Cissie Gay, the girlfriend of Sprat Marlin, is an especially enjoyable character as she becomes increasingly independent and assertive following his death. She puts her theatre background to work, and is at times a barfly, a spy, and an investigator herself.

The writing style reminds of Manning Coles, in which trivial side events are related in great detail and become hilarity; such as when housekeeper Mrs. Rodgers offers Sutton and Franklin some of her homemade cake; which seems to have a reputation as they attempt to sneak out and toss it in the bushes without her seeing.

Note that there also appears to be an "Americanized" version of this title published which has British slang “translated”, pounds translated to dollars, etc. The originally planned title, "Death Holds the Key", would have been a better fit as the entire story revolves around the search for the elusive key.