Historical May 1985 report or notice. Original dates, prices and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey, Washington Square Press, N.Y., 1977.
The theme of this book is the clearing of the name of Richard III of England (1452-1485). Those of you who have read or seen Shakespeare’s play, Richard III, think of him as a monster who killed his brother’s children in the tower of London and committed other murders to secure his throne. Inspector Grant of Scotland Yard has always been fascinated by faces and while recovering in the hospital from a serious fall, a woman friend brings him a packet of photographs.
One that interests him the most is a portrait of Richard III.
He gazes at the intelligent, sensitive face and begins to make some intriguing speculations which lead him to initiate an investigation through books and documents.
The key to everything can be traced to the War of the Roses between, the House of York and the House of Lancaster; Shakespeare and Sir Thomas More were of the House of Lancaster and Richard III of the House of York. Step by step, Inspector Grant brings us to the only possible conclusion.
But then, if Richard’s name had been cleared in Shakespeare’s day, the world would have lost a sublime play. Someday The Rabbi Will Leave by Harry Kemelman, William Morrow and Co., 1985. Through seven days I have seen the Rabbi oversleep, get wet, go hungry, etc. How he puts up with his congregation who are always trying to get rid of him over the years, I will never know.
But the little rabbi in his baggy clothes and his usual chutzpa solves a murder when a member of the congregation is unjustly accused.
The real culprit in this book is a sleezy politician but I do not want to give away the plot. Kemelman’s mysteries always appeal to me because I enjoy the cast of characters as well as insights into modern Judaism through the mind of Rabbi Small. Dancehall by Bernard F. Conners, BobbsMerrill Co., Inc., 1983.
This is an excellent suspense novel, spanning twenty years, is set in New York State.
It could almost be called a dissertation on capital punishment but more specifically the electric chair.
There are some grim scenes on death row and such graphic details that the author might have sat on the “hotseat” himself to produce such chilling sensations.
The electric chair chamber is called the “dance hall” because when a person is electrocuted, the currents make it look like he is dancing.
This is a good study on the pros and cons of capital punishment as well as an excellent mystery.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, May 1985.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1985_05.pdf, printed page(s) 5; PDF page(s) 5.
