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elusivesue's review against another edition
4.0
A 'new-to-me' mystery series that I discovered during my library volunteer work. Although it wasn't Nick & Nora, it did have the same tone and snappy dialogue. It even had some of the infamous martinis from Nick & Nora. Enjoyable and with plenty of red herrings to make you think right up to the end.
quietjenn's review against another edition
3.0
1940s mystery, set in NYC (Village) - I was hoping it would be a sort of Thin Man thing, but the North's aren't nearly so charming or witty. Also, the thing where they are only referred to as Mr. North or Mrs. North for like 98% of the book is extremely irksome and the mystery isn't always solid. It's still enjoyable and as this is the first of a pretty long series, maybe they get better. I like them - and their detective friend well enough to give another a go some time.
vsbedford's review against another edition
3.0
Easy, breezy police procedural set in 1940s New York - and be prepared with all the casual racism, classism, and sexism that comes along with that era. The writing is snappy, and some of the dialogue very well done, but the mystery is incomprehensible. The Lockridges are obviously no Hammett, but the boozy Norths are a perfectly serviceable substitute for Nick and Nora fans.
I received an ecopy from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ecopy from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
bev_reads_mysteries's review against another edition
5.0
I love the zany world of Mr. and Mrs. North. These light, mad-cap mysteries are just the thing when you want something satisfying that won't make you think too hard.
plantbirdwoman's review against another edition
3.0
The Mr. and Mrs. North mysteries are not something that would necessarily appeal to me today, but back in the day - late '60s, early '70s - I loved those books and devoured them like peanuts!
ssejig's review against another edition
4.0
When I requested this book from NetGalley, I assumed it was like the recent Nero Wolfe that I had read -- a new book by a recent (currently alive) author. I know the Norths from old time radio stories and was confused when they met Lieutenant Weigand. Didn't they already know him? Oh! This is a reissue is the first book in the series!
It starts when Pam decides to throw a party. She's been to quite a few parties and "owes" her friends. She decides that it might be nice to use the empty apartment in their building. And it seems fine when she goes up to visit in the afternoon. But after Jerry comes home and they go to check it out together, they open the bathroom door and find a body.
Thus opens their eyes into the world of crime. This book is very fairly clued, especially if you know the Norths, it will be easy to figure out who the killer was.
I loved the exchange between Weigand and Mullins, "He could of" "I think you mean would have" "That's what I said." One of my pet peeves and in a book from 1940.
It starts when Pam decides to throw a party. She's been to quite a few parties and "owes" her friends. She decides that it might be nice to use the empty apartment in their building. And it seems fine when she goes up to visit in the afternoon. But after Jerry comes home and they go to check it out together, they open the bathroom door and find a body.
Thus opens their eyes into the world of crime. This book is very fairly clued, especially if you know the Norths, it will be easy to figure out who the killer was.
I loved the exchange between Weigand and Mullins, "He could of" "I think you mean would have" "That's what I said." One of my pet peeves and in a book from 1940.
profaneprsefone's review against another edition
3.0
I listen to my fair share of radio serials from the 40s & 50s, so when I tell you that Pam & Jerry North are my ride-or-die radiOTP, that means they beat out the likes of Richard Diamond/Helen Asher and George Valentine/Claire "Brooksie" Brooks to take the top spot, and for good reason.
So when I found out the radio serials and subsequent TV shows (currently available for free on Amazon Prime complete with the original voice actors) were based on a book series... it was a bit inevitable that I would end up here. So, let's discuss the Norths.
In addition to being written by real-life married couple Frances & Richard Lockridge (don't think I didn't notice that Frances got top billing there, love it), what is immediately apparent about the Norths is that they clearly have a marriage based on a rare level of mutual respect, especially considering that this first entry in the series was published in 1940.
It would have been very easy to write Jerry North as a typical "yes, dear" husband, and while it's true that he does have elements of that trope present in his character, the third-person omniscient narration present in the books really serves to elevate his character from trope-ier ground, devoting entire pages to Jerry's recognition that Pam thinks differently than other people and that he enjoys that about her instead of finding fault with it.
And again, it would have been very easy to confine this level of respect for Pam to Jerry alone, yet detectives Mullins and Weigand also recognize and respect her point-of-view, which makes this universe a sort of wish fulfillment for any woman or person that hasn't been taken seriously or given the respect they are due, which probably says more about me than it does about the book itself, but shush.
Then, there's Pam North herself. Pam could have been nothing more than "the quirky housewife," but she isn't. Of the pair of them, Pam is most likely to run headfirst into danger, she is the more assertive one, and when she is truly passionate about something (i.e. solving a truly difficult puzzle) she finds it very difficult to regulate her noticeable excitement (which becomes a matter of optics when most of the puzzles she's so excited about solving include one or more dead bodies, but again, shush.)
I think it's probably safe to say that Pam North has a bit of neurodivergence in her (or at least that's the way I read it), but it was the 1940s, so it's simply regarded as "thinking differently," which makes it all the more surprising and charming when everyone in her life simply regard her as insightful and admirable.
Now I must admit that I have the advantage of seeing this book as part of a larger Mr. & Mrs. North Broadcasting Universe (or the MAMNBU for short), so I can work backwards from what I already knew about the characters and see fragments of how their evolution began. I hate to say it, but I doubt that I would have been so excited about this particular and specific novel had I not known where they end up when their characters are bit more fleshed out. As it is, this novel is a perfectly diverting murder mystery, but if I didn't already have such an attachment to the characters, I doubt if I would have committed to picking up book #2. But who knows?
Side note, if you're going to read this book, I recommend having gin and dry vermouth on hand (and a lemon peel, ala Jerry North's school of mixology) because let me tell you, they drink so many martinis in this book, you'd think they were sponsored by Tanqueray. But if you're just looking for a quick, charming, turn-you-brain-off mystery to watch this spooky season, please do check out the TV show on Amazon Prime. If for no other reason than I think this series, in all its iterations, deserves more love.
So when I found out the radio serials and subsequent TV shows (currently available for free on Amazon Prime complete with the original voice actors) were based on a book series... it was a bit inevitable that I would end up here. So, let's discuss the Norths.
In addition to being written by real-life married couple Frances & Richard Lockridge (don't think I didn't notice that Frances got top billing there, love it), what is immediately apparent about the Norths is that they clearly have a marriage based on a rare level of mutual respect, especially considering that this first entry in the series was published in 1940.
It would have been very easy to write Jerry North as a typical "yes, dear" husband, and while it's true that he does have elements of that trope present in his character, the third-person omniscient narration present in the books really serves to elevate his character from trope-ier ground, devoting entire pages to Jerry's recognition that Pam thinks differently than other people and that he enjoys that about her instead of finding fault with it.
And again, it would have been very easy to confine this level of respect for Pam to Jerry alone, yet detectives Mullins and Weigand also recognize and respect her point-of-view, which makes this universe a sort of wish fulfillment for any woman or person that hasn't been taken seriously or given the respect they are due, which probably says more about me than it does about the book itself, but shush.
Then, there's Pam North herself. Pam could have been nothing more than "the quirky housewife," but she isn't. Of the pair of them, Pam is most likely to run headfirst into danger, she is the more assertive one, and when she is truly passionate about something (i.e. solving a truly difficult puzzle) she finds it very difficult to regulate her noticeable excitement (which becomes a matter of optics when most of the puzzles she's so excited about solving include one or more dead bodies, but again, shush.)
I think it's probably safe to say that Pam North has a bit of neurodivergence in her (or at least that's the way I read it), but it was the 1940s, so it's simply regarded as "thinking differently," which makes it all the more surprising and charming when everyone in her life simply regard her as insightful and admirable.
Now I must admit that I have the advantage of seeing this book as part of a larger Mr. & Mrs. North Broadcasting Universe (or the MAMNBU for short), so I can work backwards from what I already knew about the characters and see fragments of how their evolution began. I hate to say it, but I doubt that I would have been so excited about this particular and specific novel had I not known where they end up when their characters are bit more fleshed out. As it is, this novel is a perfectly diverting murder mystery, but if I didn't already have such an attachment to the characters, I doubt if I would have committed to picking up book #2. But who knows?
Side note, if you're going to read this book, I recommend having gin and dry vermouth on hand (and a lemon peel, ala Jerry North's school of mixology) because let me tell you, they drink so many martinis in this book, you'd think they were sponsored by Tanqueray. But if you're just looking for a quick, charming, turn-you-brain-off mystery to watch this spooky season, please do check out the TV show on Amazon Prime. If for no other reason than I think this series, in all its iterations, deserves more love.
shevydw's review against another edition
4.0
Maybe objectively a 3 1/2 star book, but I had fun so I’m rounding up.
Full disclosure, I only read this book because Multnomah county library accidentally put it (well, actually a later one in the series) on their list of Lambda award finalists. While I did realize it was written in 1940 and therefore not a legitimate finalist, I thought I’d have a go anyway. Overall, it proved a light, fun, golden age mystery. Not particularly revolutionary, but a great comfort read, if murder mysteries are what you turn to in anxious times like these. And the main trio had a delightful Singin’ in the Rain vibe, if you know what I mean. (Yeah, that’s the euphemism we’re going with from now on.)
(Heads up for some period-typical racism with regards to the Japanese suspect, although the worst of it doesn’t really go anywhere.)
Full disclosure, I only read this book because Multnomah county library accidentally put it (well, actually a later one in the series) on their list of Lambda award finalists. While I did realize it was written in 1940 and therefore not a legitimate finalist, I thought I’d have a go anyway. Overall, it proved a light, fun, golden age mystery. Not particularly revolutionary, but a great comfort read, if murder mysteries are what you turn to in anxious times like these. And the main trio had a delightful Singin’ in the Rain vibe, if you know what I mean. (Yeah, that’s the euphemism we’re going with from now on.)
(Heads up for some period-typical racism with regards to the Japanese suspect, although the worst of it doesn’t really go anywhere.)
janp's review against another edition
3.0
First book in the murder mystery series of Mr. and Mrs. North. I liked the old movies so I thought I would give this a try. Entertaining, wry, hard to figure out. I liked the olden days of NY aspect to it.