Mr. Ballinger invites her family to her country home for the Christmas holiday. But don't expect a big spread or a warm hearth. The old lady hates to spend money. The guests will be treated to scanty meals, non-alcoholic cocktails and the cheapest possible presents. The dilapidated old barn of a house will be chill and drafty, with very little coal in the furnace and no logs in any fireplace.
the young housekeeper, Leigh Smith, has other ideas, though. She does the best she can to create a festive atmosphere with a tight budget. The guests also have their own ideas, sneaking in booze and ordering extra food on the old lady's account. Expenses soar even higher after a murder takes place. Joe, the local cop in charge, joins in for meals, and his appetite is prodigious.
This wacky holiday mystery is replete with eccentric characters, more than one murder, an abundance of unrelated and possibly bogus clues and a veritable epidemic of flirtation. For a mystery published in 1938, it’s a bit racy. There are illicit affairs and blatant allusions to pregnancy. Most agreeably for a Christmas mystery, there's a ghost in the attic, a séance, and lots of creeping about in dark hallways. Leigh Smith is particularly guilty of creeping. She wanders around so much at night that it's no wonder she always finds the bodies.
Leigh is every bit a lady, though in reduced circumstances. A typical Little sisters heroine, she’s ever ready with a witty retort, warding off both admiration and admonishments with wisecracks. The dialog is so amusing that the reader hardly has a minute to feel terrified, even when the wind is howling and corpses seem to walk. Black Headed Pins is a fun read for anytime of year, but a perfect holiday treat for fans of vintage mysteries.
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The chilling story of the abduction of two teenagers, their escape, and the dark secrets that, years later, bring them back to the scene of the crime. | Learn more
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Top reviews from other countries
sigrunT
Ein sehr unweihnachtliches Weihnachten !
Reviewed in Germany on May 19, 2015