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annarella's review
5.0
Gripping, twisty, and fast paced.
This is very "modern" as some of the topics were not very common when it was written.
It kept me turning pages till late in the night and I was surprised by the solution and the twists.
Great plot and storytelling, excellent character development.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
This is very "modern" as some of the topics were not very common when it was written.
It kept me turning pages till late in the night and I was surprised by the solution and the twists.
Great plot and storytelling, excellent character development.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
tasmanian_bibliophile's review
3.0
‘The telephone rang.’
Archie Cranford, a young doctor, has recently become engaged to Frieda Frey, a night club singer. After he arranges to take Frieda to meet his mother Eve at Willow Spring, near Washington, Frieda receives a telephone call warning her not to go to Willow Spring:
‘All sorts of unpleasant things happen to people who go where they are not wanted.’
Frieda doesn’t think that she recognises the voice, although the person says they will see her if she is foolish enough to travel to Willow Spring. Only a handful of people know of her visit: Frieda is both puzzled and concerned.
Frieda and Archie travel to Willow Spring, where they stay with Archie’s mother and meet with Senator Mark Lindsay, his wife Julia and their son Ted, and Ellis Blount, the nineteen-year-old niece of the Lindsays. Chalkley Winchester V, one of Eve Cranford’s cousins is a late inclusion in the visiting party.
‘Have you ever heard of poltergeist phenomena?’
The phone calls continue, as do some other strange events and Frieda’s room is ransacked. Who is behind these events, and why? And then, a murder occurs. Dr Basil Willing, a psychiatrist who does
some work for the FBI, becomes involved. He explains that it is possible that the phone calls, the strange happenings, and the murder could all be the responsibility of someone with a double personality, a poltergeist, who has no idea that he or she is guilty. Imagine: each of the main characters is now wondering whether he or she might be the poltergeist.
Of course, once Dr Basil Willing works it all out, some of the earlier events make more sense. But I confess, I did not work it out before Dr Willing did.
This is the third Dr Basil Willing mystery I have read and enjoyed. While the ‘poltergeist’ theory may make less sense in 2022 than it did in 1947 when the book was first published, it adds to the suspense.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Agora Books for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Archie Cranford, a young doctor, has recently become engaged to Frieda Frey, a night club singer. After he arranges to take Frieda to meet his mother Eve at Willow Spring, near Washington, Frieda receives a telephone call warning her not to go to Willow Spring:
‘All sorts of unpleasant things happen to people who go where they are not wanted.’
Frieda doesn’t think that she recognises the voice, although the person says they will see her if she is foolish enough to travel to Willow Spring. Only a handful of people know of her visit: Frieda is both puzzled and concerned.
Frieda and Archie travel to Willow Spring, where they stay with Archie’s mother and meet with Senator Mark Lindsay, his wife Julia and their son Ted, and Ellis Blount, the nineteen-year-old niece of the Lindsays. Chalkley Winchester V, one of Eve Cranford’s cousins is a late inclusion in the visiting party.
‘Have you ever heard of poltergeist phenomena?’
The phone calls continue, as do some other strange events and Frieda’s room is ransacked. Who is behind these events, and why? And then, a murder occurs. Dr Basil Willing, a psychiatrist who does
some work for the FBI, becomes involved. He explains that it is possible that the phone calls, the strange happenings, and the murder could all be the responsibility of someone with a double personality, a poltergeist, who has no idea that he or she is guilty. Imagine: each of the main characters is now wondering whether he or she might be the poltergeist.
Of course, once Dr Basil Willing works it all out, some of the earlier events make more sense. But I confess, I did not work it out before Dr Willing did.
This is the third Dr Basil Willing mystery I have read and enjoyed. While the ‘poltergeist’ theory may make less sense in 2022 than it did in 1947 when the book was first published, it adds to the suspense.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Agora Books for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
bev_reads_mysteries's review
4.0
Who's Calling (1942) by Helen McCloy is about a poltergeist. A poltergeist who plays tricks on Archie Cranford's fiancee Frieda Frey. A poltergeist who calls her up and threatens mayhem if she comes to Willow Spring to meet Archie's mother and friends. A poltergeist who knocks on doors and disappears, who wrecks her guest room and writes messages in in lipstick, and who leaves ugly caricatures strewn about. Who's Calling is also about the murder of Archie's foolish, vain cousin Chalkey Winchester. Winchester's only faults seems to be a selfish interest in creature comforts and a tendency to regale all within the sound of his voice with stories of his complicated health. His lust for rich, decadent foods prove his undoing when he can't resist chocolate liqueurs laced with strychnine.
Dr. Basil Willing, McCloy's psychologist-sleuth, is convinced that the incidents are all connected and it is suggested that the culprit may be hidden in the most secure place possible--as a second personality within the psyche of one of the main characters. Is it possible to play tricks, travel, and even commit murder without knowing it? In Who's Calling? each person not only looks at those around them with suspicion....they also wind up suspecting themselves.
I find Dr. Willing's hypothesis and final solution very interesting. I am reminded of the film Sybil--which we had to watch in psychology class in high school--and the multiple personality disorder which Flora Rheta Schreiber attributed to her patient. That case has since become controversial with various sources claiming that Schreiber and her patient fabricated most of the experiences. But in those formative years of psychology the reports of secondary or multiple personalities were given credence and it is interesting to see McCloy use the idea in her murder mystery. The final twist she gives to the solution brings in further elements of psychology--but I won't given an ultimate spoiler and ruin the ending.
I enjoyed both the psychological elements as well as the political commentary. One of the primary characters is Mark Lindsay, a senator who will soon be up for re-election. Lindsay is weary of the political scene--at least as he is forced to play it. And he gives us a nice peek at the way the politics of the day work (not so different from now):
I have opinions on all questions of policy, foreign and domestic. That's the one thing a politician mustn't have--political opinions or principles. He can have prejudices--indeed he must have prejudices and share all the popular political superstitions of the moment as ardently as he can. But he must not have principles. He must never let the people suspect that they cannot eat their cake and have it. (p. 132)
Lindsay would much prefer to give up the political arena. But his wife, who is the real power behind the senate seat, isn't having any.
The mystery itself was entertaining and kept me thinking the entire time. McCloy provides interesting characters and Dr. Willing is always welcome as an investigator.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
Dr. Basil Willing, McCloy's psychologist-sleuth, is convinced that the incidents are all connected and it is suggested that the culprit may be hidden in the most secure place possible--as a second personality within the psyche of one of the main characters. Is it possible to play tricks, travel, and even commit murder without knowing it? In Who's Calling? each person not only looks at those around them with suspicion....they also wind up suspecting themselves.
I find Dr. Willing's hypothesis and final solution very interesting. I am reminded of the film Sybil--which we had to watch in psychology class in high school--and the multiple personality disorder which Flora Rheta Schreiber attributed to her patient. That case has since become controversial with various sources claiming that Schreiber and her patient fabricated most of the experiences. But in those formative years of psychology the reports of secondary or multiple personalities were given credence and it is interesting to see McCloy use the idea in her murder mystery. The final twist she gives to the solution brings in further elements of psychology--but I won't given an ultimate spoiler and ruin the ending.
I enjoyed both the psychological elements as well as the political commentary. One of the primary characters is Mark Lindsay, a senator who will soon be up for re-election. Lindsay is weary of the political scene--at least as he is forced to play it. And he gives us a nice peek at the way the politics of the day work (not so different from now):
I have opinions on all questions of policy, foreign and domestic. That's the one thing a politician mustn't have--political opinions or principles. He can have prejudices--indeed he must have prejudices and share all the popular political superstitions of the moment as ardently as he can. But he must not have principles. He must never let the people suspect that they cannot eat their cake and have it. (p. 132)
Lindsay would much prefer to give up the political arena. But his wife, who is the real power behind the senate seat, isn't having any.
The mystery itself was entertaining and kept me thinking the entire time. McCloy provides interesting characters and Dr. Willing is always welcome as an investigator.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
verityw's review
3.0
****Copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review****
So this is a really interesting read - even if I'm not sure if what I'm going to refer to as the psychological side of the story holds up 80 years on! But if you can bear with that, this is a clever murder mystery with a really horrible victim and an interesting cast of suspects - some of whom you like a lot more than others. I enjoyed it.
So this is a really interesting read - even if I'm not sure if what I'm going to refer to as the psychological side of the story holds up 80 years on! But if you can bear with that, this is a clever murder mystery with a really horrible victim and an interesting cast of suspects - some of whom you like a lot more than others. I enjoyed it.
vesper1931's review
mysterious
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Someone is trying to frighten nightclub singer, Frieda Frey, from travelling to Willow Spring, to meet her future mother-in-law, Eve Cranford. When she arrives strange events start happening. Who or what is causing this and why. Her fiance Archie Cranford asks Dr Basil Willings for help.
An entertaining mystery with some likeable characters. Another good addition to the series which can easily be read as a standalone story.
An entertaining mystery with some likeable characters. Another good addition to the series which can easily be read as a standalone story.
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