Murder Begins at Home: Delano Ames

Another satisfying, humorous, and intriguing mystery featuring Jane and Dagobert Brown, a crime-solving couple. In this 2nd book in the series, the couple is in the US, going to visit Dagobert's aunt who lives in Detroit, but they end up traveling through New Mexico instead. During his time in the military in World War II, Dagobert met Miranda Ross, and Jane and Dagobert drop by to visit at the luxurious ranch house owned by Miranda and her husband. There are several house guests, the situation is very strange and not entirely welcoming, and soon someone at the house has been killed. The couple have to halt their travels until the mystery is solved.

Before the Browns get to Miranda's ranch they stop at Pa Fergusson's combo filling station, eatery, and store. This a a description of Pa's daughter-in-law, Yolanda. Jane, the narrator, is writing a book about the mystery.

While I was noting these details, Dagobert was addressing the girl who stood with hands on hips behind the Coca-Cola cooler. She was appraising us coolly — or rather she was appraising Dagobert coolly — with wide dark eyes. She wore cheap earrings, which dangled as she put her head on one side, a vivid scarlet blouse, and a tight-fitting black-silk skirt. She wore no stockings, and her shoes, a size too big for her, were run over at the heels.

Dagobert, glancing through this description, says that I have somehow missed the essential Yolanda. He says I've forgotten her voluptuous yet satirical mouth, her white teeth, the sheen of her black hair which fell in waves down to straight slim shoulders, the clear olive complexion, the proud swell of her bosom. These are his phrases, and I record them just to give the masculine viewpoint. There was, I admit, something about Yolanda.

We get to see Pa Fergusson quite a bit more in this story, because he is also a deputy sheriff and in charge of investigating the murder at the ranch.

Jane and Dagobert are both such good characters, strange, weird, and adventurous. One of the things I like about this series is that they are intellectual equals; Jane's part is not secondary to Dagobert's. Some reviewers have compared this couple to Nick and Nora Charles. Jane and Dagobert do tend to talk about drinking a lot, although I don't remember them doing so much of it. And their repartee is clever and risqué at times.

The secondary characters at the ranch are a different matter; they all seem to be strange and not so wonderful characters, in different ways, and they all seem to be focused on Miranda. At first most of them are unappealing but throughout the book the reader can see that first impressions may be deceiving.

These books are humorous and not quite realistic but in the midst of all the shenanigans there is a serious mystery. I have to admit it, this book is not nearly as much fun as She Shall Have Murder, the first book in the series. I don't know if it is the setting (London law office vs. New Mexico ranch), or the characters. But still, I enjoyed the story. I have read reviews of some of the other books in this series and it seems the couple travel a lot. I look forward to more adventures in exotic places.

My copy was generously sent to me by Moira at Clothes in Books since she knows I love book covers with skulls; note the tiny skulls in the flowers on the book cover. Also see Moira's review of this book.


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Publisher:   Rue Morgue Press, 2009 (orig. pub. 1949)
Length:      191 pages
Format:      Trade Paperback
Series:       Jane and Dagobert Brown series  #2
Setting:      New Mexico
Genre:        Mystery
Source:      A gift.