Reviews for The Agony Column

The average rating for The Agony Column based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2014-10-08 00:00:00 John Mcay The Agony Column is a perfect brew of mystery and romance of the very old-fashioned variety. Perhaps no one other than M.M. Kaye blended these two elements as well as Earl Derr Biggers. Forever remembered for his creation of Charlie Chan, the great detective from Hawaii, many of Biggers' other novels and novellas are just as enjoyable. Such is the case here, in this short but satisfying story. Written in 1916, the Great War very much plays a part in this tale of love, murder and spies. When a young woman catches the eye and heart of a young American in London, his only chance may be a bit of impropriety called "The Daily." The personal Geoffrey West writes catches the attention of the girl in question, and in spite of some misgivings, she agrees to read his personal correspondence. Her growing affection turns to dread and worry, however, as her heart is plunged deep into the plight of this young man desperately trying to prove his innocence after a murder occurs, and the possibility of it involving spies during wartime is broached. There is excitement and peril of the old-fashioned variety as the tale is told by the young Geoffrey. He seeks the love of this young woman, knowing he may never get to meet her in person, unless he can clear himself. She, on the other hand, is frantic she will have to return by ship with her father, a Texas politician, before she discovers what has become of her young, romantic suitor. Biggers throws in a startling surprise to keep readers on their toes. They too will hang on every word written in the Agony Column to discover the outcome. The ending of the mystery is both satisfying and quite romantic in an old-fashioned way. Much different in style and tone than today's mysteries, "The Agony Column" has more in common with the early British films of Hitchcock than anything else. If you are fond of the romantic style of Biggers so evident in the first Charlie Chan novels, it's worth reading this mystery novella, which can be found on Kindle for Free, or a minimal amount. Too old-fashioned for some "modern" reading tastes, but a refreshing change of pace for those who prefer classic mystery and old-fashioned romance.

Review # 2 was written on 2013-09-15 00:00:00 Kimberly Anderson A few months ago, inspired by a book blogger's challenge for reading the century, I begun on a project of my own aiming to read a mystery/crime novel published in each of the years of the twentieth century. I decided that I was to read the novels in chronological order and that I would not read the same author twice for the purposes of the project. I soon settled into a pattern of one 'century of crime' book a month and already I love the element of 'pot luck' that comes with choosing a book based solely on the year of publication and the sound of the title. Thanks to Project Gutenberg, availability has not been an issue so far. I have also found myself fascinated to observe the evolvement of the genre and the differing styles and tastes current in the early years of the century. This was my choice for 1916. It is so short that it's almost a long short story and is really quite light-hearted for all that it takes place in the last days of July and the first days of August 1914. These are the last days of peace and the very last days of the 'Old World'. One of the most interesting elements of the book for me was the glimpse it afforded into what is likely to have been the atmosphere in expectant London during that week. 'The agony column' of the title refers to the personal columns of English newspapers where it was apparently the custom for young people to solicit the acquaintance of people they had seen in passing. The American protagonist, who enjoys reading these ads, decides to also resort to this medium in order to get to know a fellow American girl that has taken his fancy. The mystery that unfolds is related in the seven letters he sends to her and is well constructed with a good build up of tension. The final twist had momentarily crossed my mind but I can't really say I predicted it. Still, I'm glad it came because it deflated the slightly silly melodrama (for want of a better word) that had started to build in the immediately preceding pages.