I find that when I read Georgette Heyer novels, I keep on thinking; "Okay this one was better than the last one I read..." then I read this one and it's like: "Okay nevermind, this one was THE BEST one I've read so far!" I have a feeling that's going to keep happening whenever I read one of her mysteries (I still have yet to try her regency ones). I absolutely loved this one and will put this one up as one of my favorite mysteries from Heyer as of yet. As usual, there is a rather large list of suspects and everyone seems to have some sort of motive for the murder. However, what's different from this book and the others is, I found there was quite a bit more action and the characters in this book have much more personality and are "fleshed" out, and they have their own distinct personalities. The action added a lot more intrigue to the book and kept me interested. I had a hunch who was behind the plot, but because of the frequent twists and the suspicion being thrown all over the place I kept on second guessing myself. However, even though my first guess was right, the way it was solved was interesting and never the way I expected it to be. The plot was engaging and intriguing. It's not a thriller per se, but it's got the feel of a classic whodunit mystery which will keep the reader interested. There's a bit of comedy included, with witty backtalk and remarks that will induce a chuckle or two.As I have mentioned previously, the characters in this book were one of the most interesting I've ever read from Heyer's works. Rosemary has to be one of the most annoying and most self absorbed I have ever read. Although she was extremely irritating, she also made me laugh the most because of her stupidities, and the fact that although other characters have told her to be quiet, it just doesn't faze her. I liked Lady Harte even though her arrival in the book is a little too late. She was sharp and the way she had spoken to Rosemary was funny and to the point (Eventually, I think Rosemary got the hint). The only complaint I had with this book is, it got a little dry towards the end of the book. You don't literally find out who was behind the murders until the last few pages. It went in a mini circle for no reason. Otherwise, this is one of Heyer's better mysteries. Overall, an enjoyable read filled with mystery and intrigue. Greatly recommended for Georgette Heyer mystery fans everywhere.
It takes quite a while for Superintendent Hannasyde to make an appearance, in my estimation about half the novel has passed before he is called in, and then only after the second death.Meanwhile the reader has explored the Kane family. I may have found this less confusing if I had been reading with my eyes rather than my ears. The author has the tendency to refer to characters sometimes by first name and sometimes by surname. It took me quite a while to work out they were not two different people. I think perhaps which name is used depends on the character's role in the family and applies particularly to Mrs Kane (senior)'s companion.We accept the interpretation that Silas Kane was murdered while on his evening walk, pushed over a cliff in the fog, readily enough but all theories are confounded when his heir is shot while sitting at his desk in the study. His distraught wife has a lover but as she will not inherit there seems no reason to suspect him or her. Attention focusses on who will now be the heir, and a dodgy investment scheme lurks in the wings.As I noted in my review of an earlier Heyer detective novel, the language seems a bit dated but the plotting is tight, and the characters, although some are abysmal people, or perhaps because they are, are quite realistic.
They Found Him Dead is another Heyer mystery. Like the others I've read so far, it was an English country house murder mystery, in which there's a relatively small number of suspects, and the characters are likeable. Hannasyde and Hemingway are the detectives in this one. I got suspicious of the culprit long before any of the characters, and spent the last third of the book yelling "WHY AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO SUSPECTS THIS GUY?!?" I was a little disappointed that I was so far ahead of the characters - usually, I'm slightly ahead, right there with them, or behind (I'm not particularly good at figuring out whodunits).Overall, another decent whodunit. Not an exemplar of the genre, by any means, but not bad, either.
—Kathryn
They Found Him Dead is a mystery in the tradition of the cozy English country house whodunits, and I loved it. A birthday party is held for Silas Kane at his country home, Cliff House and a whole cast of quirky English characters attend, including his mother, business partners, young cousin, and the cousin's half brother, a rambunctious teen who loves exploring and is into everyone's business. When Silas does not come down for breakfast the next morning, family and staff look for him and he is found dead at the foot of the cliff, apparently falling during his pre-bedtime walk.The inquest declares it an accident, but young Timothy Harte is convinced it was murder, and it looks like he may be correct when Silas's heir is shot dead at his desk. The local constabulary calls in Scotland Yard, and with Timothy in the middle of their investigation, they still manage to gather information and come up with several suspects. The investigation takes a fresh direction when it appears that attempts are being made on the life of Jim, the second heir!I enjoyed all of the quirky characters, the ladies' maid who is overly loyal to her mistress, the no-nonsense young housekeeper, the smarmy business partner who likes to make moves on the ladies, the demanding and crotchety grande dame, and all the others. Each character description is precise, right down to their clothes and hobbies, making them vivid and easy to remember when try to figure out who is committing these murders. Definitely try They Found Him Dead or one of the other Georgette Heyer mysteries that have been re-released by Sourcebooks. They are all very reasonably priced and in paperback.
—Elizabeth (Thoughts From an Evil Overlord)
I enjoyed The Grand Sophy so much that I keep returning to Heyer's novels, hoping for such another light, fun read. So far - with Regency Buck, Why Shoot a Butler?, and now They Found Him Dead - I've been pretty disappointed. The Grand Sophy has brilliant characters, crackling wit, and just the kind of romance I enjoy; the others, especially the two mysteries, have either unlikeable or unremarkable characters and more banter than real wit. Jim Kane and Patricia Allison are nice enough, but since the narration moves around so much and is so omniscient, their characters are left one-dimensional and...well, average. I found that true of the mystery as a whole, especially compared to the psychological complexity of Agatha Christie or the deductive logic of Arthur Conan Doyle: They Found Him Dead is rather anticlimactic. (view spoiler)[It always seems to be the outsider who commits the murder. I felt like a tighter, more interesting story could have been constructed had Mrs. Kane been Clement's killer and Roberts been only a red herring, rather than the other way around. (hide spoiler)]
—Abigail Hartman
