MURDER UNRENOVATED (Maggie Ryan 1972)
An Anthony Award nominee. A Macavity Award nominee.
Maggie and Nick hope to buy a lovely old brownstone. It looks like a dream house for a young couple expecting their first child, but problems show up. It needs renovation. There’s a stubborn tenant who refuses to move out.
And then there’s the corpse on the top floor. . . .
ABOUT MURDER UNRENOVATED, A 1989 NOMINEE FOR MACAVITY AND ANTHONY AWARDS
“Terrific characters, funny incidents, genuine suspense, and an absolutely right sense of period and place.” — Tom and Enid Schantz, THE PURLOINED LETTER
Excerpt: Brooklyn, 1972.
Realtor Len Trager shows an old brownstone to actor Nick O’Connor and statistician Maggie Ryan.: Len felt a prickle of hope. He couldn’t remember anyone else being this pleased by Lund’s weary old brownstone, not after meeting the immovable basement tenant. Could there possibly be a sale here after all?
Not to an actor, he reminded himself.
The upper floors were shoddily divided into separate apartments. But the second- floor bath still held a Victorian marble sink and chipped clawfoot tub, and the room at the front overlooked the street. Maggie smiled at Nick and said, “This could be a little study.”
“One more floor,” said Len. The top floor, once servants’ quarters, had been most recently occupied–– only Lund’s disruption of the plumbing had finally forced the young tenants to accept his relocation money and leave. Nick slapped his hand against a wall.
“This isn’t a supporting wall, is it?”
“No,” said Len, giving the room a professional glance. “You’re thinking of remodeling?” That was always a good sign.
“Not many gyms around here. It would be great to have space to work out.” Nick stepped to the doorway. “What do you think, Maggie?”
She was down the hall, looking into the little front room, the one that sported the oriel window. For a moment she remained there, still. Len prompted.
She turned back to them slowly, and Nick, suddenly concerned, took a step toward her. But it was Len she answered.
“Yes,” she said, “it’s a great place. There’s only one problem. There’s a corpse in it.”
About The Author:
P.M. Carlson taught psychology and statistics at Cornell University before deciding that mystery writing was more fun. She has published twelve mystery novels and over a dozen short stories. Her novels have been nominated for an Edgar Award, a Macavity Award, and twice for Anthony Awards.
Two short stories were finalists for Agatha Awards. She edited the Mystery Writers Annual for Mystery Writers of America for several years, and served as President of Sisters In Crime.
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I haven’t read too many stories set in the ’70s…sounds fun!
Yes, I enjoyed writing this one because the ’70s were interesting times, plus I like Victorian houses. And it turns out that people who bought houses in the ’70s, in the neighborhood where Nick and Maggie were house-hunting, did pretty well. An old brownstone was cheap then, but today, even after the housing bubble crash, it could bring several million dollars.
Thanks for hosting!
Mysteries keep my attention and keep me coming back for more!
Sounds like a great book.