Monday, September 8, 2025

Recommended reading - The Wycherly Woman (1961)

 

The Wycherly Woman

by Ross Macdonald.
 
Vintage Crime / Black Lizard.
Paperback.
First published in 1961.
 
ISBN-10: 0375701443
ISBN-13: 978-0375701443
 
Description:
 
“A fine yarn…. The pace is fast, the plot well-knit, with plenty of suspense and surprise as extra dividends.” – Chicago Tribune.
 
Phoebe Wycherly was missing two months before her wealthy father hired Archer to find her. That was plenty of time for a young girl who wanted to disappear to do so thoroughly – or for someone to make her disappear. And before he can locate the Wycherly girl, Archer had to reckon with the Wycherly woman, Phoebe's mother, an eerily unmaternal blonde who keeps too many residences, had too many secrets, and left too many corpses in her wake.
 
“Macdonald is one of a handful of writers in the [mystery] genre whose worth and quality surpass the limitations of the form.” – Los Angeles Times.




Born on this day – Sada Cowan:


Sada Cowan


Writer

September 8, 1882 – July 31, 1943


Writing partners: Sada Cowan (left) and Howard Higgin (right).
 
Credits:
Stop, Look and Love (1939); Forbidden Heaven (1935); Woman in the Dark (1934); Stand and Deliver (1928); Mismates (1926); The Reckless Lady (1926); The New Commandment (1925); In the Name of Love (1925); The Trouble with Wives (1925); The Charmer (1925); Smouldering Fires (1925); East of Suez (1925); Broken Barriers (1924); Changing Husbands (1924); Don't Doubt Your Husband (1924); Lucretia Lombard (1923); Fashion Row (1923); Thundering Dawn (1923); The Silent Partner (1923); Bluebeard's 8th Wife (1923); The Rustle of Silk (1923); Brass (1923); Peter the Great (1922); The Worldly Madonna (1922); Fool's Paradise (1921); What No Man Knows (1921); Charge It (1921); Straight from Paris (1921); Courage (1921); Hush (1921); Seeds of Vengeance (1920); Why Change Your Wife? (1920).

Born on this day – May McAvoy:


May McAvoy


Actress

September 8, 1899 – April 26, 1984

Credits:
1-2-3-Go! (1941); A Date with Judy (1948); A Homespun Vamp (1922); A Perfect Lady (1918); A Private Scandal (1921); A Reno Divorce (1927); A Trip to Paramountown (1922); A Virginia Courtship (1921); Air Raid Wardens (1943); Almonds and Raisins (1984); Assignment in Brittany (1943); Ben-Hur (1959); Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925); Born to Sing (1942); Caught in the Fog (1928); Clarence (1922); Classified X (2007); Compression (2023); Designing Woman (1957); Dulcy (1940); Everything for Sale (1921); Executive Suite (1954); Gareth Hughes (2000); Grumpy (1923); Gun Glory (1957); Hate (1917); Her Reputation (1923); Historia del cine: Epoca muda (1983); Hollywood (1923); Hollywood and the Stars (1964); Hollywood: Style Center of the World (1940); If I Were Single (1927); I'll Say So (1918); Irish Hearts (1927); Jailhouse Rock (1957); Kick In (1922); Lady Windermere's Fan (1925); Love Crazy (1941); Love Wins (1919); Lux Video Theatre (1956); Luxury Liner (1948); Main Street on the March! (1941); Man and His Woman (1920); Married Flirts (1924); Matinee Ladies (1927); Morals (1921); Movie Pests (1944); Mr. Blabbermouth! (1942); Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch (1919); My Husband's Other Wife (1920); My Old Dutch (1926); My Tomato (1943); Mystery Street (1950); No Defense (1929); Nothing But Trouble (1944); Only 38 (1923); Personality Parade (1938); Phantom Raiders (1940); Ransom! (1956); Ringside Maisie (1941); Rio Rita (1942); Screen Snapshots, Series 1, No. 25 (1921); Screen Snapshots, Series 2, No. 17-F (1921); Screen Snapshots, Series 3, No. 12 (1922); Screen Snapshots, Series 3, No. 24 (1923); Sentimental Tommy (1921); Sex at 24 Frames Per Second (2003); Slightly Used (1927); Stolen Kisses (1929); Sucker List (1941); Sunny California (1928); Tarnish (1924); Tessie (1925); The Bad and the Beautiful (1952); The Bedroom Window (1924); The City of Stars (1924); The Devil's Garden (1920); The Enchanted Cottage (1924); The Fire Brigade (1926); The Forbidden Valley (1920); The Getaway (1941); The Glass Slipper (1955); The House of the Tolling Bell (1920); The House That Shadows Built (1931); The Jazz Singer (1927); The Lion and the Mouse (1928); The Little Snob (1928); The Mad Whirl (1925); The New Pupil (1940); The Passionate Quest (1926); The Road to Glory (1926); The Romance of Rosy Ridge (1947); The Savage (1926); The Sporting Duchess (1920); The Tender Trap (1955); The Terror (1928); The Top of New York (1922); The Truth About Husbands (1920); The Unfinished Dance (1947); The Way of a Woman (1919); The Wings of Eagles (1957); The Woman Under Oath (1919); The Yellow Cab Man (1950); These Amazing Shadows (2011); Third Finger, Left Hand (1940); Three Women (1924); Through a Glass Window (1922); Till the Clouds Roll By (1946); To Hell with the Kaiser! (1918); Two Girls and a Sailor (1944); Two Girls on Broadway (1940); Watch the Birdie (1950); Week-End at the Waldorf (1945); West of the Water Tower (1923); Whispers (1941).

Born on this day – Hillary Brooke:

 


Hillary Brooke


Actress

September 8, 1914 – May 25, 1999


Born on this day – Lana Marconi:

 

Lana Marconi


Actress

September 8, 1917 – December 8, 1990


Born on this day – Laura Alves:


Laura Alves


Actress

September 8, 1921 – May 6, 1986


Born on this day – Arthur Ibbetson:


Arthur Ibbetson


Cinematographer

September 8, 1922 – October 19, 1997


Credits:

Babes in Toyland (1986); Santa Claus: The Movie (1985); The Bounty (1984); Master of the Game (1984); Witness for the Prosecution (1982); Little Lord Fauntleroy (1980); Hopscotch (1980); Nothing Personal (1980); The Prisoner of Zenda (1979); The Medusa Touch (1978); A Little Night Music (1977); Spectre (1977); The Sell-Out (1976); It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet (1976); Out of Season (1975); Brief Encounter (1974); 11 Harrowhouse (1974); Mistress Pamela (1973); Frankenstein: The True Story (1973); A Doll's House (1973); All Coppers Are... (1972); Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971); When Eight Bells Toll (1971); The Railway Children (1970); The Walking Stick (1970); Anne of the Thousand Days (1969); Where Eagles Dare (1968); Inspector Clouseau (1968); A Matter of Innocence (1967); A Countess from Hong Kong (1967); The Fighting Prince of Donegal (1966); Gypsy Girl (1966); The Wild Affair (1965); Die! Die! My Darling! (1965); The Chalk Garden (1964); Espionage (1963); Murder at the Gallop (1963); I Could Go on Singing (1963); Nine Hours to Rama (1963); Lisa (1962); Whistle Down the Wind (1961); The Canadians (1961); A Story of David: The Hunted (1960); Tunes of Glory (1960); There Was a Crooked Man (1960); The League of Gentlemen (1960); The Angry Silence (1960); The Bridal Path (1959); The Horse's Mouth (1958); Melba (1953).