Helen McCloy (1904-1992) was an American mystery writer. She published about 30 books including a volume of short stories. Thirteen of these books and the collection of short stories featured her series character Dr. Basil Willing, a psychiatrist whose investigative techniques incorporated psychoanalysis. In 1950 she became the first woman to serve as president of Mystery Writers of America and in 1954 she received an Edgar award from the same organization for her criticism. In 1971 McCloy helped to establish a New England chapter of MWA, and a scholarship was founded in her name.
I love mysteries set in schools and colleges so I opened McCloy’s Through a Glass, Darkly (Random House, 1950) with great interest. An elite finishing school for girls in post-war Connecticut seemed rife with promise. It opens with the hard-as-nails headmistress telling the new art instructor Faustina Crayle that she had to leave the premises the next day but declined to tell her why. Learning of this odd occurrence, Dr. Basil Willing undertakes to find out exactly what prompted Faustina’s dismissal.
It seems that Faustina is being seen in two places at one time by students and members of the staff. Students are being withdrawn from the school because parents fear the dangerous aura Faustina emanates due to her doppelganger. That this sighting also happened at the school where she previously taught frightens Faustina. When one of the teachers dies in an apparent accident, Faustina is a suspect even though she was demonstrably miles away.
Many reviewers call this book the best of McCloy’s work. I consider it a clunker. I recognized the plot of a 1933 story by a well-known Golden Age author right away. The excellence of McCloy’s writing could not outweigh the fact that I knew immediately how the story would end.
McCloy and Willing tried hard, and all of the traditions and legends from various cultures about doppelgangers were pulled out, evaluated, and discussed. The supernatural was invoked. These stories have no effect on me: I look so much like so many of my relatives that seeing someone who is similar to me in appearance holds no terror. I read mysteries for the mystery, and I didn’t find much of one here. There’s no magic when I know how the trick is done. I am highlighting this book because critics praised it highly, and other readers may not have the advantage I had of knowing about the earlier story.