Georgette Heyer has written another wonderful book.This a mystery a look at the social strata the wealthy the snobby.all told in her style.Drew me right in enjoyed till the final page.#netgalley#sourcebookslandmark.

In the past, I had read a few of Heyer’s regency romances, and found her to be a very talented author. It was a surprise to find out that she also published a number of mysteries.

I found this one to be a very good traditional style mystery. So good, in fact, that I stayed up very late to finish it. The characters in this novel ranged from perfectly ordinary to somewhat exaggerated. Some were quite likable, some were not. Several were just the slightest bit mysterious to start with. All were well defined. The story was extremely well plotted, and kept my interest.

About halfway through the book, I was certain that I had guessed at the motive for the murder, as well as “who done it”. However, unforeseen developments served to confuse me, and the ending came as a surprise to me.

True to form, Heyer included a bit of romance into this novel. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it highly. I am looking forward to more of Heyer’s mysteries..

Highly enjoyable mystery from 1951, featuring Chief Inspector Hemingway and his Gaelic-speaking assistant Inspector Grant. This is by some distance the best of the five Heyer detective novels I have read. There are real puzzles here, and proper detection, as well as strong characterisation.

In addition to two murders, we have blackmail, drug dealing, homosexuality, and high-society shenanigans. The plot is neatly-crafted, with the first death taking place during a fashionable Duplicate Bridge party with the second, or duplicate, occurring in the same place, days later.

Members of the Kane and Harte families, first encountered fourteen years earlier in “They Found Him Dead”, reappear to good effect. There are pot shots at social pretension, political naivety, the post-war British tax regime, and at some styles of house decoration, but all with a light hand.

Highly recommended, and of especial interest to readers who like a classic, and ingeniously-plotted, British detective novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the digital ARC.

I never tire of Georgette Heyer’s writing; it is stylish, concise and suspenseful. The book reflects social snobbishness, class distinctions and a love of money, all still around today, although the book is a lovely, old fashioned classical mystery written years ago. It is not dated, however. A delight.