marypcbuk.bsky.social

Dryly humorous investigation of murder in an English village interwoven with the court case that twists in an extra mystery (who do they think dunnit) and then another twist of the ending. Interesting comparison to make with Busman's Honeymoon where you have a similar murder victim and a much more visceral account of the implications of a "fun little mystery" being an execution.

Interesting early Heyer that is very strong on the failure to prepare young women (at 20 the heroine is still very young) for the reality of sex and marriage but utterly pre-feminist on the roles of men and women.. There's more feminism in her Regencies!

Rereading because it felt like I skipped over what should have been the big denouemont because I had forgotten it two books later!

Lots of typical Michael Gilbert characters (policemen, secret policeman, lawyers, publicans), lots of realistic coincidences and a plot that bridges the aftermath of the war and the start of the Cold War with the usual verve and gusto.