Meade Underwood is living with her aunt in a flat in Valendeur House in London during the war. She was on a ship that was torpedoed while travelling back to the UK from America; she survived, her fiancé did not. Then she runs into Giles, her fiancé, on the street and finds that he was rescued and has lost his memory. Coincidentally, a woman, Carola Roland, who lives in another flat in the same building also knows Giles, and claims that they were once married. And then Carola is killed and of course Giles is a suspect. In addition, someone is blackmailing the residents of Valendeur House and Miss Silver is called in to sort it all out.
That short synopsis sounds complicated enough, but there are five more occupied flats in the building and each has occupants with their own interesting story. As often happens in this series, Miss Silver does not show up very much until there is a murder and that doesn't happen until almost halfway through the book. So, for readers who want the crime and the investigation to start fairly early in the book, this might not appeal. I usually like that kind of story, where there is a good bit of set up of the characters and the situation before the crime takes place.
Another recurring element in Miss Silver books is a romance. In this case we have not just one but two romances. In addition to Meade's reunion with her lover that was thought to be dead, two other tenants at Vandeleur House are attracted to each other. I used to find this irritating in mysteries, now it really depends on the author and the book; in this case, I liked it fine.
The policemen who deal with the crime are Chief Inspector Lamb and Sergeant Abbott. Sergeant Abbott is more accepting of Miss Silver's help in the investigation than the inspector. These policemen often feature in Miss Silver mysteries.
I did enjoy this book very much. In addition to the setting, I liked the way Wentworth introduces all the characters and we eventually learn about their personalities in more depth, and how the war has changed their lives. And I always enjoy Miss Silver and her methods of detection. The book was recommended to me by Moira at Clothes in Books (under the title Miss Silver Intervenes); her post is here.
The illustration on the cover of the paperback is by John Jinks, whose art also was on covers of mysteries by Walter Mosley and Stuart Palmer.
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Publisher: HarperPerennial, 1991 (first publ. 1944)
Length: 231 pages
Format: Trade Paperback
Series: Miss Silver Mysteries #6
Setting: UK
Genre: Mystery
Source: I purchased my copy at the Planned Parenthood book sale in 2017.
18 comments:
This was one of the first series I read after Christie.
You do give me some pause about slow start and romance, but this is a series I've heard much about but not read. I really like the cover!
Patti, I did read many books by Wentworth when I was younger, and am enjoying them again now. I would say that Wentworth, Christie, and Rex Stout are my comfort reads, all for different reasons. And Margery Allingham.
Rick, I am not sure you would like this series, but with vintage authors I usually say they are worth a try, at least once. Her books are variable though. She wrote many mysteries that did not feature Miss Silver, but I haven't read any of those. I plan to try one sometime.
We'll see. I'm so overwhelmed with books now that, though the library is closed, I still have way to much to read, if that's possible.
I've often thought Miss Silver was underrated, Tracy, so it's good to see one of those novels highlighted here. I agree with you, too, about some of the things we see in this series (the romance, etc..). I'd guess most authors have some sort of pattern when they write...
Like you I also love the wartime homefront setting, so this one sounds right up my street. Thanks.
Me too, Rick, I have too many books already. We are going to do an order from a local bookstore that has temporarily closed to support them, but other than that, I probably won't be looking for many books.
Margot, I do see a pattern in the Miss Silver novels that I have read recently, but I like the pattern so it's fine. And there is enough variation to still entertain.
Katrina, this novel is a very good example of a wartime novel set on the homefront, and showing the varying ways it affected people.
Hi Tracy,
How much I agree with you that novels written at or around the time of World War II are so much more interesting and enlightening about that time period than others written much later.
I will definitely give this one, and others by the author a look.
I'm a recent convert to WW1 & 2 based crime novels. I had no idea Patricia Wentworth had written one... well... to be honest I haven't read anything by her so I probably wouldn't. This sounds excellent so will investigate further soon.
Judith, I find it interesting that some novels written during World War II barely mention the war at all. Maybe those authors felt that readers needed more escapist literature at that time, and not to be immersed in reality. Of course I prefer the ones that include more actual details of life at the time.
Cath, I knew that Wentworth had written wartime novels but I was surprised to see that there are 6 Miss Silver novels published between 1941 and 1945.
I was sure you would like this one, with its wartime setting and Miss Silver at her finest!
And you were right, Moira, it was a very good read. It is one of my favorite Miss Marple books. I would do a list but I think I need to read at least 3 or 4 more first.
Glad you enjoyed, more you than me though I think.
This was one of the first "comfort" books I read after the "stay at home" order started. It was perfect reading for that time.
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