Source: Purchased
Description: James and Carmona Hardwick are spending the summer playing host to numerous friends and relatives in an old Hardwick family residence by the sea. The arrival of Alan Field, a devastatingly handsome though shady figure from Carmona's past, destroys the holiday atmosphere in the ugly old house and replaces it with mounting tension, culminating in murder. Fortunately for the Hardwicks and their guests, Miss Silver is present to unravel the secrets from the past -- secrets the killer will stop at nothing to keep hidden.
Genre: Mystery - Classic
My Impression: This is Miss Silver at her best I think. Alan Field is the most unlikable victim and Wentworth paints him as thoroughly detestable but doesn't overdue it. He seems to have discovered a little something on just about everyone that is staying at the Hardwick family home and one person doesn't want their secret revealed to the point that murder is the only option. It is a challenge to determine just what potential suspect at the house party finally had enough.
Miss Silver starts out as being merely an innocent bystander who happens to be summering at the beach with her beloved niece but finds herself drawn into the investigation first by Inspector Abbott and then by one of the suspects. She is at her prim Edwardian best knitting and carefully discovering bits of information.
The mystery kept me reading and guessing and was a delight from beginning to end. While this is the 23rd book to feature Miss Silver the books are in no way a series and can be read in any order.
Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Of course! I've already got the next one pulled out and ready to read.
Would I Recommend this Book? If you enjoy Miss Marple mysteries you must try Miss Silver - especially this book.
Would I Recommend this Book? If you enjoy Miss Marple mysteries you must try Miss Silver - especially this book.
I like classic mysteries, great review!
ReplyDeleteI really need to read some classic mysteries. This sounds so good.
ReplyDeleteI've heard such good things about Wentworth's Miss Silver mysteries; I wish my library had them.
ReplyDeleteI love her Miss Silver mysteries and thought I'd read all of them (of the ones in our library) but somehow missed this one. Thanks
ReplyDeleteI have not read any classic mysteries, but I want to start as they sound amazing.
ReplyDeleteI have never tried these. Totally love that each is a standalone.
ReplyDeleteToday I was going through classic crime books for next month. I guess a classic mystery like this is also deemed classic crime. I am going to anyway. I sorted five books - for each of them I was looking to see if you'd reviewed them!
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