In the Night

Description:

Selected by Martin Edward as one of his 100 Classic Crime novels in *The Story of Classic Crime in 100 Books*: ‘A country-house murder mystery of the kind that became highly popular during the Golden Age… this novel surely ought to be better known’ -- Martin Edwards. When Sir Roger Penterton is found dead at the foot of the grand staircase in his country house, Salting Towers, the peaceful English countryside is shaken by murder. With a head wound that suggests foul play and no sign of a break-in, suspicion falls on the staff and guests; his distant wife, Lady Eleanor; the imperturbable butler, Fairlie; and Sir Roger’s put-upon private secretary, Philip Castle. Inspector Humblethorne of Scotland Yard is called in, but it’s the young Miss Evelyn Temple, an unassuming guest with a sharp mind and a perceptive eye, who begins to see what the professionals have missed.

subjects: Mystery and detective stories

Times: 1910s