Murder of a Lady by Anthony Wynne is one of the British Library reprints of classic crime novels, this one was originally published in 1931. It’s a “locked room” mystery, in that it is very difficult, if not impossible, to see how the murderer could have accessed the room where the victim was killed and then escaped. Like many books of this sort it is a puzzle to be solved and the book doesn’t delve too deeply into characterisation. Given that proviso, however, it is an entertaining read.
The setting is a castle in the highlands of Scotland. The victim is the sister of the laird who has been stabbed to death in her bedroom which was locked from the inside and which has barred windows. The only clue is a single fish scale found on the body .Inspector Dundas is sent to investigate, and he needs to find out how the crime was committed and who was the perpetrator. In the area a well-known amateur sleuth, Eustace Hailey, is staying for a holiday and he is also drafted in to help with the detective work.
The victim, Mary Gregor, is lauded by all as being a lovely, kind woman. It soon appears, however, that her relationships with family members and the local community were not as smooth and pleasant as first described. The investigation uncovers secrets within the extended family, many rooted in the past. Then further murders occur while local people are beginning to spread tales about supernatural creatures from the loch being responsible.
This is all very enjoyable. The solution is not supernatural, but it is, as always in this type of novel, very contrived and quite unrealistic. Getting to the solution, however, is entertaining and it is always fun to try and resolve the mystery yourself as you read. I recommend this novel to those who like a good, old-fashioned crime novel.
Anne Is Reading 