A twist on the country manor mystery -- in this case, a group of people, mostly unknown to each other, are caught in a December snowstorm in an inn called Noah's Ark. While stuck there in the days leading up to Christmas, there is a jewel robbery & a murder. I liked the fact that while there were some romantic subplots, they remained very much in the background. It was also pleasant to see that the village constable wasn't portrayed as a boobie, even though he required help to catch the culprit(s?)...

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The Crime at Noah’s Ark by Molly Thynne is a British mystery novel that was first published in 1932. Set during a snowstorm at Christmas, a number of people have taken shelter at a quiet country inn called Noah’s Ark. Although inconvenienced, little did they suspect they would become involved with a murder and a theft.

I enjoyed the setting and the mystery, although it wasn’t long before I figured out “whodunit”. Although the book is only 218 pages, this felt like a much longer book. The cast is limited but nevertheless, the descriptions of and about them seemed endless. There was a lot of fumbling around in the dark and red herrings are generously strewn about as the story grew rather convoluted before all was explained.

This was my first book by this author and I would certainly give her another try. The characters were varied and interesting and the dialogue between them was very well done. The Crime at Noah’s Ark is a fine example of a closed house mystery and had me feeling slightly claustrophobic as there was a long of running up and down the dark stairways and long passages of the old inn. ( )

A twist on the country manor mystery -- in this case, a group of people, mostly unknown to each other, are caught in a December snowstorm in an inn called Noah's Ark. While stuck there in the days leading up to Christmas, there is a jewel robbery & a murder. I liked the fact that while there were some romantic subplots, they remained very much in the background. It was also pleasant to see that the village constable wasn't portrayed as a boobie, even though he required help to catch the culprit(s?)... ( )

A Chance to Stay Together
A group of people meet in a hotel, the Noah’s Ark, by chance and necessity. The roads are closed by a severe snowstorm and they cannot pursue theirs original plans. Gather in this place, they had no choice instead of spend time together. Different persons with different backgrounds in the early 20th century England lived a couple of days with one another and had to copy with an unexpected theft and a murder. This Golden Age Mystery by Molly Thyne is readable and interesting. The author developed some of the characters and the facts are presented in an enjoyable narrative. This was the first work of Molly Thyne that I read. It gave me the desire of reading the other ones. ( )