esp liked Death Has No Calendar ( )

These ones definitely seemed like "if P.G. Wodehouse had written golden age mysteries."

Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. ( )

A country House Mystery originally published in 1942
Old Knolle house in Sussex, is the home of Sam Richardson, a wealthy theatre promoter and owner of the Beaumont Theatre. Theatre producer Basil Barnes, lives nearby in Fallow Cottage, on the outskirts of the Lambdon village. Over time the actors stay at Old Knolle house to rehearse the latest play the actors will perform. Showing the various interactions between the characters, and relating the various motives, which in its slow build up, will climax in a death.
Inspector Harting investigates.
An entertaining and well-written mystery.
( )

1 - Death in White Pyjamas
A Country House Mystery originally published in 1942
Old Knolle house in Sussex, is the home of Sam Richardson, a wealthy theatre promoter and owner of the Beaumont Theatre. Theatre producer Basil Barnes, lives nearby in Fallow Cottage, on the outskirts of the Lambdon village. Over time the actors stay at Old Knolle house to rehearse the latest play that they will perform. The story shows the various interactions between the characters, and relating the various motives, which in its slow build up, will climax in a death.
Inspector Harting investigates.
An entertaining and well-written mystery.
2 - Death Knows No Calendar
A Locked Room Scenario. John and Lydia Arundel have organised a party to their official opening of their licensed premises, The Little Bottel, in Beckwood. One of the invited is Major Tom Boddy an amateur sleuth. Later Lydia is found dead and the police believe it to be a suicide. Boddy with his sidekick Syd Gannon investigate. Over time they eliminate their suspects, determine who the guilty party is, and discover the clues that show motive and method.
A enjoyed this interesting story, but what I didn't care for was for me the overuse of the vernacular, and the lisp speech.
A NetGalley Book ( )

In the first story a set designer is found dead near a lake dressed in white pyjamas and of course almost everybody has a sound reason to hate her. And " everybody " means a troupe of actors,a director and a wealthy supporter. The setting,a country house,and the colourful characters are part of the charm. However when it comes to suspense it did not quite deliver the goods. It was really not difficult to guess who the culprit was.
As for the second story,it was basically a locked room mystery. A rather fearsome woman ,who had more than her share of enemies,is found murdered in her locked studio in the garden. Here again it was not really difficult to find the murderer. But once it was established who the miscreant was the amateur sleuth, in this case a Major Boddy,needs to find proof and this drags on and on...The solution to the murder or more precisely the "how" is impossible to guess as the reader does not get any clues.
All in all,two charming stories (country house, quirky characters, English summer garden...) but not quite successful ones when it comes to mystery and suspense.
John Bude has better stories to tell... ( )