Set primarily in the English countryside, this novel focuses on the disappearance of Leslie Searle, a well-known fashion photographer of Hollywood celebrities. He enters the lives of Lavinia Fitch (famous author) and Walter Whitmore (well-known broadcaster) on the strength of a dead mutual acquaintance and soon becomes an integral part of their household.

This is the third in the Inspector Grant series of mystery novels. Aside from a brief appearance in the first few pages, Grant does not enter the story fully until chapter eight, one-third of the way through the book.

In the first third, Tey gives us character sketches of all the upper class denizens of the small village of Salcott St. Mary, where the London “arts crowd” keeps a home for use on weekends and in the summertime. She deftly captures the egos and insecurities of those who live to please the paying public.

Leslie Searle quickly makes friends with Liz Garrowby, who is betrothed to Walter. Several people note how Liz “lights up” when she is with Leslie. Though Walter is too self-involved to consider the possibility of a rival suitor, in his subconscious, “a faint ripple stirred the flat water of Walter’s self-satisfaction”. Liz’s mother Emma, however, does notice and perceives the threat to her daughter’s “happiness” if she does not marry into the wealth of Walter’s family.

By the time Leslie disappears, there are plenty of suspects to choose from. There is Toby Tullis, the self-important playwright whose magnificent country home Leslie declined to photograph; Serge Ratoff, the performance artiste who took personal umbrage at the slight to his friend and threw a mugful of beer in Leslie’s face; Silas Weekly, tortured author and recluse, who despised all things beautiful and felt it to be his duty to destroy them.

As in her other books, Tey occasionally makes a side reference to a few of Grant’s previous cases - one’s which were never written about in any of her books. This gives his character more depth, as if to say he exists outside the pages of Tey’s mystery novels. One such case brought him into contact with Marta Hallard, famous stage actress. It is from that case that they developed a cordial friendship and Marta became Grant’s “leper’s squint on the theatre”.

Marta plays a key role in this book, acting as support and a sounding board for Grant, and giving her observation of the denizens of Salcott St. Mary. Tey’s positive cast of Marta in Grant’s eyes seems to reflect Tey’s own beliefs regarding the better qualities of women. Grant sees her as intelligent, resourceful, and companionable and Tey consistently puts strong, stable, intelligent women in the centre of all her novels.

Tey’s books have the recurring theme of outward beauty hiding an evil character. Shortly after Searle’s disappearance, people begin to wonder whether they really knew the man at all. His seemingly innocent actions are now seen in a new and possibly more sinister light. In this book one of the policemen says as much: “…you’ve been in the Force long enough to know that it is just those lovers of little bunnies that commit murder.”

As in her other novels, Tey uses Britishisms here and there that add richness and a sense of place to the novel. Tey also makes a sly joke at her own expense when the well-known author Fitch says: “…how immoral it is to make money out of writing.”

The writing is tight, the plot moves quickly, and the resolution is not only surprising but also very satisfactory. ( )

Didn't grab me as much as I expected. ( )

Not an author I've come across before (it's a pseudonym of Elizabeth Mackintosh - no, havent heard of her either) and it was passed on from a friend. As Tey, Mackintosh wrote six mystery novels including Scotland Yard's Inspector Alan Grant during the 1920s and 1930s, which would place her with Allingham, Christie and Marsh, if only less prolific. This is book number 4 in the series and the first I read.

Since it's already 2/3rds of the way through the series, Grant is relatively well established as a character. He has his favourite right hand (police) man to bounce ideas off - similar to Alleyn's Brer Fox - but Williams is missing for most of the book on another case. Grant therefore comes to rely on the famous actress Marta, who he finds to be insightful and intelligent in her own way and a good foil (and a good cook!).

American photographer Leslie Searle, he of the unusual and stunning good looks, suddenly arrives in Town, quickly becomes part of the lives of an extended family, and just as suddenly disappears, leaving everyone bewildered and at a loss. Grant, who has met Searle once, previously, is confronted with the disappearance of Searle whilst out on a camping research trip in Oxford. His companion, Walter Whitmore, is engaged to Liz, and there seems to be a rapid connection between Liz and Leslie that makes Walter jealous. Leslie's disappearance makes Walter the Prime Suspect, but there's one major problem: there's no body and no real sign that Leslie simply hasn't walked off into the night of his own accord. So has there really been a crime?

The ending is a novel take on a standard disappearance mystery, and I wont go further for spoilers. Most of the secondary characters are reasonably fleshed out for such a short book (sub 300 pages).

If I'm honest, this didnt grab me in the same way that my first Ngaio Marsh book did - another series that I started part way through the series. Allingham's stories about Albert Campion run a quick second after Rodney Alleyn books. Whilst a decent, tight story, there's nothing (on this book alone) to make Tey join the list. I have another book in the series that might (or might not) help.

We listened to it this time. Wonderful narrator. Great tale. Love the unusual solution. Such a wonderful writer. A pity there are not more books by her. ( )

I really like this story. The characters are interesting, nobody is evil, although some are annoying, and I wish them all well. Some of the performing arts characters are gay and accepted as such by everyone else (even in 1951). Let me just add that I'd like to know what happens when the suspects find out, as I suppose they will, the solution to the mystery.When I described the basic mystery to my husband, he immediately guessed the solution: "He wasn't murdered; he turned into a woman." ( )