Margery Allingham
1927
5/5 stars
Eric Crowther is found dead in his neighbors' cottage and Chief Inspector W.T. Challenor is called to investigate. Everyone in the cottage, plus two of Crowther's employees, had reason to kill him. Challenor finds himself involved in a case with too many suspects and no reasonable solution.
This short novel is well-written, tightly plotted, and thoroughly engaging; I finished it in one sitting. The solution is perfectly plausible, as are the characters and their stories. While I am crazy about her Campion adventures, I do wish Allingham had written a few more like this fantastic mystery.
