Murder at the Manor: Country House Mysteries

The 16 entries in this British Library crime classics anthology, most dating to the golden age of detective fiction, between the two world wars, will appeal to all lovers of English country house mysteries. Edwards opens with an unsettling Sherlock Holmes story, Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Copper Beeches,” about a governess whose employers require her to perform some rather odd duties, such as cutting off her long hair. Other notable authors of the last century include E.W. Hornung, whose famed “amateur cracksman” Raffles appears in “Gentlemen and Players,” and Anthony Berkeley, who shows his ingenuity in “The Mystery of Horne’s Copse.” Margery Allingham surprises us with “Same to Us,” a short take on the country house party, and Michael Gilbert unravels a past mystery to solve a modern puzzle in “Weekend at Wapentake.” Those looking for comfort on a dark and stormy night will be rewarded. [em](Feb.) [/em]