An Oxford Murder: A Golden Age Mystery

Set in 1934 Oxford, England, this cleverly plotted series launch from Vandagriff (the Alex and Briggie genealogical mysteries) introduces poet and amateur detective Catherine Tregowyn. Catherine has returned to Oxford to celebrate the retirement of her former tutor and adviser, but instead murder intrudes. Catherine, along with Harry Bascombe, who teaches modern British poetry at Christ Church, find the strangled corpse of professor Agatha Chenowith in a chapel, where the pair went to look for her after the academic didn’t appear at a dinner. When the police learn that Chenowith, who was a friend of Virginia Woolf and a member of the Bloomsbury Group, hadn’t been a fan of Catherine’s verses, she becomes a suspect; their theory is that the victim surprised Catherine and Harry “canoodling” and threatened to expose their relationship. Catherine finds no shortage of suspects and motives as she perseveres in spite of an attempt on her life and opposition from the authorities. Agatha Christie fans will be pleased. (Self-published)