Death in the Stocks (1935)

This was an excellent mystery story. When Arnold Vereker's body is found locked in the village stocks the main suspects are his family. I did find the Vereker family a bit annoying and stupid at times, but on the other hand they were quite realistic with real flaws. The whole book is basically the Verekers discussing how each of them could have been the murderer and it seemed like they were all trying to protect each other by making false statements and confessions.
As the book drew to a close I was convinced I knew who the killer was, but the real killer was a huge surprise!
This book was a great cozy mystery and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys mysteries that are a bit light-hearted. ( )

I like Hannasyde. He's so laid back.

Heyer writes such digestible, tasty work.

( )

Yes, well, it's fair to say that Georgette Heyer was not the world's best mystery writer and the plotting in this one is not particularly strong. (I say this because I guessed the culprit early in the piece. It was just a process of elimination, as there weren't that many suspects to choose from!) But I still enjoyed listening to the audiobook of this novel. Most of the characters are unlikeable, but they are quite funny. I loved their in-depth discussions about how they could have been the murderer. I also loved Roger: he reminded me of one of the stock characters in Georgette Heyer's Regency romances: the disreputable but entertaining younger brother. I don't think Heyer's mysteries are anything like as good as her Regency romances, but for someone who grew up reading and loving those romances - or for someone with an interest in period mysteries - they still make rewarding reading. ( )

When a dead man wearing evening dress is found locked in the stocks on the village green, the local police are only too happy to turn the case over to Scotland Yard. The corpse is Arnold Vereker, a universally despised man who kept a tight hold on the family purse strings. When Superintendent Hannasyde questions Vereker’s young relatives, they all declare themselves extremely happy that their unpleasant half-brother is dead at last. Hannasyde doesn’t know what to make of Antonia, Kenneth, and their various love interests, but he suspects that there are secrets hidden beneath their lighthearted jokes. He sifts through the muddle of motives and alibis with help from Giles Carrington, the Vereker family’s solicitor, who has his own reasons for wanting to uncover the murderer.

I’m a longtime fan of Georgette Heyer’s romances, but I’m quickly coming to love her mysteries as well! As someone who loves a good period piece, I found this an extremely fun book to read. The mystery is perfectly fine, with some interesting little twists and red herrings; I figured out some pieces of the puzzle but didn’t ultimately guess whodunit. However, the real pleasure of this book is the characters, their witty conversations and their blossoming romantic attachments. While the Verekers and their friends take center stage, though, Superintendent Hannasyde is also an intriguing sleuth, and I look forward to reading about more of his cases in subsequent Heyer novels.

What a fun, interesting mystery. Although I'd guessed fairly early on who must have dunnit, still, the characterization of the suspects was truly deep and intriguing, and often quite funny. Dialogue was quick and sparkling. I'll definitely continue this series. ( )