St. Peter's Finger

The coroner bought it -- that Ursula Doyle, a docile, strictly obedient girl, should disobey one of the most harshly enforced rules and sneak into a bathroom at her convent school’s guest-house, turn on the gas tap and commit suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning in the bathtub. But the nuns at St. Peter's don’t believe it -- and neither does Mrs. Beatrice Lestrange Bradley.

At the request of her son and the convent’s Mother Superior, Mrs. Bradley investigates the death of 13-year-old Ursula. Ursula's grandfather, an Irishman who emigrated to America and raised a large, if shady, fortune, had been intending to leave the bulk of it to the now-dead Ursula. Ursula’s cousins -- the quiet, highly religious Ulrica Doyle, a year ahead show more of Ursula at St. Peter’s , and Mary Maslin, a dimwitted and lazy girl a year behind Ursula, who is also at the same convent school. Did either of them have a hand in the heiress’ death? And what about their families? Mary’s step-mother is very interested in the grandfather’s will, and she was staying at the guest-house the day of the crime. Add in the nuns, who are withholding as much information as they’re providing to Mrs. Bradley, and a bluff games mistress who found Ursula’s body and who was forced to resign her previous post because of large-scale thievery, and you’ll find yourself with a wide choice of suspects.

St. Peter’s Finger serves up several additional murder attempts before Mrs. Bradley neatly solves the mystery. As with all Mrs. Bradley mysteries, you’ll be kept guessing until the very end -- and a most dramatic and suspenseful ending at that. I’ve read as many Mrs. Bradley mysteries as I can find, and I’ve never yet been disappointed. If you like your British cozy served up with a side of irreverent humor and curmudgeonly attitude, you’ve come to the right place. show less

Mrs. Bradley is called in to investigate the death of a student at a convent school. Ursula Doyle is found dead in a bathroom. Her death is ruled a suicide, but the nuns are not convinced. Mrs. Bradley is given full run of the convent, and it becomes clear that the death is likely murder. Mrs. Bradley's own life is clearly in danger, as are those of Ursula's two cousins, also students at the school.

This was a rather delightful mystery. It is complicated, and there are numerous characters. I didn't figure out the solution in advance, but looking back I could see that Mitchell provides the clues. She offers plenty of red herrings.

I've read a number of books about convent life and schools during this periods, and the characterization of show more this one is decidedly different. Mitchell's convent is a warm and benevolent place. The children receive plenty of affection from the nuns, and students and nuns alike are generally happy. Even the orphans who are being groomed for domestic service content. That's a far cry from the cold and miserable convent schools that appear in so many other early-twentieth century novels and memoirs. Admittedly, Mitchell is primarily interested in crafting a mystery, and that she does well. show less

Mrs. Bradley investigates a suspicious death of a boarding school girl at a Catholic boarding school and orphanage run by a group of delightful nuns. Mitchell litters the landscape with red herrings, not only for the reader but to foil the killer bent on doing murder again (or are they?) The plot got a little overly complex for my tastes, but the give and take between Mrs. Bradley and the religious community that runs the place is multi-dimensional and fun.