Poison in the Pen

Regular readers of the Miss Silver mystery series by Patricia Wentworth know that she finds the cases she ultimately solves in a variety of ways. Occasionally they just pop up wherever she happens to be and she is drawn in. Sometimes a stranger in a train carriage turns into a client in need of her services. More and more often as the series progresses, she gets referrals from previous, satisfied customers.

Woman’s intuition? I’m afraid I can’t compete. I don’t know the exact figures for the current year, but speaking generally, there are about two million more women than men in the country. Terrifying to reflect that they are all at it day in, day out, exercising this formidable gift!”

And a not inconsiderable number come to show more our intrepid Miss Maud Silver, former governess and current enquiry agent in 1950s England, through her young admirer, Detective Inspector Frank Abbott of Scotland Yard. Between Miss Silver and DI Abbott, they must know nearly every living soul in England, which is certainly a handy attribute for a crime-solver. In [Poison in the Pen], the 27th entry in the series, DI Abbott tells her about his recent visit to a distant cousin, a recent widow now living in the village of Tilling Green, where she has been the recipient of some upsetting anonymous letters. Miss Silver agrees to go undercover (which is to say, disguised as the little old lady she actually is) and take a room in the village to see what she can find out. Even before she’s packed her bags she learns that a young woman from the village has drowned (the inquest suggests she killed herself after receiving anonymous letters) and another young woman dies shortly after she arrives in Tilling Green.

Miss Ecles was extremely efficient. It would be unfair to say that she enjoyed the situation, but she certainly enjoyed her own competence in dealing with it.

Solving the most recent murder involves a lot of eliminating suspects through timelines and everyone’s dirty secrets being aired out in the open, the universal condition of living in a small town. The only aspect I didn’t love was that Miss Silver once again puts herself in physical danger by confronting the murderer, which for a woman with such a strong connection to and respect from law enforcement seems to strain credulity. Nonetheless, this was an enjoyable way to spend an evening, and left me with some choice quotes along the way.

Few people are prepared to subordinate their private feelings to their public duty. show less

I really enjoy anonymous poison pen letters as a plot device in mysteries. This Miss Siver entry doesn’t disappoint, with deaths, sudden reappearances, village gossip, etc. I enjoyed Miss Silver’s character here,and I think the book is a worthy successor to the Golden Age mysteries. I’m hoping I can find more of these to read.

Valentine Grey and Jason Leigh truly loved each other, but Jason left without a word on a mysterious government espionage mission and has not been heard from since. Valentine's guardian, Colonel Roger Repton, has had a very flashy London-born wife for the past two years, which has made Valentine eager to leave the family home. She agrees to marry Gilbert Earle who has no money but will one day be Lord Brangston.

Poison-pen letters have been circulating in the village of Tilling Green, and one young woman has already committed suicide. Miss Silver takes up residence at Willow Cottage to investigate the anonymous letters.

On the night before Valentine's wedding day, Jason reappears and one of the bridesmaids is found dead the next morning. show more Rumours had gone round the village that she knew the identity of the anonymous letter-writer, and Miss Silver redoubles her efforts before any more tragedies occur.

Old-fashioned and appealing to fans of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple. Wonderful descriptions of life in an English village in the 1950s, with all the gossip, nosiness, neighbourly interference, but ultimately the concern of the residents for each other. show less

Superb mystery in the old style. Miss Maud Silver quietly knits up details to come up with a surprise ending.

Miss Silver kept bringing Joan Hickson to mind.

Patricia Wentworth , Gray Mask is on of those classic readers we should all read and enjoy. Not only are we met with her literary talents, but we also are engaged with the day, set and time of the era.
Renee Robinson, Shadows of The Heart