The Gazebo

At first this seemed like a 'Miss Marple'pastiche. The more I read the more I enjoyed it. Despite surface similarities Miss Silver had her own distinct character and style. The period and place, with its style and mores, were evoked beautifully. I appreciated the lack of denoument scene a la Christie. A most enjoyable book, which left me wanting to read more of Miss Silver!

Best Miss Silver I’ve read yet! Though, to be fair, I’ve only read 2-3 others, so I’m not in a position to judge too objectively thus far. Still, a great mystery with rational characters (unlike her earliest books) and while there’s still a romance at the hinge of the story, it’s not a soppy one. Mostly.

There were obvious references to previous books, but no spoilers; tangential characters in earlier mysteries are now the focus of this one. The murder could not have happened to a more deserving victim, and generally, the plotting was rather weak, not that I think about it. The murderer becomes rather obvious so that there’s no real reveal, just a crises averted and justice served. There’s also a connection to the Gordon show more Riots which lends an air of fun to the story, though when I write it like that it doesn’t make sense. Nothing fun about the Gordon Riots, except the link to the present day story is, but I can’t be more specific than that without spoiling.

A fun, traditional mystery. show less

Synopsis: A self-indulgent woman is keeping her daughter in slavery and preventing her from marrying the man of her dreams. Two men are trying to buy their house, but the daughter is resisting this since the house actually belongs to her. Miss Silver steps in to help the daughter and to protect here from charlatans and murders.
Review: Although the treatment of women makes me cringe, the plots are pretty good. In all her books there is a murder and a couple who have some sort of barrier to their marriage. There is always a happy ending. I kept hoping the mother would be killed sooner rather than later.

The Gazebo is a very light feel-good murder mystery by Patricia Wentworth, where Althea’s ex-fiance whom she hadn’t seen for five years turns up and still cares about her, her mother whom was completely opposed to the marriage and had squashed the life out of Allie was murdered, and (semi-SPOILDER ALERT) they all lived happily ever after.

I like this, but I'm under no delusions that it is brilliant.

An entertaining classic mystery with a particularly obnoxious murder victim.

Nasty mother and nosy neighbors. Crooks want to buy house since they are convinced gold is hidden there.

marvelous! miss silver does it again!