Alibi for a witch

Ruth Seabright, a young Englishwoman, has been employed for four years as a kind of governess/companion to Lester Ballard's son Nicky at Lester's villa near the Italian village of San Antioco. Arriving home one afternoon, Ruth sees 16-year-old Nicky, spattered with blood, running from the house, and finds Lester's body in the drawing room, wearing clothes, shoes and a watch that are not his. Stephen Evers, an English writer in San Antioco, arrives at the villa a few minutes later, and jumps to the conclusion that Ruth has murdered Lester. Ruth refuses to implicate Nicky to protest her innocence, and while she and Stephen are arguing, the police come to the door. Ruth goes to speak to them while Stephen hides the body. Incredibly, the show more police report that Lester Ballard has been found dead on a mountain road, apparently the victim of a hit-and-run, and ask Ruth to accompany them to the morgue to identify him.

The title of the book refers to the medieval belief that a witch could be in two places at once. There are so many twists & turns in this little book, you will keep reading just to find out what will happen next. Also, Ruth is not weak or a fool, as women are often portrayed in these old books (this one was published in 1951). She gets angry, she curses out someone she thought was a friend who betrays her, she stands up for herself against the police and everyone else who thinks she is guilty.

This was the first book by Elizabeth Ferrars that I've read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I hope to track down more books by this overlooked mystery author. show less