Mystery crime fiction written in the Golden Age of Murder "Fascinating period detail from the blackout days, a plot that keeps surprising, and contemporary crime novelist Martin Edwards' insightful introduction add to the fun." ― Booklist Miss Tither, the village busybody, is not the best-loved resident of Hilary Magna. She has made many enemies: bombarding the villagers with religious tracts, berating drunkards, and informing the spouses of cheating partners. Her murder, however, is still a huge shock to the Reverend Ethelred Claplady and his parish. Inspector Littlejohn's understanding of country ways makes him Scotland Yard's first choice for the job. Basing himself at the village inn, Littlejohn works with the local police to investigate what lay behind the murder. A second death does little to settle the collective nerves of the village, and as events escalate, a strange tale of hidden identities, repressed resentment, religious fervour and financial scams is uncovered. Life in the picturesque village of Hilary Magna proves to be very far from idyllic. ...Bellairs' dryly ceremonious wit, which shines from the very first page, helps explain why Anthony Berkeley, aka Francis Iles, was such a fan 75 years ago. -- " Kirkus Reviews " This British Library Crime Classics reissue brings back George Bellairs, who was extremely popular during Britain's golden age of detective fiction. Fascinating period detail from the blackout days, a plot that keeps surprising, and contemporary crime novelist Martin Edwards' insightful introduction add to the fun. --Connie Fletcher " Booklist " GEORGE BELLAIRS was the pseudonym of Harold Blundell (1902–1985), a prominent banker and philanthropist from Manchester who became the author of a popular series of detective stories featuring Thomas Littlejohn, which were published for nearly forty years.