Murder in the Snow by Gladys Mitchell was first published in 1950 and then it had the title of Groaning Spinney. My copy is a reprint by Vintage and its cover was illustrated by Laurence Whiteley. It’s very much in the British Library Crime Classics mould.
It’s almost Christmas and Mrs Bradley is in demand, she has an invitation to attend a conference of educational psychologists in Stockholm, it’s very tempting but she has also been invited to spend the festive season in the Cotswolds where Jonathan her nephew by marriage has invited her to stay in the manor house that he and his young wife have just bought.
The manor house has quite a lot of land attached to it and the locals believe that the area is haunted. It isn’t long before some of the locals receive anonymous letters. Mrs Bradley is just the person to get to the bottom of it. The atmosphere is enhanced by a fall of snow which seems to muffle sounds and add to the eeriness. It isn’t long before a body is discovered, hanging over what was known as the ghost gate. The doctor thinks it’s death by natural causes but others aren’t so sure.
The body count increases and of course Mrs Bradley sorts it all out. I still don’t like Mrs Bradley at all, for some reason Gladys Mitchell wrote her as being positively scary looking, reptilian with yellow skin and claw-like hands and her personality isn’t much better.
However I did like the mystery part of this book, for me anyway it wasn’t at all predictable.
Hi Katrina,
That sounds like a thumbs-up to me, and definitely like one I’d love to read. Maybe this December, and if not, it will go on my December 2019 List. Thanks for alerting me to this one.
Judith,
I hope you enjoy it when you get around to reading it.
I have ordered it and hope to receive it just before Christmas. Cookie-making time and Nose-in-a-book time. Tra-la.
Judith,
Oh the pressure! I really really hope that you enjoy it. I haven’t done anything for Christmas yet, maybe I’ll at least start decorating tomorrow!
Katrina,
Just a postscript. I have tried and tried to get Murder in the Snow, but it won’t be available in the US until 2019. So I tried to get it via The Book Depository (that evil company). The B.D. is out of copies, and the book will not be reprinted until the early months of 2019. I ordered another Christmas title in the series that looked interesting, so at least I’ll get something before Christmas.
And do I know what you mean about the Christmas pressure!
I was too tired from everything this past week to trim the tree today. I crawled back into bed and alternately dozed and played a wonderful word game on my device. I was literally too tired to read–can you imagine?? It was not fun.
Judith,
I managed to get our tree decorated yesterday but I’ve really cut back on the bling this year. Yes I definitely know how you feel as I’ve also been too tired to read at times recently – is it old age?! No it can’t be!