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In the Still of the Night by Jill Churchill |
| (Avon, $6.99, V) ISBN 0-380-80245-7 |
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Lily and Robert Brewster grew up in the decadence of 1920s America. But after the stock market crash, and the suicide of their father, the siblings were left to fend for themselves. Not an easy task considering the general state of the economy, and that both brother and sister have no marketable skills. When their Uncle Horatio dies, he leaves them his mansion, cheekily referred to as Grace and Favor cottage, as well as his sizeable fortune. However, there’s a catch -- the pair must live in the mansion for 10 years and will have no access to the money until after that time has passed. Needing a little spending money for themselves, the two decide to make some off their well-to-do friends.
Their plan is to host a house party, with a prominent speaker to be invited to lure guests. Lily is ecstatic when the famous author, Julian West, accepts the invitation. However, Robert’s suspicions are aroused from the start -- West is a notorious recluse, why come to a house party? With the promise to meet West, Lily has no trouble finding paying guests -- a former teacher, a pair of school mates, a literary critic, a middle-aged vamp, and an eccentric wealthy inventor. But what starts out as a promising money making scheme soon turns into a nightmare when one of the guests ends up murdered, and all the residents of the house are suspects. Jill Churchill beautifully creates a cozy atmosphere with an authentic historical feel. There is lots of wonderful historical detail in this novel -- everything from the Crash, Herbert Hoover, FDR, the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby, Hitler, and memories of World War I. Readers not terribly familiar with this time period in American history will not be at a loss, since the author provides just enough information to set up the atmosphere, while not beating the reader over the head with it. The story is a bit slow to get going. At only 242 pages long, the murdered guest isn’t discovered until exactly halfway through the story. While I was more than slightly annoyed at the slow pace, the fact that I didn’t know which guest would end up the victim was quite enjoyable. The author offers up a couple of possibilities to keep the reader guessing. My only other problem with the story was the narrative. For the first half, the story is told from Lily’s point of view. However, once the victim is discovered, the author switches gears, and soon multiple characters are narrators. This is a good style to explain motives and offer up suspects, but not for sleuthing. The reader doesn’t get to follow the sleuth around while they nose about for clues. Even with that said, In the Still of the Night>B? is a charming read. While perhaps best known for her Jane Jeffry books, my enjoyment of this second installment of the Grace and Favor series leaves me with the impression that Churchill has crafted another winner. A well written historical setting, fallen high society siblings, and a good puzzling crime will be a real treat for readers who enjoy mysteries in the British tradition.
--Wendy Crutcher |
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