Mix Agatha Christie with the bitter wit of Gore Vidal and what do you get? You get the young Vidal writing as Edgar Box and this, the third of his three genteel mysteries featuring PR man Peter Sargeant II.
Sargent is invited to spend a week at the Long Island mansion of wealthy widow Rose Veering. It's a select group of guests: Rose's niece Mildred and her artist husband Paul Brexton; Allie Claypoole and her brother Fletcher, and later their nephew; and noted penwoman Mary Western Lung. Tragedy strikes when poor Mildred, who has suffered mental health problems, drowns whilst swimming. Is it an accident or perhaps suicide? The police seem convinced that it's murder. Then Fletcher Claypoole is most definitely murdered. The police make a swift arrest but Sargeant, who has form as an amateur sleuth has other ideas.
It's charming, funny, clever and, obviously, beautifully written. Great fun.
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