E. Phillips Oppenheim has become a fallback author for me. An English writer who flourished in the 1930s, he wrote mysteries and thrillers a little more sophisticated (in my view) than comparable stuff of the period. I find his stories a little palid compared to the contemporary kind, but they keep my interest, and I can get them cheap for my Kindle.
The Glenlitton Murder is pretty standard Oppenheim. The main character is a member of the English nobility – Andrew, Marquis Glenlitton. When we meet him he’s hosting a party at Glenlitton, his country estate, introducing to his friends his new wife, Felice, who is half French and half Russian. During the evening, Felice retires to her bedchamber, claiming a headache. She sleeps, and is awakened by movement in her room, and a gunshot. A male guest, who has entered the room, is killed. The police quickly assume that the burglar must have killed the man. But Felice is not telling everything she knows…
No great pulse-pounder, The Glenlitton Murder is a serviceable mystery novel to pass the time. Felice is the old-fashioned kind of female character, kind of clinging and helpless by our standards. Theoretically that ought to please me, but even I found her a tad soppy.
Recommended for those who like the older approach to storytelling. Nothing objectionable here.
New recommendation: Suspicion by Joseph Finder. I’m surprised that you purchase so many novels. You’re a librarian. I get most all my books from either hard copies or e-books from my local libraries. Sometimes a brief wait. I obtained the entire Lewis Trilogy in two weeks. BTW, his recent Runaways is a good read. Happy reading, God bless…Paul
I need to start using the library more. I grew very impatient during my grad school time; Amazon has the advantage of being lightning fast.
Agreed. But I’ve been on trips, read your recommendation, and downloaded a library e-book in minutes. I found an Oppenheim novel on manybooks.net.