The Secret of High Eldersham
Miles Burton
2016 (originally published in 1930)
256 pages
Mystery
This book is one of the British Library Crime Classics and was originally published in 1930. It takes the reader to the years between the wars, a time when there were no cell phones or email and one had to write letters or telegrams, or go and find someone to ask them a question.
Horrible things seem to happen to strangers in the East Anglian village of High Eldersham.
When the pub owner of the Rose and Crown is murdered, Scotland Yard is called in.
Detective-Inspector Young begins to investigate, and asks his friend amateur detective Desmond Merrion to help him with the case. Why does a ship drop mysterious passages along the coast at certain times, and what happens on the island during full moons? What sinister secrets are the villagers hiding? And is the plucky and fetching Mavis involved in any of this? Desmond has several reasons why he’d like to know the answers.
This mystery has a lot of suspense and danger. The end is thrilling – there is a chase scene over and around the island and a wild fight scene. If you like classic British mysteries like the Lord Peter Wimsey or Hercule Poirot stories, you should give this a try.
Robbin BaileyConcord Public Library
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