On the Claswsic Mysteries podcast this week, you'll find a review of "Fear And Miss Betony," by Dorothy Bowers, a book that the Times of London called the best mystery of 1941. I would have some difficulty arguing with that assessment. You can listen to the full review on the podcast here.
It is the story of Miss Emma Betony, an elderly ex-teacher, who receives an urgent plea from a former student, Grace Aram. Grace wants Miss Betony to come to her girls' school, located in a former nursing home, to find out who might be behind a number of distinctly odd events, which may include the attempted poisoning of one of the nursing home's last residents.
Miss Betony soon finds that there is a great deal more going on at the school - including an overwhelming atmosphere of fear that appears to be affecting everyone. It may all be tied to the presence in the nearby town of a charismatic and perhaps quite dangerous fortune-teller, called The Great Ambrosio. And Miss Betony will quite suddenly find that her own life is very much at risk.
The story is detailed and intricate, with dazzling plot twists and turns that will leave the reader breathless. It is beautifully written, and I suspect that the carefully planted clues throughout the book will elude most readers until the shocking climax. It's a brilliant, beautiful book.
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