Book #55

Grey Mask by Patricia Wentworth

 

After Charles was jilted at the altar by Margaret, he discovers that she is mixed up in a vicious kidnapping plot masterminded by a sinister figure in a grey mask. Charles turns to Miss Silver to uncover the strange truth behind Margaret's complicity, and the identity of the terrifying and mysterious individual behind the grey mask.

What’s not to love about a 1920s crime mystery which features a sharp and intelligent detective who, when not out solving Golden Age mysteries, can be found sitting quietly with a cup of tea and her knitting needles? There is quite simply nothing not to love here.

We’re immediately plunged into a conspiracy plot involving a spurned lover, a thick as mince debutante, the intricacies of an inheritance and, of course, a masked man looming in the shadows. With delicate weaving, careful red herrings, and wonderful pace, Wentworth ignites a search for the truth as we unmask the criminal.

Although the subject matter seems quite dangerous and frightening when describing this novel, there is just something really light and enjoyable about it. Wentworth’s characters are wonderfully depicted, engaging, and impossible not to become attached to. Her plot is simple and buoying, a perfect trek through 1920s London.

This was my second Miss Silver novel, and although I preferred Will O’ the Wisp, my Wentworth journey is far from over.