The Black Rustle

Rating:
Summary: This now 60 year old novel holds up exceptionally well
Review: Sonny Saunders is looking forward to his soon-to-be 21st birthday and eligibility to enjoy his inheritance. The problem is "the black lady" -- an old-fashion china doll. Sonny feels that when that doll leaves the mantle where she's displayed and can be heard walking through the house at night that very bad things happen like murder will happen. When Marina Hays agrees to spend the weekend at her friends' country house she encounters Bruce Collyer, a handsome man who announces to the other guests that he plans to marry Marina -- even though he can't seem to remember her name being occupied with the making of household repairs! It's when a murder mars the weekend (and seems to give credence to Sonny's superstition about the china doll and disaster) that Marina employs her wit and powers of observation to help the police figure out just "who done it". The collaborative effort of the sisters Constance and Gwenyth Little, The Black Rustle was originally published in 1942. This now 60 year old novel holds up exceptionally well and can be confidently recommended to enthusiasts of the Murder/Suspense genre as a superb example of an entertainingly comic mystery with it's brightly drawn cast of eccentric characterizations and fair-to-the-reader clue laden plot.

Rating:
Summary: This now 60 year old novel holds up exceptionally well
Review: Sonny Saunders is looking forward to his soon-to-be 21st birthday and eligibility to enjoy his inheritance. The problem is "the black lady" -- an old-fashion china doll. Sonny feels that when that doll leaves the mantle where she's displayed and can be heard walking through the house at night that very bad things happen like murder will happen. When Marina Hays agrees to spend the weekend at her friends' country house she encounters Bruce Collyer, a handsome man who announces to the other guests that he plans to marry Marina -- even though he can't seem to remember her name being occupied with the making of household repairs! It's when a murder mars the weekend (and seems to give credence to Sonny's superstition about the china doll and disaster) that Marina employs her wit and powers of observation to help the police figure out just "who done it". The collaborative effort of the sisters Constance and Gwenyth Little, The Black Rustle was originally published in 1942. This now 60 year old novel holds up exceptionally well and can be confidently recommended to enthusiasts of the Murder/Suspense genre as a superb example of an entertainingly comic mystery with it's brightly drawn cast of eccentric characterizations and fair-to-the-reader clue laden plot.