When the body of a doctor is discovered in the town of Bridgton, the local police call in Scotland Yard and Chief Inspector Jonathan Boyce. Amateur detective and friend Mordecai Tremaine has permission to travel with Boyce and become involved in the inquiry.
I enjoyed this well-written mystery and liked the style of writing. The author did provide clues so that it was possibly to find the guilty party. The two main characters are interesting ones, and I may prefer Boyce to Tremaine.
Originally written in 1952 before all the modern forensics were available to the police force.
A NetGalley Book
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I’m glad I gave author Francis Duncan a second chance. This is a nicely dovetailed mystery, with no loose ends. I overthought the plot a bit, expecting some over-the-top tying up of threads, but Duncan avoided that neatly, making things seem more believable.
A doctor is murdered in a country town, and Scotland Yard is immediately called in. An amateur who’s gaining respect as he sees the solution to more cases accompanies them.
Mordecai Tremayne is a retired, kind-hearted man with a keen eye for detail, a thirst for a little adventure, and a soft spot for romance. He resolutely tries to ignore this, and is always fair and even-handed in his investigations and conclusions.
This was much better than Murder for Christmas. Duncan avoids overwriting here, and has reduced the romance to manageable size. The solution to the crime makes a lot more sense, too.
This series isn’t in the front rank of mysteries from the 30’s through the 50’s, but this book provides a pleasant way to while away an evening. ( )

Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. ( )