1956. Maria Dupre has been invited, among others, to attend the death of dying Maxwell Falwell Fenton at 6.00 pm on the 3rd December at his home, Winterfield, in Lower Malton. On time he shoots himself in front of the witnesses after stating that they will all get their just punishment. The next day the first death occurs but by whom. Inspector Mallory investigates with the help of Langham and Ryland.
A well-written and entertaining mystery with a cast of likeable characters. Another good addition to the series which can be read as a standalone story.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. ( )

This is the seventh in the Langham and Dupre series of light mysteries. In it Maria Dupre receives an invitation "to a death" from a renowned artist she knew when she was a teenager. She asks her husband Donald Langham to attend it with her. Donald is an author and a partner in a private detective agency. When they arrive at the artist's delipidated country house, there are several other invited guests: a doctor, an art critic and her husband, a young poet and a show girl. The event is bizarre from the beginning but takes a macabre turn when the artist shoots himself in front of his guests.

It's a well-crafted "closed circle" mystery set in the English countryside after WW2. The story is set against the background of the then prevailing austerity with such hardships as gasoline rationing. There is a strong supporting cast of characters from previous books in the series as well as the other guests at the country house. The mystery comes to an exciting conclusion as the puzzled is solved. While not the strongest book of the series, it merits a read and is recommended.

I received a complementary advance reading copy of the eBook of "Murder by Numbers" from Severn House via Netgalley for my independent review. The comments about it are my own. ( )