The Mystery of a Butcher's Shop
By Gladys Mitchell ISIS Large Print, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-7531-8922-1
Genre: Crime, Mystery
Reviewed by Auggie Moore - February 7, 2012
One would think that if the residents of Wandles Parva were to wake up one day to discover a dismembered, headless corpse in Henry Binks' butcher shop, they would be a bit upset, even if the shop in question was located in the neighboring village of Bossbury. Yet, as events turn out, when such an eventually actually occurs, they are remarkably nonchalant about the entire incident! Immediately, Mrs. Beatrice Lestrange Bradley, a retired psycho-analyst, knows that something is afoot and sets out to discover just what in the world is going on in Wandles Parva.
The corpse in questions turns out to be that of a local squire, who also turns out to be a blackmailer who had garnered quite a few enemies in Wandles Parva. Mrs. Bradley wasn't to know this at first, being a new resident in the village, but she is quickly brought up to speed on all of the villages darkest secrets. Because of the Squire's blackmailing schemes, and other dealings, there is not a dearth of suspects. In addition, for some reason, a great number of the residents of Wandles Parva were wandering around the countryside on the night of the murder, so much of the suspects don't have an alibi. The police investigation, headed by Superintendent Bidwell and Inspector Grindy, is only interested in locating the killer. On the other hand, Mrs. Bradley finds that she isn't all that keen on finding the real culprit. In part because all the suspects are basically nice people, and the victim, in the scheme of things, really needed killing. Nonetheless she perseveres in her investigation and gives the police a nudge in the right direction when they need it, while at the same time using information that she garners from them to further her own inquires.
Written by Gladys Mitchell (1901-1983), The Mystery of a Butcher's Shop is a classic mystery novel that was first published in 1929 and is on par with other novels of the period, including those penned by Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers. The story is filled with an eccentric and lovable cast of characters, features a well-traveled scull that has a knack for disappearing, and even Robin Hood makes an appearance. Well, at least someone in a Robin Hood costume takes a pot-shot at Mrs. Bradley - with an arrow! Funny, fast-paced, and cleverly plotted, The Mystery of a Butcher's Shop is a fun book to read, and it offers readers a wonderful mystery to try to solve. As you would expect, the story is full of red herrings, a solid group of suspects - each of whom had the means, motive, and opportunity to carry out the crime, and it has a marvelous amateur detective, in the form of Mrs. Bradley to solve the crime for the reader, and the police.
The Mystery of a Butcher's Shop is the second book in the Mrs. Bradley mystery series. You do not need to read the books in this series in order, but once you start on this series, you may well find that you cannot rest until you've read all sixty-six of them!
The Mystery of a Butcher's Shop can be purchased directly from Ulverscroft, the parent company of ISIS Large Print.
Related Reviews:
The Saltmarsh Murders, by Gladys Mitchell.
Noel Wells, curate in the sleepy village of Saltmarsh, likes to spend his time dancing in the study with the vicar’s niece until one day the vicar’s unpleasant wife discovers her unmarried housemaid is pregnant and trouble begins...
Dumb Witness, by Agatha Christie.
In this Hercule Poirot mystery, Poirot is assisted by Bob the Dog. Together, they must prove that Bob didn't do it!
