Successful businessman Jeremy Marks wasn’t highly regarded by any of the members of the West London Archery Club. Most of them considered him a buffoon and a bore. But everyone was stunned when the fellow was murdered during a lull in the club’s annual archery competition. He’d been shot with arrows from a longbow during a raging thunderstorm.
But those who knew Marks well understood that the unkempt “court jester” persona adopted by the late, unlamented man was as fake as the smile he wore. As Inspector Witherspoon investigates the murder, he discovers the victim had real enemies among the assembled archery contestants. Marks was notorious for not paying his bills, cheating vendors, bad-mouthing business rivals, and worst of all, betraying his business partners. The dead man had built a whole career and amassed quite a substantial fortune by harming those who trusted him. It will take Mrs. Jeffries and the inspector’s household as well as their friends to sort out fact from fiction and target a killer.
Release Date: Aug 29, 2023
Series:Â A Victorian Mystery
Book:Â 41
Publisher:Â Penguin Group
Imprint:Â BerkleyÂ
Price: 11.99
Inspector Gerald Witherspoon has solved more homicides than any other Scotland Yard detective, but he didn’t accomplish that alone. The inspector and Constable Barnes have had assistance from Witherspoon’s household and a few close friends without his knowledge. In his newest case, two of those friends, Luty Belle Crookshank and her butler/friend Hatchet, are first on the scene. A man with many enemies is murdered at the archery club where Hatchet was participating in a competition. Hatchet and Luty are able to give Mrs. Jeffries, Witherspoon’s housekeeper and super sleuth, first-hand knowledge of the crime to help her deduce who the killer is.
I’ve been reading this series for a long time and have come to care about these characters. The mystery itself works as a standalone, but some of the things that occur in the book will be more meaningful to those who have read at least a couple of the prior books. Jeremy Marks, the victim, was an unwelcome guest to the archery club, and his numerous enemies mean there are plenty of suspects with a motive to kill him. The method of the murder is an arrow, so that gives most everyone on the scene the means. Therefore, the investigation is all about figuring out who had the opportunity to commit the murder. I really enjoyed how Witherspoon and Barnes, and Witherspoon’s friends all work together to get the clues needed to solve the case. In addition to working on the case, Mrs. Jeffries is also trying to find out what Nigel Nivens is up to. Nivens is jealous of Witherspoon’s success and has been newly reinstated to the force and is always out to discredit Witherspoon.
This case is interesting, and I like it when the household members work together, with each person contributing to the investigation. Hatchet participated more than usual this time, but I enjoyed that. Even though I’ve been reading this series for a long time, it was nice getting to know him better as an individual and not just as Luty’s sidekick. I enjoyed the interactions of the characters, who have become like family to each other and like old friends to me. In addition, the author does a great job of including bits of history from the Victorian period in the story. There are some developments at the end of the book that fans of the series won’t want to miss. I was very surprised but happy over the way things turned out.
~ Christine
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