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Mrs. Bradley #50
Late, late in the evening
In the small Oxfordshire village where Ken and Meg Clifton spend their school holidays, the Fair is the most exciting thing that ever happens - that is, until a double murder is suddenly committed.
190 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1976
About the author
Gladys Mitchell
100 books143 followersAka Malcolm Torrie, Stephen Hockaby.
Born in Cowley, Oxford, in 1901, Gladys Maude Winifred Mitchell was the daughter of market gardener James Mitchell, and his wife, Annie.
She was educated at Rothschild School, Brentford and Green School, Isleworth, before attending Goldsmiths College and University College, London from 1919-1921.
She taught English, history and games at St Paul's School, Brentford, from 1921-26, and at St Anne's Senior Girls School, Ealing until 1939.
She earned an external diploma in European history from University College in 1926, beginning to write her novels at this point. Mitchell went on to teach at a number of other schools, including the Brentford Senior Girls School (1941-50), and the Matthew Arnold School, Staines (1953-61). She retired to Corfe Mullen, Dorset in 1961, where she lived until her death in 1983.
Although primarily remembered for her mystery novels, and for her detective creation, Mrs. Bradley, who featured in 66 of her novels, Mitchell also published ten children's books under her own name, historical fiction under the pseudonym Stephen Hockaby, and more detective fiction under the pseudonym Malcolm Torrie. She also wrote a great many short stories, all of which were first published in the Evening Standard.
She was awarded the Crime Writers' Association Silver Dagger Award in 1976.
Born in Cowley, Oxford, in 1901, Gladys Maude Winifred Mitchell was the daughter of market gardener James Mitchell, and his wife, Annie.
She was educated at Rothschild School, Brentford and Green School, Isleworth, before attending Goldsmiths College and University College, London from 1919-1921.
She taught English, history and games at St Paul's School, Brentford, from 1921-26, and at St Anne's Senior Girls School, Ealing until 1939.
She earned an external diploma in European history from University College in 1926, beginning to write her novels at this point. Mitchell went on to teach at a number of other schools, including the Brentford Senior Girls School (1941-50), and the Matthew Arnold School, Staines (1953-61). She retired to Corfe Mullen, Dorset in 1961, where she lived until her death in 1983.
Although primarily remembered for her mystery novels, and for her detective creation, Mrs. Bradley, who featured in 66 of her novels, Mitchell also published ten children's books under her own name, historical fiction under the pseudonym Stephen Hockaby, and more detective fiction under the pseudonym Malcolm Torrie. She also wrote a great many short stories, all of which were first published in the Evening Standard.
She was awarded the Crime Writers' Association Silver Dagger Award in 1976.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 11, 2022
You get good Gladys Mitchell’s, terrible ones and ones that are somewhere in between - and this is one of those!
I quite liked the story - set in a village, mysterious man, murders at a party and enough clues scattered through to work it out for yourself. That said, i found the writing irritating. All first person, some from a persons point of view, some in ‘letters’ that didn’t really look like letters. It didn’t quite come off.
And written dialect - just no.
I quite liked the story - set in a village, mysterious man, murders at a party and enough clues scattered through to work it out for yourself. That said, i found the writing irritating. All first person, some from a persons point of view, some in ‘letters’ that didn’t really look like letters. It didn’t quite come off.
And written dialect - just no.
December 1, 2023
Good read.
Although difficult to follow at times, the author’s style was fascinating and combined with his the “story “ itself made for an extremely entertaining read. I definitely recommend it to lovers of old mysteries. I have read several of the “Mrs. Bradley “ and am fascinated by her frequent change in style of presentation.
Although difficult to follow at times, the author’s style was fascinating and combined with his the “story “ itself made for an extremely entertaining read. I definitely recommend it to lovers of old mysteries. I have read several of the “Mrs. Bradley “ and am fascinated by her frequent change in style of presentation.
Want to Read
December 20, 2019Synopsis: Ken and Meg Clifton spend their school holidays in Oxfordshire; they love the local fair until a double murder is suddenly committed.
February 18, 2013
Although "The Great Gladys" is one of my favourite authors, I have say that this book was deeply disappointing. I didn't like the fact that it was told in the first person, the narrators being mostly an eight year old child and Mrs Bradley herself in letter form to an unknown other person. The plot was predictable and unintersting. Mrs Bradley herself didn't appear intil the latter stages and then wasn't in her usual good form. Her personality is one of the great delights of these stories but in this one it is sadly lacking.
September 11, 2011
I found the writing of conversations in dialect really annoying- but it is an old book!
March 6, 2015
This is far from being Gladys' best book and her work should not be judged by it.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews