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Death in Retirement
Gillian and Max, young and deeply in love, are engaged at last, and nothing stands in the way of their future happiness. Nothing that is except for Gillian’s aunt, retired missionary Dr. Oliver Clayton, the woman who Gillian has lived with for the past four years. When the mysterious Mr and Mrs Weaver arrive in the pretty village of Elmford to live with Dr. Clayton and to help with the household bills, it seems that Gillian and Max’s prayers have been answered, but within months Elmford is plunged into a double murder enquiry, and the killer is still on the loose . . .
192 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1956
About the author
Josephine Bell
89 books18 followersJosephine Bell (the pseudonym of Doris Bell Collier Ball) was born into a medical family, the daughter of a surgeon, in Manchester in 1897.
She attended Godolphin School from 1910 to 1916 and then she trained at Newnham College, Cambridge until 1919. On completing her studies she was assigned to University College Hospital in London where she became M.R.C.S. and L.R.C.P. in 1922 and M.B. B.S. in 1924. She married Dr. Norman Dyer Ball in 1923 and the couple had a son and three daughters.
From 1927 until 1935 the couple practised medicine together in Greenwich and London before her husband retired in 1934 and she carried on the practice on her own until her retirement in 1954.
Her husband died in 1936 and she moved to Guildford, Surrey and she became a member of the management committee of St. Luke's Hospital from 1954 to 1962.
She began writing detective fiction in 1936 using the pen name Josephine Bell and her first published novel in the genre was 'Murder in Hospital' (1937).
Perhaps not surprisingly many of her works had a medical background and the first one introduced one of her enduring characters, Dr David Wintringham who worked at Research Hospital in London as a junior assistant physician. He was to feature in 18 of her novels, ending with 'A Well Known Face' (1960).
Overall she wrote more than 60 books, 45 of them in the detective fiction genre where, as well as medical backgrounds, she used such as archaeology in 'Bones in the Barrow' (1953), music in 'The Summer School Mystery' (1950) and even a wildlife sanctuary as background in 'Death on the Reserve' (1966).
She also wrote on drug addicition and criminology and penned a great number of short stories. In addition she was involved in the foundation of the Crime Writers' Association in 1953, an organisation in which she served as chair person in the 1959–60 season.
She died in 1987.
Gerry Wolstenholme
June 2010
She attended Godolphin School from 1910 to 1916 and then she trained at Newnham College, Cambridge until 1919. On completing her studies she was assigned to University College Hospital in London where she became M.R.C.S. and L.R.C.P. in 1922 and M.B. B.S. in 1924. She married Dr. Norman Dyer Ball in 1923 and the couple had a son and three daughters.
From 1927 until 1935 the couple practised medicine together in Greenwich and London before her husband retired in 1934 and she carried on the practice on her own until her retirement in 1954.
Her husband died in 1936 and she moved to Guildford, Surrey and she became a member of the management committee of St. Luke's Hospital from 1954 to 1962.
She began writing detective fiction in 1936 using the pen name Josephine Bell and her first published novel in the genre was 'Murder in Hospital' (1937).
Perhaps not surprisingly many of her works had a medical background and the first one introduced one of her enduring characters, Dr David Wintringham who worked at Research Hospital in London as a junior assistant physician. He was to feature in 18 of her novels, ending with 'A Well Known Face' (1960).
Overall she wrote more than 60 books, 45 of them in the detective fiction genre where, as well as medical backgrounds, she used such as archaeology in 'Bones in the Barrow' (1953), music in 'The Summer School Mystery' (1950) and even a wildlife sanctuary as background in 'Death on the Reserve' (1966).
She also wrote on drug addicition and criminology and penned a great number of short stories. In addition she was involved in the foundation of the Crime Writers' Association in 1953, an organisation in which she served as chair person in the 1959–60 season.
She died in 1987.
Gerry Wolstenholme
June 2010
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 18, 2017
Don't get me wrong: This is a perfectly fine book, but it's not what I was in the mood for, veering close to the psychological thriller. Enjoying her retirement in post-war England after her career as a medical missionary in India, Dr. Olive Clayton can make do with the help of her niece Gillian. But Gillian wants to get married, and the cost of living is getting higher by the day. To stay in her cottage, Dr. Olive arranges to have the Weavers, a married couple, live with her and share expenses. But is there something strange about the Weavers? And does Dr. Olive have secrets of her own?
January 2, 2020
C+: Not much of a mystery, really. Devoid of suspects and very soapy. Bell writes really well, though.
April 19, 2013
Gillian and Max want to get married but Gillian’s aunt, Olive Clayton, whose cottage she shares, is not keen on the idea and tries to cast doubt on Max’s suitability. Eventually it is agreed between the three of them that if a suitable replacement for Gillian can be identified who can live with her aunt and share the household bills then Dr Clayton will not object to the marriage.
Advertisements eventually produce Mr and Mrs Weaver and they take up residence in the cottage with Olive Clayton. But that is not the end of the story and many disturbing events will need to take place before everything is resolved. I found this compelling reading and enjoyed the way the author pieced everything together.
Every tiny detail led towards the revelations at the end. The evidence is there is the reader cares to look for it but many will not arrive at the correct solutions before all is revealed. The characters are believable and interesting and the plot well crafted. I like this author’s writing and find her an entertaining writer on the whole. As with any author who has written many books they do not all come up to standard but in my opinion this is one of the really good ones. The title of this book is misleading because it isn’t actually a Steve Mitchell and David Wintringham story.
Advertisements eventually produce Mr and Mrs Weaver and they take up residence in the cottage with Olive Clayton. But that is not the end of the story and many disturbing events will need to take place before everything is resolved. I found this compelling reading and enjoyed the way the author pieced everything together.
Every tiny detail led towards the revelations at the end. The evidence is there is the reader cares to look for it but many will not arrive at the correct solutions before all is revealed. The characters are believable and interesting and the plot well crafted. I like this author’s writing and find her an entertaining writer on the whole. As with any author who has written many books they do not all come up to standard but in my opinion this is one of the really good ones. The title of this book is misleading because it isn’t actually a Steve Mitchell and David Wintringham story.
June 14, 2013
What happens when a small group of people start suspecting each other? Paranoia ensues.
All Gillian wanted to do was to get married to Max but she didn't know that there would be murder before that.... A brilliant look at relationships in post-war England where everything comes with a price.
More over here:
http://inkquilletc.blogspot.in/2013/0...
All Gillian wanted to do was to get married to Max but she didn't know that there would be murder before that.... A brilliant look at relationships in post-war England where everything comes with a price.
More over here:
http://inkquilletc.blogspot.in/2013/0...
Want to Read
April 17, 2019Synopsis: Gillian and Max are engaged at last, but friends of her aunt arrive in Elmford and soon there's a double murder inquiry.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews