The Will and the Deed

by Ellis Peters

The reading of the will of legendary diva Antonia Byrne turns out to hold some unpleasant surprises for her nearest and dearest: one way or another, none of them get quite what they are expecting.

And when a quirk of Fate maroons the mourners in a tiny snowbound mountain village for Christmas, it is inevitable that feelings will be far from festive.

But what no one could predict is that one of their number has lethally sinister intentions and when the final curtain falls, it turns out to be Antonia herself who has had the last laugh ...

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Christmas, Mystery Thriller, Holiday, Crime

244 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1960

About the author

A pseudonym used by Edith Pargeter.

Edith Mary Pargeter, OBE, BEM was a prolific author of works in many categories, especially history and historical fiction, and was also honoured for her translations of Czech classics; she is probably best known for her murder mysteries, both historical and modern. Born in the village of Horsehay (Shropshire, England), she had Welsh ancestry, and many of her short stories and books (both fictional and non-fictional) were set in Wales and its borderlands.

During World War II, she worked in an administrative role in the Women's Royal Naval Service, and received the British Empire Medal - BEM.

Pargeter wrote under a number of pseudonyms; it was under the name Ellis Peters that she wrote the highly popular series of Brother Cadfael medieval mysteries, many of which were made into films for television.

Reviews

[Andrea Hickman Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was published as Where There's a Will in the US, for reasons that escape me, given how many other works there are with that title. And, really, what is wrong with the original title that it needs to be translated into another English? Unfortunately this was first published in 1960, or I'd have kept it back for 2012's Vintage Mystery challenge. I know you're wondering how this fits with either of my VM challenges, so I will tell you. This would have been a Lethal Location book. It starts off with the poor dying diva in Vienna. Once she's dead, the rest of them get into a private plane to fly back to England where they will read the will and so on. But their plane has to make an emergency landing, which strands them in a snowbound valley in a German-speaking country. Given that they were close to Zurich, they're most likely somewhere in Switzerland. They're going to be stuck there for days, possibly longer. They might as well read the will.

And so the fun begins. And by fun I mean the horror of the will not containing the bequests it was expected to and the ensuing murder and speculation. Especially given the fact that the local police force is snowbound out of the village. It's a fairly standard murder mystery, but it's well-written (when is Ellis Peters anything else?), well-timed and manages to keep one guessing. I had my suspicions from the start, but I could never be completely sure until the end. In my books, that makes this a great mystery read.

[Cathy Olig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having fallen in love with the Ellis Peter's "Brother Cadfael" book series, I was hoping that "The Will and the Deed" would be just as engaging. The initial sequence is an airplane full of potential heirs to the will of a recently died opera star is beautifully written. Reading it, I wondered if any would survive the flight through a raging snow storm in the Alps, and if the crash occurred, the book would end quite abruptly. The group survives, finds shelter, and then chaos reigns following the reading of the will and the murder of one of the passengers. From there the book loses momentum, becomes muddled and shuffles to a dramatic, though a fairly predictable ending some of which seems just too probable.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a variation of the locked room mystery with a group of persons trapped in a snow bound mountain village and one of them uses the situation to kill. My copy was published in 1960 and so it have no profanity, graphic sex or detailed descriptions of violence, murder mysteries have certainly changed over the years. It is an OK book but I guessed the murderer about three quarters of the way through, the issue when the pool of suspects is small. I prefer Agatha Christie who I was never able to outguess.

[Rachael Robbins · Rating 4 out of 5]

The great operatic soprano has died in a foreign country. All 5 who hope to inherit from her fly home with her lawyer - but a snowstorm brings them down somewhere in the Alps. True, Antonia Byrne was eccentric, but would she really give all her money to her friend and ignore the others? When her friend is found dead, those trapped must try to solve the crime until the police can get through the blocked pass. This is a classic closed room case. You have 7 people (5 legatees, a lawyer, & a pilot). There is an obvious motive - inheritance worth a quarter of a million. But who did it and can the innocent prevent further murders before its too late?

[Marilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this tale read for my mystery book club. The beginning was a bit dense as all the people were introduced. Once I got into it, it seemed to flow a bit easier. The plot was complex at times, and I it unraveled in an interesting way. At times, I would give it a 3.5 -- but overall, I enjoyed the read.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had read this book a good many years ago but decided to read it again. I found it compelling and complex, and while I did remember who the villain was, it was fun to read every character's reactions. Ellis Peters always spins a complex story, and while I love the Brother Cadfael series best of her books, I have found the rest to be good reads too.

[Marijalas · Rating 4 out of 5]

a

It’s been years since I read Peters Brother Cadfael mysteries , so charming. I never had any idea she had written other books besides the Cadfael series.
This book, was a good read, good story and a little romance thrown in.Yes, a group of people snowed in and trapped in an village . Nothing new there, yet I stayed involved the whole way through.

[Linda Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not A Locked Room but A Locked House

A good old-fashion Agatha Christie type mystery, characters are enclosed in a house with a blizzard shutting them in. If involves a will greed and death.

[Barbara Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good murder mystery with a twist at the end

I enjoyed this mystery because it was in very unusual circumstances and left the reader guessing who the murderer was almost to the end.

[Chris Maska · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worth reading but does not quite come togather

Beautiful writing and some insights into characters. Unfortunately, it does not tell a fully satisfying story. I will not give out any spoilers. It is worth reading to try and prove my analysis incorrect.

[Diana Holdridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first third of this book is wonderful in terms of setting up characters and situation. The final third is wonderfully dramatic with a great surprise villain. The middle third gets bogged down in too many suspects explaining where they all were. But a very good book overall!

[Keeley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-paced thriller with a number of (possibly guessable) twists. As in Funeral for Figaro, Peters immerses us in the classical music world after a plane crash. Other than that the books are quite different!

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do like Peters; she can write!

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A "locked room" whodunnit. Very enjoyable.

[Megan Bowes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a classic Who Dunnit. Just when you think you 'might' know, there's a twist. It's a quick, fun read that takes you on a great ride.

[Lucinda Winslow · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well-written, well-plotted novella with a lovely twist at the end. Full of the claustrophobic atmosphere, snowed into an Austrian mountain town with a murderer.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the Cadfael series, but an interesting mystery of a will, a death, a plane crash, some kind and helpful villagers in the snowy mountains .

[Theresa LeBlanc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable mystery

Suspects, twists & turns. Inheritance, greed, murder. Clues & red herrings,. This book has all that & more. Clever whodunit.

[virginia j denney · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was disappointed with The Will and the Deed.
It reads more like a Victorian novel than a book written in 1960.
I did not like the characters.

[Dustman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 22nd Ellis Peter's book and it's another great read.

[Laura Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just the type of snowed-in Christmas mystery-thriller I was looking for.

[Smabbe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kirjan suomenkielinen nimi on Jäiset timantit.
Ihana vanhanajan dekkari, jossa ei uida verilammikoissa. Ihanasti myös hieman romantiikkaakin mukana.

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a non-series mystery, a sort of English-country-house plot picked up and dropped in the middle of Switzerland. Great character studies - Ellis Peters's people are never cookie cutter types. Nice little plot, rife with misunderstanding and misdirection. And the revelation at the end was very nicely done indeed. It's a quick read, but a quality one.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this has plenty of twists and turns, it's not a high quality piece like some of the other non-Cadfael titles written by Peters. All the business with the will that doesn't provide what people expect is so much fiddly-dee, and there are improbable things all over the place. Still, there have been much worse detective stories written...

[Helle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m a big fan of the Brother Cadfael series, but alas, there is no unending supply of those. So now I am trying some other of Ellis Peters’ novels, and so far enjoying those. The Will and the Deed is not the best I think, but it was quite enjoyable nonetheless. Biggest issues were that it was a bit predictable and not very original.

[Babakathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love all of Ellis Peters/ Edith Pargater mystery's. She is a beautiful writer, great use of language. This is one of her very early mystery's-may be her first one. It is not in the Brother Cadfael series. Its a simple but well written English "who dun it". Great fun easy read.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Predictable villain, but this didn't detract from the presentation of the story. Was very glad to have found this through a used book site. Hope to see it translated to e-books soon.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just ok, compared to her other books.

[Emily]

Just about right for a travel book - readable in a day or so and not too weighed down with substance.

[Nick Lenco · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid read for a traditional mystery novel. It did not thrill me to death but it was enjoyable the whole way through.