The Black Rustle

by Constance Little, Gwenyth Little

Bodies and a swimming pool disappear in this wacky mystery set at a vacation house in the country during World War II.

Genres: Mystery, Humor

156 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1942

About the author

Jessie Constance Little (1899-1980) co-authored with her sister Gwenyth Little mysteries in the screwball-comedy fashion. The Little sisters are referred to as "queens of the wacky cozy." They were sometimes published as Conyth Little, a portmanteau of their names.

Their youngest sister Iris wrote under the pseudonym Robert James.

Constance Little married Lawrence Baker, a men's clothing designer for the Dubois Uniform Company in New York City.

Reviews

[Carla Remy · Rating 4 out of 5]

03/2013

Constance and Gwenyth Little are an all time favorite of mine, though I haven't read one in four years (I've read them all but they don't all stick in the memory). The writers are two Australian sisters who wrote mysteries which are best described as screwball romances in the 1930s and 40s. The books are totally satisfying (to me) but also somehow bland. The writing is good enough for me (because it's old?) but not great. I think this one is from 1943. Blessedly reprinted by the Rue Morgue Press.

[Bev · Rating 3 out of 5]

And then, directly above me, in the attic, I heard her quite distinctly--a light, gentle footfall and the whispered rustle of a skirt.

According to a Packett family legend, the little lady in black, a doll-like statue which normally stands on their country cottage mantle, leaves her post periodically, transforms into a ghost, and walks the floors whenever she gets perturbed by family behavior. Well....the weekend family get-together must have really upset her because she keeps disappearing and reappearing faster than a jack-in-the-box on an endless loop. But who wouldn't be upset when it seems that the family membesr are killing each other off?

Marina Hays is not a member of the family. But she has been invited to join the weekend festivities by her friends Marge and Elizabeth. She wasn't very enthusiastic and had to be convinced. And even though Bruce Collyer, the handsome cousin who own the cottage, seems interested in her (even though he can't seem to remember her name), it isn't long before she wishes she had stayed home. Because she didn't know "Stay Alive" was going to be one of the games. Elizabeth is the first victim. Initially, it looks like the poor swimmer just go in over her head and has perished in an accident. But then Marina notices a couple of items out of place and mentions them to Bruce Collyer (owner of the cottage). He makes sure the coroner is aware that the accident might really be murder. An investigation has barely begun before we have victim number two. This time the victim had been whispering about a secret. Did someone kill to make sure the secret would never be revealed? Marina's powers of observation will be needed again to help the authorities unravel the mystery.

Constance and Gwenyth Little wrote 21 mysteries together. All but one, their debut novel The Grey Mist Murder, had "Black" in the title and they all fall into the comic romantic mystery subgenre. The Black Rustle features the romance between Bruce and Marina--but what a romance. Bruce seems to think that the way to win the girl is to get her to hold boards while he nails and screws and saws. Oh--and call her anything but her name: Maggie and Malvina are favorites. It's also a great idea to do your courting in a cottage where everybody treats everybody else's room like their own--you never know who might pop in while you're whispering sweet nothings....or changing into your bathing suit. When you sit down and think about it, all that casual semi-nudity seems like it would be pretty risqué for the 1940s, but the Little sisters tell their story with such innocent comic charm that you don't sit down and think about it at the time.

These charming, cozy mysteries are great fun. Intricate puzzle plots--no. But interesting and original characters? Yes. The books are written with plenty of humor and with tongue firmly planted in cheek--especially when it comes to some of the murder methods. While they're often not the most practical method of disposing of an unwanted relative (rival, purse-string-holder, etc.), they're usually quite ingenious and well-thought out by their creators. A nice comfortable read from the vintage years.

First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

For my full review click on the link below:
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...

[Gypsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this delightful screwball comedy/mystery, Marina visits a friend's family for the weekend and becomes entangled in not one, but two murders. The Little sisters are aces at snappy dialogue and ridiculous situations that wrap nicely around a well-plotted, engrossing mystery. While not their best, the Black Rustle is well-written and a great deal of fun.

[Lila · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best of the Little mysteries, although Bruce, who is looking for someone to hold things up while he hammers, is nicely quirky. Marina, whom Bruce keeps calling Maggie, solves the case while visiting this odd ball family at their family vacation home.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marina accepts an invitation for a weekend in the country from the Packett sisters, whose cousin's large, eccentric house is used by the whole family, which is also large and eccentric. When Marina finds a body where the family swims, she also finds indications that the death isn't accidental. The local police reach the same conclusion, and the tension builds as the family squabbles and a second murder takes place. The owner of the house, Bruce, drafts Marina to help with his handyman projects, though he can't recall her name. And Marina keeps hearing a peculiar noise from the attic, like the rustle of a taffeta dress.

[Jaime · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just love this series by the Little sisters. These stories are like having Myrna Loy and Carole Lombard in the room, but on the page rather than on a screen. They are sheer fun and give a sassy glimpse of pop culture as seen from a female point of view in the 1930s/1940s.