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Death Comes to Cambers (The Bobby Owen Mysteries, #6)

E.R. Punshon

Start date: February 13, 2021

Finish date: March 10, 2021

Discussion: Buddy reads

Why we're reading this: We are carrying on with the popular Bobby Owen series in 2021.
[close] We are carrying on with the popular Bobby Owen series in 2021.

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What Members Thought

Feb 20, 2021 Carolien rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2021, english-mystery

In this instalment, Sergeant Bobby Owen is a weekend guest of Lady Cambers who is worried that her jewelry collection is the possible target of robbers in the neighborhood. Unfortunately, Lady Cambers is found strangled and Bobby assists the local police to untangle the mystery. There is no shortage of possible murderers as Lady Cambers, with the best of intentions, interfered in everyone's business. I love the insight in the painstaking police work required in the days before proper forensic sc ...more

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Mar 22, 2019 Christine PNW rated it liked it

Death Comes to Cambers is mentioned in Chapter 7 of The Story of Classic Crime in 100 books by Martin Edwards as an example of "Murder at the Manor," along with half a dozen Christie mysteries, including The Secret of Chimneys, The Body in the Library, and Dead Man's Folly. This is Punshon's 6th outing for sleuth Bobby Evans, a gentleman policeman with Scotland Yard, who with his relative Lady Hirpool is visiting at Cambers on the day that Lady Cambers is found strangled in a field after sneakin Death Comes to Cambers is mentioned in Chapter 7 of The Story of Classic Crime in 100 books by Martin Edwards as an example of "Murder at the Manor," along with half a dozen Christie mysteries, including The Secret of Chimneys, The Body in the Library, and Dead Man's Folly. This is Punshon's 6th outing for sleuth Bobby Evans, a gentleman policeman with Scotland Yard, who with his relative Lady Hirpool is visiting at Cambers on the day that Lady Cambers is found strangled in a field after sneaking out of the house in the wee hours of the night.

This is a classic puzzle mystery, where the author, Punshon, lays down the clues for reader and detective, and the reader attempts to figure out whodunnit before the reveal. It's a decent puzzle - all of the clues fit together at the end, with a bit of thought, and there is a silly, but sort of fun, alibi manufactured by the murderer.

There is also a lot of social stuff going on in the background of the book. Lady Cambers has found herself torn between science and religion - she is financing Eddy Dene, an oddly brilliant young man from the village (his parents are the grocers) who dabbles in archeology and believes that he has found fossils in a field outside the village which will prove that what separates man from ape is a mutation in the structure of the hand that happened right there, in England. On the other side of the fight is the vicar, who is a religious fanatic. Somehow Punshon foresaw and wrote the showdown between Ken Hamm and Bill Nye all the way back in 1935, which is amusing. The vicar excommunicates Dene for his apostasy, and threatens to excommunicate Lady Cambers as well.

In addition to this debate, we have the managing Lady Camber losing control over her household. Her husband is shacked up with a village woman; her nephew, to whom she has left her fortune (maybe - there are shenanigans around the will) is refusing to marry the woman she has hand-selected for him, and her maid is arguing with her like they are, quelle horreur, equals. Her jewels, including a pearl that is known as "the Cleopatra Pearl," along with the rest of her jewels worth thirty thousand pounds, go missing the night she is murdered - along with a shady American millionaire who has been quite miffed that Lady Camber won't sell him her pearl, since he has the match to it and his wife wants a pair of earrings.

The pace is a bit plodding, but overall, I found this detective story to be serviceable, if not riveting, and sufficiently engaging that I would read more by Punshon. He's no Agatha, or even Wentworth, but I enjoyed the puzzle, and did not figure out whodunnit, although I nailed one of the clues/plot points immediately - long before any of the detectives. ...more

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Nov 07, 2018 ShanDizzy rated it liked it

Cunning mystery

Of the hundreds of murder mysteries I have read, I can count on one hand the times I have correctly guessed the murderer before the denouement. This story is one of them. Though, that did not detract from how thrilling it was to read it. It was a study in the psychology of the people involved as well. I enjoyed that Bobby took center stage (I think his mentor Mitchell was given a passing mention). In later books when he receives his promotion, it will definitely be deserved becaus ...more

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Aug 15, 2025 Louise Culmer rated it liked it

Another fairly entertaining mystery for Bobby Owen, one of those posh policemen who abounded in 30s detective stories. Although a mere detective sergeant, Bobby Owen is of aristocratic lineage, so is quite at home investigating the murder of old Lady Cambers, found dead in the grounds of her country estate. There are some quite interesting characters, particularly Amy Emmers, Lady Cambers’s maid, who is somewhat enigmatic. Nothing very remarkable occurs, but it is all quite enjoyable.

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Feb 06, 2021 Jill rated it really liked it

Shelves: e-r-punshon, jill-s-seventh-years-aty-challenge

This is the sixth book in this series. Having read the first five I would say this is of a consistent quality. The only thing I felt was missing was Inspector Mitchell, and I have now been told he does not appear again, I did miss his dry humour. This story takes place at a country house, where Bobby Owen is staying courtesy of his grandmother who is a guest there. A murder occurs and as Bobby is already there, he is given permission to stay and help the local police. There are a lot of characte ...more

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