Murder in the Basement
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4.3 • 3 Ratings
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- $14.99
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
"[Anthony Berkeley’s] tale of petty rivalries, affairs, and revenge plots is so deliciously entertaining. [Murder in the Basement is] a pioneering example of the “whowasdunin” that, like that corpse in the basement, richly deserves exhumation.”— Kirkus Reviews
When two newlyweds discover that a corpse has been buried in the basement of their new home, a grueling case begins to trace the identity of the victim. With all avenues of investigation approaching exhaustion, a tenuous piece of evidence offers a chance for Chief Inspector Moresby and leads him to the amateur sleuth Roger Sheringham, who has recently been providing cover work in a school south of London.
Desperate for evidence of any kind in the basement case, Moresby begins to sift through the manuscript of a satirical novel Sheringham has been writing about his colleagues at the school, convinced that amongst the colorful cast of teachers hides the victim—and perhaps their murderer.
A novel pairing dark humor and intelligent detection work, this 1932 mystery is an example of a celebrated Golden Age author’s most inventive work. This edition includes an introduction by CWA Diamond Dagger Award–winning author Martin Edwards.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
First published in 1932, this stellar mystery from British author Berkeley (1893–1971) is believed to be the first-ever "whowasdunin," as mystery expert Martin Edwards notes in his introduction. After Reginald and Molly Dane, a recently married couple, move into their new house, Reginald explores the basement in the hope of unearthing hidden treasure. Instead, he spots a discolored portion of the floor, which, upon excavation, reveals the remains of a woman who was shot in the head. Despite the best efforts of Scotland Yard's Chief Inspector Moresby, he's unable to identify the victim. Moresby gets unexpected help from amateur sleuth and author Roger Sheringham, who shares an unpublished manuscript set at a boarding school that contains crucial clues. That manuscript, provided in full, is entertaining in and of itself, even without the connection to the corpse in the cellar. Berkeley's adroit use of dry humor and plot twists help to maintain suspense even before the dead woman is named. This entry more than exceeds the high standards of the British Library Crime Classics reprint series.
