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Styled on the old fashioned, complicated mysteries beloved by Perry Mason fans. The sort of classic tales where everyone's story keeps chaning and no one would dream of calling the cops.Old Vincent Farwell announces at a house party that he will not extend his $1.5 million loan to Ellandy Jewels. The six young people assembled, all with varied interests in the company, leave to consider their options. Then one by one or in pairs, they return to Vincent's house, find he's been murdered, draw assorted conclusions about which of the others did it, and proceed to alter the scene according to their intentions.
When a wealthy financier is murdered after threatening to foreclose on a business, six suspects converge on the crime scene, each harboring a motive to conceal the truth. The protagonist and the other five guests at a house party find themselves entangled in a web of suspicion after Vincent Farwell is found dead. Each individual must navigate their own conflicting interests in the company while attempting to deduce which of their peers committed the act. The narrative follows a classic puzzle-mystery structure, focusing on the shifting testimonies and the deliberate manipulation of the crime scene by those desperate to protect their own reputations.
This novel aligns with the traditions of mid-century detective fiction, emphasizing intricate plotting and character-driven deception. The narrative structure relies on the classic trope of the isolated group, where the absence of law enforcement forces the characters to act as their own investigators. Readers likely appreciate the methodical way the author constructs the web of lies surrounding the murder. The focus remains on the psychological maneuvering of the suspects rather than visceral action, making it a cerebral exercise in mystery construction. The work serves as a nod to the golden age of detective stories, prioritizing the puzzle above all else.
Page Count:
232
Publication Date:
1986-01-01
Publisher:
Collins
ISBN-10:
0002320711
ISBN-13:
9780002320719
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