Death and the Dutiful Daughter — Anne Morice

'Going somewhere nice for lunch?' he enquired.

'No,' I said. 'As a matter of fact, I'm going straight back to the country. Something tells me there isn't a minute to lose.'

The scene of the crime is a large Victorian Rectory. An aged and famous opera singer dies; she has been ill for some time and initially her death would appear to be natural. But her will, signed on the day she died, causes both astonishment and considerable ill-feeling among her kin. Then two more sinister deaths occur at the Rectory . . .

Tessa Crichton, soignée actress and inadvertent sleuth, is an old friend of the family. Under the circumstances she can't resist investigating, while her detective husband, Robin Price of Scotland Yard, works on another case near by. Tessa's imagination and powers of deduction are brilliant as ever. By twists and turns she reaches the solution, but not without a measure of danger to herself - and just a little help from the local police.

Death and the Dutiful Daughter was originally published in 1973. This new edition features an introduction and afterword by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.

'Anne Morice has a gift for creating intelligent, affection-generating characters, set in light and entertaining atmospheres.' Spectator

'Relaxing, polished entertainment of high order.' Daily Telegraph