And Then Put Out the Light — E.C.R. Lorac

It was really no concern of Mrs. Mayden whether Gillian Arkholme has spent a weekend at the Powys Arms with a married man or not, or that Alison Bentham was in love with her best friend's husband, or even that Dean's wife bought her meat on the black market. But sick, silly Mrs. Mayden had nothing better to do than ferret out all of Paulborough's sins and blazon them abroad. Then suddenly Mrs. Mayden was dead. 'Heart failure' said the doctor. 'Murder' said the town and began to look suspiciously at Gillian who had not only the motive but by far the best opportunity . Paulborough was an old and lovely town nestled in the shadows of its ancient Norman Abbey. On the surface, a godly town, but underneath simmered a brew of innuendo and hatred that boiled over into a spate of murders.

SHE MADE THE MILDEST OF MEN FEEL MURDEROUS…

She was a horror -- a malicious, muckraking scandal monger, who deluded herself into believing she was the chosen vessel of the lord. She filed copies of all her vicious letters. Among them were found aspersions and accusations, ranging from immorality to embezzlement, simony to atheism, and from cheating at cards to black-marketing… She was a gossip. A bitch…And she was dead!