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Slow-moving, rather long-winded cosy about murder in a Cambridge college. The body of a porter is found first, apparently shot as he made his rounds; a second corpse turns up somewhat later, stuffed in a trunk. It is the second man who provides the mainspring of the investigation, as he proves to be a most unpopular character, and no fewer than three investigators are required to find his murderer: the local Inspector Whyndham, the Scotland Yard intruder Robertson-Macdonald and the amateur sleuth and college Vice-President Sir Richard Cherrington, himself a suspect. The painstaking investigations back and forth are clearly modelled on those in the Freeman Wills Crofts books, although a large dollop of snobbery and sexism is added on top: that noble-minded young graduate couldn't possibly be serious about marrying an empty-headed shopgirl!. Unfortunately, once given his suspects Daniel can find little to do except bumble back and forth between them until the murderer is eventually run to ground.

Quite readable for a first novel, especially to those who want to learn about Cambridge college routine, but overlong at 287 pages and with nothing special to recommend it.

Jon.

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