Latter End

Latter End is another of the excellent Miss Silver mysteries by the late Patricia Wentworth. The title of the book is taken from the beautiful country home of the Latter familly whose tranquility has been disturbed by the presence of Lois, second wife of the owner Jimmy Latter. The determination of Lois to have her way in all things is aided by Jimmy's adoration of the woman whose wealth and beauty still leave him stunned by his good fortune in making her his wife. However, everyone else in the familly sees her for the selfish and domineering character she really is and so when she dies of poison in her coffee there is no shortage of suspects. Fortunately Miss Silver is on hand to find the truth of the matter in her own inimitable fashion. For years I have been amongst those who put Dame Agatha Christie at the head of those writers of genteel murder mysteries but I must admit to gradually transferring my allegiance to Miss Wentworth with every book of hers I read.