Reviewed by Jeanne
When a body is discovered in the house next door, Miss Amelia
Butterworth takes quite an interest. The
family who owns the house was not in residence, leading to some questions as to
how the unfortunate victim entered; but the more important questions are who
was this woman? And is her death an
unfortunate accident? Suicide? Or
murder?
Miss Butterworth, with her keen observation and logical
thought processes, determines quickly that this was no accident nor was it
suicide but a very clever and vicious murder.
She tells the police detective, Ebenezer Gryce, this at once, but he
seems to have some reservations about a spinster—even one of good family—being
capable of detective work. Miss
Butterworth takes up the challenge, determined to prove that she is every bit
his equal in deduction.
This book was republished as part of the Library of Congress
Crime Classics series and after hearing Green praised repeatedly in the Dorothy-L mystery
group, I decided I needed to give her a try.
I admit I was a bit hesitant; after all, a book written in 1897 might
not be to modern tastes. I was
pleasantly surprised to find that it was indeed entertaining and I enjoyed the
author’s sense of humor. The book is
very lightly annotated to explain a few minor details (for example, Miss
Butterworth likes to wear “puffs” which was a hairstyle) and to put some things
in context. One scene that is at best
cringe-worthy today involves a Chinese laundry, but the footnote describes the
widespread fear of Asian immigrants—the “Yellow Peril”— of the time to explain though not excuse the attitude.
I was fascinated by the social conventions at the time of the
book; one shock came when an adult female character explains that she longed
for school and taught herself to read and write. I also was surprised by the
importance of hats. There’s an ever present sense of the social hierarchy and
adherence to a code. There’s one scene
in which a character lies repeatedly in a courtroom because he cannot admit
there was any circumstance in which his wife would enter a house with a man who
was not her husband.
Another strong component of my enjoyment was knowing that all
the period details and sentiments were correct because the book is a reflection
of its time. When a 21st
century author tries to write a book set in, say, the 18th century,
I find myself second guessing some of the choices. Would a character really believe this or
that? Is this how life really was at
that time? In this book, I have no doubt.
Miss Butterworth is a delightful creation, a stubborn spinster
who holds definite views of what is proper.
Her birth name was Araminta but she signs herself as Amelia because she
is a sensible woman and not “the piece of antiquated sentimentality suggested
by the former cognomen” who is of Colonial descent and therefore a social force
to be reckoned with. This is not to say that she’s any champion of women’s
rights—Green herself did not think women show have the vote—but she sees
herself as the equal (if not the superior) of the police because of her
intelligence and social standing.
Green’s Detective Gryce, is thought to have been part of Conan
Doyle’s inspiration for the later Sherlock Holmes, while Agatha Christie
readily acknowledged Green’s influence—and for this reader it is very easy to
see how Miss Butterworth could have a kindred spirit in Miss Marple.
If you like tightly plotted mysteries in a historical setting,
you might want to give Green a try. I’m not sure how her Gryce books would be,
but I’m certainly willing to take another stroll with Miss Butterworth—though I
am sure she would not consider me fit company in a social setting. I would just sit quietly (or not) and be
amused.
