Many have written about this book which stands out from all of her other novels, written once she mastered the romance genre. It is unlike her romances and unlike the other mysteries she wrote. Everyone is quite unlikeable. There are no laughs. A very grim mystery. For years after I read this, I just could not understand why she wrote it. I finally came upon the answer while reading a biography of her. She was trying to break, and succeeded breaking, a contract with one publisher so she could switch to another.

The three star rating I have given this is a warning that this is not like other novels by the author that were written just before or just after this novel. Her intent was not to entertain her devoted readers but to show her publisher that she would not be denied the right to change to another publisher. I say bravo to her. I like a strong minded woman. However, as a reader the style of this novel was not enjoyable to me as her other mysteries and romances were. Even Georgette Heyer does not get five stars from me for writing a novel that was deliberately written to be unlikeable.
Many have written about this book which stands out from all of her other novels, written once she mastered the romance genre. It is unlike her romances and unlike the other mysteries she wrote. Everyone is quite unlikeable. There are no laughs. A very grim mystery. For years after I read this, I just could not understand why she wrote it. I finally came upon the answer while reading a biography of her. She was trying to break, and succeeded breaking, a contract with one publisher so she could switch to another. The three star rating I have given this is a warning that this is not like other novels by the author that were written just before or just after this novel. Her intent was not to entertain her devoted readers but to show her publisher that she would not be denied the right to change to another publisher. I say bravo to her. I like a strong minded woman. However, as a reader the style of this novel was not enjoyable to me as her other mysteries and romances were. Even Georgette Heyer does not get five stars from me for writing a novel that was deliberately written to be unlikeable.