I saw this book labeled Hermann Glide #1, but he actually appeared in Moray Dalton’s previous novel. Both times, he came in at the end. Or maybe I read them out of order by mistake.
Linda Merle takes a job playing the piano in a tearoom, and performing with her is the beautiful but not very talented Violet Hunter on the violin. The girls become friendly right away, and when Linda learns that Violet hates living with the oppressive friend of her mother, she invites her to move in with her. Miss Coleman has already taken a dislike to Linda and hates her when Violet moves out.
When Linda inherits a small sum, she decides to purchase a cottage in the country and open a tearoom, but she only feels she can do it with Violet’s help.
She and Violet spend a weekend working at the cottage. But Violet doesn’t help much and finally tells her she can do better for herself by going to London. Linda is angry that she didn’t tell her earlier, so they argue. Then on a walk they find a dog that’s been hit by a car. Linda sends Violet up to the main road to get help while she goes the other way, to a large house. Outside the house she meets a small, furtive man who says she’ll get no help at the house, where he works, and another man, David Chant, who is the new Lord Haringdon. Chant goes back with her, but the dog is gone and so is Violet.
Linda assumes Violet got a ride into town, but when she returns to their room, Violet isn’t there and she has taken nothing. Linda wants to go to the police, but Chant advises her to wait while he looks into it. He suspects that Violet’s disappearance may have something to do with the large house Linda went to. It is occupied by a Dr. Saigon, who is rumored to be running a mental hospital there.
While he is looking into that, the police get involved, and they clearly have trouble with Linda’s story. Then they find Violet’s body, buried in back of Linda’s cottage.
I thought that part of this novel was going to go way off the rails, but it didn’t. It becomes suspenseful as things start to stack up against Linda. It also does a good job of misdirection.
I received this book from the publishers in exchange for a free and fair review.
What? Me Read? 
Moray Dalton is another of those names I keep seeing around the blogosphere but haven’t tried yet. This sounds a bit “sensation novel” with a mental asylum and forbidding furtive men, so I’m glad to hear it doesn’t go totally off the rails!
Well, it’s certainly near to that period, although most of the sensation novels were written in the late 19th century.
These Dean Street Press mysteries always sound good, I need to get going with them!
Yes you do