Death at the Opera - Softcover

Gladys Mitchell

Softcover

ISBN 10: 074740254X ISBN 13: 9780747402541

Publisher: Time Warner Paperbacks, 1990

Synopsis

Rediscover Gladys Mitchell - one of the 'Big Three' female crime fiction writers alongside Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers. Hillmaston School has chosen The Mikado for their next school performance and, in recognition of her generous offer to finance the production, their meek and self-effacing arithmetic mistress is offered a key role. But when she disappears mid-way through the opening night performance and is later found dead, unconventional psychoanalyst and sleuth Mrs Bradley is called in to investigate. To her surprise she soon discovers that the hapless teacher had quite a number of enemies - all with a motive for murder...Opinionated, unconventional, unafraid...If you like Poirot and Miss Marple, you'll love Mrs Bradley.

About this title

About the Author:

Gladys Maude Winifred Mitchell - or 'The Great Gladys' as Philip Larkin called her - was born in 1901, in Cowley in Oxfordshire. She graduated in history from University College London and in 1921 began her long career as a teacher. Her hobbies included architecture and writing poetry. She studied the works of Sigmund Freud and her interest in witchcraft was encouraged by her friend, the detective novelist Helen Simpson. Her first novel, Speedy Death, was published in 1929 and introduced readers to Beatrice Adela Lestrange Bradley, the detective heroine of a further sixty six crime novels. She wrote at least one novel a year throughout her career and was an early member of the Detection Club, alongside Agatha Christie, G.K Chesterton and Dorothy Sayers.In 1961 she retired from teaching and, from her home in Dorset, continued to write, receiving the Crime Writers' Association Silver Dagger in 1976. Gladys Mitchell died in 1983.

Review:

"Crime writing's best-kept secret" Scotsman "The Great Gladys" Philip Larkin "Among the most revered names in British mystery fiction" Washington Post "I hope that Vintage keep on bringing them out - she's just such an interesting writer" Desperate Reader "Gladys Mitchell could so easily have been another Agatha Christie. Her output was formidable, her plots skilfully constructed and her characters convincing" -- Barry Turner Daily Mail

About this edition

• Publisher: Time Warner Paperbacks
• Publication date: 1990
• ISBN 10: 074740254X
• ISBN 13: 9780747402541
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 256