Two by Francis Book

This classic of crime fiction deserves the highest praise. After a deceptively digressive start, its twists and red herrings develop with relentless pace. Every plausible suspect is exonerated. Who could be left? Bentley's style is delightfully elegant and unfashionably erudite. 'She traced two lines of inanition on his cheeks with a slim forefinger.' What copy editor today would let that pass? Yet it works, as do Bentley's other shameless jokes with language.

Bentley first published Trent's Own Case in 1913, before the Golden Age of detective fiction had properly developed. So when he violates one of Father Knox's famous Ten Commandments for Detective Fiction (1928) we have no heart to blame him. (Agatha Christie did far worse.) Which rule is that? You'll have to read this brilliant story to find out. A work of genius!