No Wind of Blame (Inspector Hemingway Mysteries Series #1) Book

I had only previously read one Georgette Heyer mystery before this one, "Death in the Stocks," and, while I enjoyed that, I was not completely overwhelmed. However, on reading this novel, the first Inspector Hemingway mystery - first published in 1939 - I was really impressed and enjoyed this much more than the previous mystery I had tried.

In some ways, this is a typical country house murder. Ermyntrude Carter is the wealthy owner of Palings, who lives with her husband, Wally, her daughter, Vicky, from her first marriage and Mary Cliffe, Wally's ward. Ermyntrude is not accepted by the locals, and knows it, but her attempts to be a social success are looking brighter, after she has invited a Russian (or, rather, Georgian) Prince for a visit and is hosting a dinner party. Attending are local notables Sir William Dering, Lady Dering and their son, Hugh, as well as Tom and Connie Bantry.

Ermyntrude is a comical character, who really only wants to help Vicky get on in life. She is kind to her husband's ward, very emotional and has inspired romantic feelings not only in her exotic Prince, but in local farmer, Robert Steel and her doctor, Maurice Chester. Unfortunately, many people are only interested in her money. Lady Dering has agreed to dinner only to try to touch her for funds for a local hospital, Wally is constantly sponging and has installed his friend, Harold White in the Dower House, much to his wife's chagrin.

When a murder occurs, it is up to Inspector Hemingway to find a way beneath the tangled financial issues, the various scandals and issues between the characters, strange occurrences at a recent shooting party, the constant amateur theatrics of Vicky, plus Ermyntrude's hysterics, to try to solve the crime. I really did love this novel - it was full of humour and charm and has encouraged me to read more of Heyer's work. It has also reminded me that, even if you don't love one novel by an author, it is worth giving them a second chance…