A Corpse in a Gilded Cage

By Robert Barnard

A classic British whodunit.

Chetton Hall was one of the glories of Jacobean domestic architecture, and the Spenders had lived in Chetton ever since their founder had peculated the money to build it while he was the King’s Secretary of Monopolies. Over the years they had accumulated accrustations of dignity, to say nothing of wealth. Which made it doubly shocking when the Earldom descended to Percy Spender, who was ‘not quite’, not to mention his family, who were not at all. When the family descends on Chetton for his sixtieth birthday, accompanied by various hangers-on, their main obsession is to discover his intentions for the future of the place. Hardly less interested is his man of business, and his neighbours, who feel sadly the diminished glory of the house. The Spenders, in fact, have always felt like birds in a guilded cage at Chetton.

Before the celebrations are over, one of the birds is a very dead duck indeed.

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The traditional country house party murder is turned on its head, given a few twists, and ends up much reinvigorated in this witty and lively whodunit by a writer who, as described in The Times Literary Supplement, ‘can write most under the table with one hand behind his back.’

‘Mr Barnard always maintains an exceptionally high level, being as much littérateur as mystery story writer; fortunately, he never lets his literary flair get in the way of his mysteries.’ New York Times Book Review

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pan Macmillan
• Release date: Dec 13, 2012
• ISBN: 9781447240068

Robert Barnard

Robert Barnard (1936-2013) was awarded the Malice Domestic Award for Lifetime Achievement and the Nero Wolfe Award, as well as the Agatha and Macavity awards. An eight-time Edgar nominee, he was a member of Britain's distinguished Detection Club, and, in May 2003, he received the Cartier Diamond Dagger Award for lifetime achievement in mystery writing. 

Reviews for A Corpse in a Gilded Cage

[condorena · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I wonder what my reaction to inheriting a grand estate would be. Would I prefer my own cozy home. That is how the unexpected 12th Earl of Ellesmere and his wife felt. Percy Spender was willing to spend a brief time in the cold drafty yet elegant almost palace, then they wanted to sell it and get on with life. Who wants to eat cold food for the rest of their lives?

All of Percy's family have gathered at Chetton Hall to spend time together and to celebrate Percy's sixtieth birthday. Many of the family members are seeing this as a windfall that can enrich all their lives if handled correctly. But someone puts a period to Percy's existence and hordes of police and reporters descend on the estate to turn every bodies life inside out.

Complicating matters is the fact that Percy's heir is currently in lockup doing time because he was caught for the umpteenth time illegally emptying a lorry full of TV's. due out shortly he is sprung to help the police in their inquiries in a different fashion.

Robert Barnard makes all this seem possible, real and humorous. I like to keep some of his books close at hand for a guaranteed enjoyable read.

[riyale · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My very first Barnard. So much humor. A quick, light read but only because it kept me so engrossed I didn't want to put it down.