The Silk Stocking Murders (A Roger Sheringham case) [Paperback]

Anthony Berkeley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2001 | Series: A Roger Sheringham case

A ROGER SHERINGHAM MYSTERY. When the daughter of a country parson goes missing in London, Roger Sheringham receives a letter from her father pleading for help. As the amateur sleuth investigates, he discovers that the girl is already dead, found hanging from a door by her own silk stocking. It is presumed suicide, but when more young women are found dead in the same manner, questions arise. Was it merely copycat suicide, or will the case lead Sheringham into a maze of murder?

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

‘Anthony Berkeley is the supreme master not of the "twist" but of the "double-twist".’ - The Sunday Times

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

About the Author

Born in 1893, Anthony Berkeley (Anthony Berkeley Cox) was a British crime writer and a leading member of the genre's Golden Age. Educated at Sherborne School and University College London, Berkeley served in the British army during WWI before becoming a journalist. His first novel, The Layton Court Murders, was published anonymously in 1925. It introduced Roger Sheringham, the amateur detective who features in many of the author's novels including the classic Poisoned Chocolates Case. In 1930, Berkeley founded the legendary Detection Club in London along with Agatha Christie, Freeman Wills Crofts and other established mystery writers. It was in 1938, under the pseudonym Francis Iles (which Berkeley also used for novels) that he took up work as a book reviewer for John O'London's Weekly and The Daily Telegraph. He later wrote for The Sunday Times in the mid 1940s, and then for The Guardian from the mid 1950s until 1970. A key figure in the development of crime fiction, he died in 1971. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: House of Stratus Ltd (January 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0755102096
• ISBN-13: 978-0755102099
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,068,623 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An amature inside Scotland Yard, October 13, 2006

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J. Lesley "(Judy)" (Midsouth, United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Silk Stocking Murders (A Roger Sheringham case) (Paperback)

Roger Sheringham is a novelist and is working for a newspaper writing a column regarding crime in all its various aspects. He has previously worked with Inspector Moresby of Scotland Yard and considers himself quite knowlegeable in solving mysteries. Because of this newspaper column a parson writes to ask Sheringham for his help in locating one of his daughters. Janet went to London to get a job and try to send some money back home to help out with the expenses (a poor but proud family). There has been no letter from her for several weeks and this is most unusual. She wanted to make it completely on her own so would not even give her family her address untill she was assured of success.

With just this one incident, Sheringham and Moresby find themselves in a serial killing case which was masked as suicides. Sadly, he found what had happened to Janet even though she was using an assumed name and nobody in London knew her true identity (quite a nifty piece of sluething here). Because Sheringham's investigations for the missing daughter turns up strong circumstantial evidence that she did not committ suicide he manages to worm his way into the investigation when a prominent London "bright young thing" ends her life by hanging. When yet another "suicide" happens, Sheringham gets to stand inside the scene and watch the various experts perform their duties as they have been trained to do. And yet, slowly, the official force begins to close ranks and they shut Mr. Sheringham out. He then forms his own investigative group and proceedes to solve the case.

I liked this book. It didn't rate 5 stars but a good solid 4.5 isn't bad. Anthony Berkeley did lay out almost all the clues for the reader, which was actually quite fair, and what he didn't give you outright could probably be deduced by a proficient solver. My only problem with the book is totally a personal one. I felt that Mr. Sheringham was much too sure of himself. How old is his character supposed to be? That may be my problem. He acts so very young and arrogant so often and always knows so much more than everyone else (meaning anyone older than he is!) Maybe my own age is showing!!