Mrs. Bradley Series by Gladys Mitchell

Dr Beatrice Bradley is elderly, ugly, has darkly sharp insights and an extremely wicked tongue. 1929 genteel country house guests are shocked by the death of their famous guest, world traveler Mountjoy, in a bathtub. Suspects include his quiet (but extremely competent) fiancee Eleanor, pompous Alastair and forceful son Garde, engaged to lovely Dorothy, plus curious naturalist Carstairs.

When Mrs Bradley's grandson finds an old diary in her rented cottage it attracts the interest of this most unconventional of detectives, for the book's now deceased owner was once suspected of the murders of both her aunt and cousin. Does the missing diary finally reveal what happened to old Aunt Flora? Is the case of Bella Foxley really closed? And what happened to the boys from the local reformatory who went missing at the same time? As events unfold, Mrs... moreWhen Mrs Bradley's grandson finds an old diary in her rented cottage it attracts the interest of this most unconventional of detectives, for the book's now deceased owner was once suspected of the murders of both her aunt and cousin. Does the missing diary finally reveal what happened to old Aunt Flora? Is the case of Bella Foxley really closed? And what happened to the boys from the local reformatory who went missing at the same time? As events unfold, Mrs. Bradley faces one of her most difficult cases to date, one that will keep readers guessing until the very end... less

Dame Beatrice teams up with two small boys to investigate a series of grisly murders