Audio Books : Mystery and Suspense : Other quality : English
Unabridged and read by Cornelius Garrett. CD. ( 48 kbps / 44 kHz Mono, Fraunhofer CBR MP3 ).



#1. The Affair of the Bloodstained Egg Cosy [1975] 8 hours 37 mins
The 1930's country house party packed with crooks, cops, and the usual suspects frame the perfect scene of the crime. This one assembles all the right ingredients -- the theft of the fabled diamond necklace, the purloined antique pistols, the secret passage, the ravishing baroness with a past, the body in the lake... What a pretty puzzle! "Don't expect me to solve anything," Inspector Wilkins announces. But of course, he does: theft, espionage, impersonations (triple, at the very least), blackmail, murder. The suspects include a noble host and hostess, a jewel thief and foreign agents in disguise, bright young things, mysterious mature men, a Texas millionaire, and, of course, the butler. Crime connoisseurs will recognize the ingredients for a zany pastiche, a delightful romp paying tribute to the past while titillating the present. And what does the blood-stained egg cosy have to do with anything? If you like the sound of that, you'll love this novel written by James Anderson. Anderson takes a fun, ever-so-slightly tongue-in-cheek look at Golden Age mysteries when Dame Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers reigned supreme. Anderson manages to capture most of the conventions of the 30's English crime novel. The cast of characters could have come from any number of Dame Agatha's novels!

#2. The Affair of the Mutilated Mink Coat [1981] 9 hours 41 mins
The Earl of Burford hosts another slightly batty, thoroughly baffling house party. George Henry Alwyn Saunders, 12th in his line, has taken a fancy to films. He's nearly killed with delight when a movie mogul wants Alderly, the Burfords' 17th century country estate, for the set of a new Rex Ransom epic. The bronzed, handsome star has long thrilled the loopy lord with dazzling deeds on the silver screen. Less than thrilled is the Countess, who's suddenly playing hostess to a Hollywood crowd and a growing guest list that includes a long-lost cousin and a shady second spouse, two suitors for the Burford's willful daughter Lady Geraldine, an eccentric screenwriter protesting the pirating of his work, a sultry, sparky femme fatale, a professional blackmailer. Oh yes, roles from James L. Anderson's first zany whodunit, The Affair of the Bloodstained Egg Cosy, are reprised by Merryweather, their imperturbable family butler, and the perspicacious Ins. Wilkins of the Westshire constabulary. And what does a mutilated mink coat have to do with anything? Nothing can top the merrily murderous 1930s house party for a puzzler!

#3. The Affair of the 39 Cufflinks [2003] 9 hours 35 mins
"But Lavinia, I don't want people staying here," said the Earl. "After the last two house parties, we agreed no more." "This wouldn't be a house party, George, it's nine guests for one night." "But the last two times we've had people here it's been disastrous." "This is quite different. These people are family, not spies and jewel thieves and blackmailers and film stars. And when one occupies an historic house such as Alderley, one cannot shut its doors, because of a few unfortunate incidents."
Lord Burford's misgivings were understandable. After all, the "unfortunate incidents" had been murders. But these people were travelling a long way for the funeral of an elderly relative. There was nowhere else for them to stay in the village, so the Earl really had to offer them accommodations at Alderley, the Burfords' Carolean mansion. Things started to go wrong when one of guests claimed she had knowledge that would ruin the others' reputations. But nobody took that seriously. Until, that is, she was found murdered! Lord Burford had never been so relieved as when Chief Inspector Wilkins arrived. Again! Who ever tires of the zany British country house murder?

The author James Anderson died in 2007. We thus sadly only have three novels in this wonderful series.
I posted these individually back in 2010 - by request here they are again. These are engaging English country house murder mystery spoofs set in the 1930's.


Enjoy and Seed!!