This is a real old-fashioned murder mystery, complete with sinister housekeeper, forbidden passions, wily inspectors and high courtroom drama. Edwardian country life with its manors, picnics and class-consciousness comes to vibrant life in Mr. Marr’s first book. To its detriment, George seems rather too weak to be believed at times and it is hard to sympathize with somebody so obviously their own worst enemy. But I didn’t guess whodunit, and the tension builds admirably both during the writer’s tangible descriptions of a seething Edwardian summer and in the courtroom. If this new writer comes up with a better protagonist I look forward to reading more of these gripping mysteries.