What do you think?
Rate this book
Miss Silver #24
Vanishing Point
Nothing much ever seemed to happen in the sleepy village of Hazel Green apart from the occasional tea-party, spiced with local gossip. Until Maggie Bell went out one evening for a breath of fresh air and never came back. Could Maggie's disappearance be linked to security leaks at the nearby Air Ministry? Or is a sinister scheme being hatched closer to home? Miss Silver is called in to solve the mystery just as a second person goes missing ...
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1953
406 people are currently reading
491 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Wentworth
162 books521 followersPatricia Wentworth--born Dora Amy Elles--was a British crime fiction writer.
She was educated privately and at Blackheath High School in London. After the death of her first husband, George F. Dillon, in 1906, she settled in Camberley, Surrey. She married George Oliver Turnbull in 1920 and they had one daughter.
She wrote a series of 32 classic-style whodunnits featuring Miss Silver, the first of which was published in 1928, and the last in 1961, the year of her death.
Miss Silver, a retired governess-turned private detective, is sometimes compared to Jane Marple, the elderly detective created by Agatha Christie. She works closely with Scotland Yard, especially Inspector Frank Abbott and is fond of quoting the poet Tennyson.
Wentworth also wrote 34 books outside of that series.
She was educated privately and at Blackheath High School in London. After the death of her first husband, George F. Dillon, in 1906, she settled in Camberley, Surrey. She married George Oliver Turnbull in 1920 and they had one daughter.
She wrote a series of 32 classic-style whodunnits featuring Miss Silver, the first of which was published in 1928, and the last in 1961, the year of her death.
Miss Silver, a retired governess-turned private detective, is sometimes compared to Jane Marple, the elderly detective created by Agatha Christie. She works closely with Scotland Yard, especially Inspector Frank Abbott and is fond of quoting the poet Tennyson.
Wentworth also wrote 34 books outside of that series.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
August 17, 2019
I fell in love with Wentworth many years ago because of Vanishing Point, the first of her books that I’d ever read. From those opening moments, so filled with tenderness and psychological understanding, as a tired Rosamond sought brief refuge from her dire circumstances by taking a stroll through the woods, I knew this was something special. Wentworth, a member of that Golden Age group of female mystery writers which included Christie, Sayers, Allingham and Marsh, was so popular during the 1940s that despite their English village settings, Lippincott of Philadelphia released her Miss Silver novels in the US even before they were released in England.
The daughter of a British Army officer, Dora Amy Elles was born in India, during the time of the Raj. Tragically widowed and left with a young daughter to raise before she was thirty, she remarried someone who encouraged her writing. Lieutenant George Turnbull became her sounding board, as she dictated her stories to him. Romance and light mystery and suspense infused her first books. Miss Silver did not appear until 1928, with the publishing of Grey Mask, and would not reappear until nine years had passed. Books featuring Miss Maud Silver, the knitting spinster who eventually opened an investigation business after retiring from her work as a governess, rivaled Christie’s Miss Marple in popularity for many years.
Though I love Agatha Christie’s Poirot, I have to say I prefer Patricia Wentworth’s gentle but observant, Tennyson-quoting Miss Silver over Miss Marple. Miss Silver is somehow less intrusive in the mysteries, in the background rather than front and center, as is so often the case with Miss Marple. The manner in which Wentworth told the best Miss Silver stories is very involving, often quietly touching. The romance, of which there nearly always was one, never failed to have tenderness, insight and charm. When reading a Miss Silver mystery, it is almost as though it isn’t a Miss Silver mystery at all, but an old-fashioned story of romance and mystery. Each entry has an English village setting or feel, and the mystery generally involves murder. Sometimes the murder hasn't occurred yet, other times it has occurred, but it takes a while before Miss Silver becomes involved in the case.
As Vanishing Point, a later entry in the series from the mid-fifties begins, the reader feels like a tender, soft-gothic novel of suspense is about to ensue. Before there is even an appearance by Miss Silver or her endeared partner in crime-solving, Inspector Frank Abbott, we learn all about Rosamond Maxwell and her younger sister Jenny, recovering from a car accident in which she wasn’t expected to survive; we come to loathe the terrible shrew Lydia Crewe, taking undue advantage of Rosamond because she has nowhere else to go; and we are introduced to Craig Lester, the young man who quickly sees how wonderful Rosamond is, and wants to rescue her from a life of servitude and despair. Wentworth writes with great tenderness and understanding, painting Rosamond in such a way that we can’t help but fall in love with her, just as Craig does.
Rosamond is too tired for her young years, as noted by Craig. And a spirit like Jenny has, a girl with imagination and perhaps some talent for writing if she gets the proper guidance, is only being smothered by the hideous Lydia Crewe, referred to by the village doctor as “Pride and Prejudice”. For her part, Rosamond is almost startled by Craig’s attention, because it has been so long since anyone cared. Narrative touches like these, Wentworth’s tenderness and understanding of loneliness and living without love, make her stories almost irresistible. No more so is that the case than in Vanishing Point.
But once Wentworth has introduced the romantic element, we learn of Maggie Bell’s unsolved disappearance twelve months ago, and some leaks from a nearby Air Ministry base. Chief Inspector Lamb reluctantly, and to his chagrin, asks Frank Abbott if his Miss Silver wouldn’t like to pop on down to Hazel Green and insinuate herself among the locals, who will tell Miss Silver things they wouldn’t tell the cops. Miss Silver quickly learns that postcards supposedly sent from Maggie, were not, and a gray cloud begins to form around her disappearance. Then Miss Holiday disappears. Miss Silver wonders if some knowledge unique to Miss Holiday precipitated her disappearance.
The tension and mystery heightens as the blossoming romance between Craig and Rosamond intersects with what’s happening in the quiet village of Hazel Green. Jenny’s night excursions, a broken necklace, murder, rubies, and a race to save a life before it’s too late, is great stuff. There is some real excitement to the conclusion of this entry, and it has a warm and wonderfully old-fashioned final chapter, wrapping up Rosamond and Craig’s involvement in the narrative. For cozy lovers of the Golden Age, it just doesn’t get any better than Vanishing Point, in my opinion.
Wentworth was a tremendously gifted writer, and there’s a reason she was as popular as Christie and Sayers in real-time, and absolutely no accountable reason she isn't as read today. Though the Miss Silver mysteries do have a loose kind of formula, the best ones are always extremely enjoyable. If you haven’t read her yet, she is most definitely worth checking out. This one is perhaps my sentimental favorite, being the book that made me fall in love with Wentworth. Highly recommended for lovers of the Golden Age of crime fiction.
The daughter of a British Army officer, Dora Amy Elles was born in India, during the time of the Raj. Tragically widowed and left with a young daughter to raise before she was thirty, she remarried someone who encouraged her writing. Lieutenant George Turnbull became her sounding board, as she dictated her stories to him. Romance and light mystery and suspense infused her first books. Miss Silver did not appear until 1928, with the publishing of Grey Mask, and would not reappear until nine years had passed. Books featuring Miss Maud Silver, the knitting spinster who eventually opened an investigation business after retiring from her work as a governess, rivaled Christie’s Miss Marple in popularity for many years.
Though I love Agatha Christie’s Poirot, I have to say I prefer Patricia Wentworth’s gentle but observant, Tennyson-quoting Miss Silver over Miss Marple. Miss Silver is somehow less intrusive in the mysteries, in the background rather than front and center, as is so often the case with Miss Marple. The manner in which Wentworth told the best Miss Silver stories is very involving, often quietly touching. The romance, of which there nearly always was one, never failed to have tenderness, insight and charm. When reading a Miss Silver mystery, it is almost as though it isn’t a Miss Silver mystery at all, but an old-fashioned story of romance and mystery. Each entry has an English village setting or feel, and the mystery generally involves murder. Sometimes the murder hasn't occurred yet, other times it has occurred, but it takes a while before Miss Silver becomes involved in the case.
As Vanishing Point, a later entry in the series from the mid-fifties begins, the reader feels like a tender, soft-gothic novel of suspense is about to ensue. Before there is even an appearance by Miss Silver or her endeared partner in crime-solving, Inspector Frank Abbott, we learn all about Rosamond Maxwell and her younger sister Jenny, recovering from a car accident in which she wasn’t expected to survive; we come to loathe the terrible shrew Lydia Crewe, taking undue advantage of Rosamond because she has nowhere else to go; and we are introduced to Craig Lester, the young man who quickly sees how wonderful Rosamond is, and wants to rescue her from a life of servitude and despair. Wentworth writes with great tenderness and understanding, painting Rosamond in such a way that we can’t help but fall in love with her, just as Craig does.
Rosamond is too tired for her young years, as noted by Craig. And a spirit like Jenny has, a girl with imagination and perhaps some talent for writing if she gets the proper guidance, is only being smothered by the hideous Lydia Crewe, referred to by the village doctor as “Pride and Prejudice”. For her part, Rosamond is almost startled by Craig’s attention, because it has been so long since anyone cared. Narrative touches like these, Wentworth’s tenderness and understanding of loneliness and living without love, make her stories almost irresistible. No more so is that the case than in Vanishing Point.
But once Wentworth has introduced the romantic element, we learn of Maggie Bell’s unsolved disappearance twelve months ago, and some leaks from a nearby Air Ministry base. Chief Inspector Lamb reluctantly, and to his chagrin, asks Frank Abbott if his Miss Silver wouldn’t like to pop on down to Hazel Green and insinuate herself among the locals, who will tell Miss Silver things they wouldn’t tell the cops. Miss Silver quickly learns that postcards supposedly sent from Maggie, were not, and a gray cloud begins to form around her disappearance. Then Miss Holiday disappears. Miss Silver wonders if some knowledge unique to Miss Holiday precipitated her disappearance.
The tension and mystery heightens as the blossoming romance between Craig and Rosamond intersects with what’s happening in the quiet village of Hazel Green. Jenny’s night excursions, a broken necklace, murder, rubies, and a race to save a life before it’s too late, is great stuff. There is some real excitement to the conclusion of this entry, and it has a warm and wonderfully old-fashioned final chapter, wrapping up Rosamond and Craig’s involvement in the narrative. For cozy lovers of the Golden Age, it just doesn’t get any better than Vanishing Point, in my opinion.
Wentworth was a tremendously gifted writer, and there’s a reason she was as popular as Christie and Sayers in real-time, and absolutely no accountable reason she isn't as read today. Though the Miss Silver mysteries do have a loose kind of formula, the best ones are always extremely enjoyable. If you haven’t read her yet, she is most definitely worth checking out. This one is perhaps my sentimental favorite, being the book that made me fall in love with Wentworth. Highly recommended for lovers of the Golden Age of crime fiction.
July 31, 2019
On the cover of my ePub version of this novel, there is a picture of a long stretch of road, and in the distance is its vanishing point. It is in black and white and it gives a very haunting and mysterious atmosphere whose effects I felt before I even started to read.
As I mentioned in my review of the previous novel in the Miss Silver series (#24, The Silent Pool), I have noticed an interesting upsurge in Patricia Wentworth’s writing over the last few outings. In this one, for the first time in this series, an intriguing sub-plot simmers under the surface.
Are these mysteries related? (1) an unknown informer at the top secret Dalling Grange experimental station, and (2) the sudden disappearance of two village women, roughly a year apart, and who were servants in two different households in the village.
Scotland Yard was called in because the security breach is a matter of national concern. Frank Abbott has relatives near the village so he goes to visit them and won’t be wearing any identifying uniform as he casually seeks out information. As well, his boss actually requested him to ask if Miss Silver would be able to go, too, and she has an old school friend in the area . . .
This is an absorbing and interesting read, and as always, Patricia Wentworth’s descriptions of the village, and the homes where the various main characters live are described with an eye for detail – and a knowledge of what makes a home welcoming – or not.
If I say more about this story, I am sure to get into spoiler territory. Suffice it to say that this was a very enjoyable read for me, and I look forward to the next in this series – both because the stories feel so fresh, and because I am eager to see where Patricia Wentworth’s writing ventures next.
As I mentioned in my review of the previous novel in the Miss Silver series (#24, The Silent Pool), I have noticed an interesting upsurge in Patricia Wentworth’s writing over the last few outings. In this one, for the first time in this series, an intriguing sub-plot simmers under the surface.
Are these mysteries related? (1) an unknown informer at the top secret Dalling Grange experimental station, and (2) the sudden disappearance of two village women, roughly a year apart, and who were servants in two different households in the village.
Scotland Yard was called in because the security breach is a matter of national concern. Frank Abbott has relatives near the village so he goes to visit them and won’t be wearing any identifying uniform as he casually seeks out information. As well, his boss actually requested him to ask if Miss Silver would be able to go, too, and she has an old school friend in the area . . .
This is an absorbing and interesting read, and as always, Patricia Wentworth’s descriptions of the village, and the homes where the various main characters live are described with an eye for detail – and a knowledge of what makes a home welcoming – or not.
If I say more about this story, I am sure to get into spoiler territory. Suffice it to say that this was a very enjoyable read for me, and I look forward to the next in this series – both because the stories feel so fresh, and because I am eager to see where Patricia Wentworth’s writing ventures next.
September 17, 2024
What can I say? Stolen state secrets combined with the disappearance of a harmless middle-aged maid. Of course Miss Silver knows someone she can stay with as a guest. Then she can investigate without alerting the bad guys or gals. Murder, missing jewels, cruel aunts, and creepy corpse-like bundles abound but Miss Silver, calmly knitting her great niece, Little Josephine, a cherry red jumper and matching leggings, solves it all. I love Wentworth's books.
February 14, 2017
Miss Silver saves the day again! This series is every bit as good as Agatha Christie, Margery Allingham or Ngaio Marsh.
March 26, 2018
I grabbed this based on some stuff that was popping up on my feed.. not a bad book as rural British stories go, but not much of a mystery. The bad guy was clear from the start, and the main character barely made an appearance.
It felt more like a romance, and while it was a pretty well done one, that's not really my genre. The writer did a great job of capturing a small town in the British countryside... I might give another one a try to see if they are more detective-y.
It felt more like a romance, and while it was a pretty well done one, that's not really my genre. The writer did a great job of capturing a small town in the British countryside... I might give another one a try to see if they are more detective-y.
June 2, 2022
Set in the village of Hazel Green with a nearby Air Ministry - I thought this was a very exciting, suspenseful mystery by Patricia Wentworth and couldn't put it down.
November 24, 2024
I realize that Miss Silver is a total knock off of Miss Marple but it doesn't bother me, I adore them both. I've been focused lately on rereading Agatha Christie but decided to pull back a little from her and work on finishing the works of some of the other great authors of the Golden Era. Over the years I have read 29 of Wentworth's books! The only one of those I did not care for was when I accidentally read one of her romances, rather than one of her mysteries. Doh! I'm not a romance fan, personally, so a treacly romance from 90 years ago is not my cup of tea. Her mysteries though, her mysteries are right up my alley.
This one is set right after World War II, in a sleepy country village. Books set in post war England are so fascinating to me.Will the author ignore the changes in society and write like the war never happened? Will the author include them? If so, what will their take on everything be? Approval? Disapproval? Will they feel angry? Sad? Sentimental? Confused? The food rationing, the clothes rationing, the bombed out neighborhoods, the decline of the great country estates, the rise of the NHS, the population switch from rural to urban, the lessening of strict class divisions...it was a time of enormous change.
Wentworth appears to be on the side that the changes are good, at least when it comes to class divisions and the running of large country homes. Her story is set in a gloomy decaying manor house, ruled by a cruel elderly woman clinging to the past. There is no money for upkeep and no one wants to be a servant anymore. Instead of your possessions being in service to your life, your life is in service to your possessions. There is a great line the hero gives to the beautiful young orphaned niece of the cruel elderly woman about how stupid it is to have all these knickknacks everywhere that you have to constantly clean and dust. That you should start fresh with fewer things.
Wentworth contrasts the mean old lady living in the past with another elderly lady who has sold her house to the government and bought a cute house in the village that is warm and clean and only needs one servant to run it, instead of a battery of them. The hero mentions several times his modern comfortable suburban home and how it would be so much more pleasant to live there than the current Miss Havisham situation the young girl is in.
I recently read a Josephine Tey mystery called The Franchise Affair which took the opposite tack. It was a simply awful book and I was so sad about that because her other books are wonderful. Tey had a lot of strong feelings about class and was extremely upset about the decline of the servant class and the decline of the great country estates. In her book, the elderly lady in the decaying house was wonderful and the villains were the lazy stupid servants and the trashy young girls who'd rather work in retail than be a servant. It's interesting to note how different Wentworth and Tey depict a similar situation.
The mystery itself was good. I did not figure out the killer though I did suspect some of the plot resolutions correctly. I enjoyed the village setting and all of the supporting characters. The romance was predictable but did not bother me too much. This was an enjoyable bedtime read and I've already started another Wentworth.
This one is set right after World War II, in a sleepy country village. Books set in post war England are so fascinating to me.Will the author ignore the changes in society and write like the war never happened? Will the author include them? If so, what will their take on everything be? Approval? Disapproval? Will they feel angry? Sad? Sentimental? Confused? The food rationing, the clothes rationing, the bombed out neighborhoods, the decline of the great country estates, the rise of the NHS, the population switch from rural to urban, the lessening of strict class divisions...it was a time of enormous change.
Wentworth appears to be on the side that the changes are good, at least when it comes to class divisions and the running of large country homes. Her story is set in a gloomy decaying manor house, ruled by a cruel elderly woman clinging to the past. There is no money for upkeep and no one wants to be a servant anymore. Instead of your possessions being in service to your life, your life is in service to your possessions. There is a great line the hero gives to the beautiful young orphaned niece of the cruel elderly woman about how stupid it is to have all these knickknacks everywhere that you have to constantly clean and dust. That you should start fresh with fewer things.
Wentworth contrasts the mean old lady living in the past with another elderly lady who has sold her house to the government and bought a cute house in the village that is warm and clean and only needs one servant to run it, instead of a battery of them. The hero mentions several times his modern comfortable suburban home and how it would be so much more pleasant to live there than the current Miss Havisham situation the young girl is in.
I recently read a Josephine Tey mystery called The Franchise Affair which took the opposite tack. It was a simply awful book and I was so sad about that because her other books are wonderful. Tey had a lot of strong feelings about class and was extremely upset about the decline of the servant class and the decline of the great country estates. In her book, the elderly lady in the decaying house was wonderful and the villains were the lazy stupid servants and the trashy young girls who'd rather work in retail than be a servant. It's interesting to note how different Wentworth and Tey depict a similar situation.
The mystery itself was good. I did not figure out the killer though I did suspect some of the plot resolutions correctly. I enjoyed the village setting and all of the supporting characters. The romance was predictable but did not bother me too much. This was an enjoyable bedtime read and I've already started another Wentworth.
July 24, 2020
‘Do you dust all that damned china?’ When she thought about it afterwards it occurred to her that she ought to have snubbed him. Rosamond wasn’t very good at snubbing people. She said in an apologetic voice, ‘The daily women aren’t careful enough. Aunt Lydia wouldn’t trust them.’ There was quite a cold air coming in, but neither of them felt it. He said with anger, ‘Do you know what I would like to do? I’d like to put all that stuff in the middle of the floor and smash it with the poker!’ And all she did was to look at him and say, ‘Why?’ He obliged with a copious answer. ‘Because you’re a slave to it. There isn’t a speck of dust on the wretched stuff, or anywhere else that I could see. And who does the dusting? You every time! And mind you, I know about dusting. My sister and I had to help at home. My father died, and the first thing my mother did was to get rid of practically all that sort of stuff. She said there wouldn’t be anyone to do anything except ourselves, and she wasn’t planning for us to be slaves to a lot of irrelevant crockery, so she made a clean sweep of it. This house is cluttered till you can’t move, and you’re worn to a shadow trying to cope with it.’
Here is the mystery of the story which has Frank Abbott wondering "...Two women of no importance disappear – dull elderly people without sentimental entanglements. Nobody could possibly be supposed to want either of them out of the way. Yet Maggie Bell has never been traced, and Miss Holiday turns up at the bottom of a well."
Here is the mystery of the story which has Frank Abbott wondering "...Two women of no importance disappear – dull elderly people without sentimental entanglements. Nobody could possibly be supposed to want either of them out of the way. Yet Maggie Bell has never been traced, and Miss Holiday turns up at the bottom of a well."
October 21, 2021
I loved this Miss Silver mystery. A couple of women go missing in a small village and Miss Silver is asked to investigate. There were a lot of characters to keep track of but once I was into this mystery I was hooked. I loved the setting, and the people who populated it were very interesting. The mystery was complex and the outcome was very intriguing.
June 11, 2021
A classic English mystery, with amateur detective Miss Silver very much in the background until she is key in solving a series of murders. I got a deal on this book, far in to the Miss Silver series. Fortunately it stands on its own as an absorbing tale. The atmosphere is especially well done; some time shortly after WWII, with many more old ways and old fixtures in dwellings than one might expect. Generally I think the author draws stronger female than male characters. An enjoyable read, with just a touch of darkness to the mystery.
May 22, 2021
My favorite Miss Silver mystery so far. I found it difficult to put down.
January 22, 2009
First published in 1955, Vanishing Point is still a fun read. In fact,
#24 in the Miss Silver series
I really like these old mysteries. They have lots of suspects, lots of motives and are really good in the detecting department.
In this installment of the series, Miss Silver is asked to go and do some surreptitious investigating in a small town where 2 women have disappeared and some spying is being investigated. Whether the two are related is what Miss Silver is to find out. When she gets to the little village of Hazel Green, Miss Silver meets the various townfolk: Mr. Craig Lester, a publishing agent, Florrie, a maid who seems to know all the gossip in the town; Miss Rosamund and Miss Jenny Maxwell, two sisters whose parents died leaving them to be raised with their domineering aunt, Lydia Crewe, the Cunningham family and the list goes on and on. As Miss Silver knits, the facts of the case become clearer to her until she is at last able to solve the mystery.
If you want an easy read, don't pick this one up; it is written in the old classic mystery fiction style, so can get rather winded, but if you want to read a good mystery novel, then try it. I enjoyed it very much, but then again, I tend to like the older mystery novels more than the current ones!
#24 in the Miss Silver series
I really like these old mysteries. They have lots of suspects, lots of motives and are really good in the detecting department.
In this installment of the series, Miss Silver is asked to go and do some surreptitious investigating in a small town where 2 women have disappeared and some spying is being investigated. Whether the two are related is what Miss Silver is to find out. When she gets to the little village of Hazel Green, Miss Silver meets the various townfolk: Mr. Craig Lester, a publishing agent, Florrie, a maid who seems to know all the gossip in the town; Miss Rosamund and Miss Jenny Maxwell, two sisters whose parents died leaving them to be raised with their domineering aunt, Lydia Crewe, the Cunningham family and the list goes on and on. As Miss Silver knits, the facts of the case become clearer to her until she is at last able to solve the mystery.
If you want an easy read, don't pick this one up; it is written in the old classic mystery fiction style, so can get rather winded, but if you want to read a good mystery novel, then try it. I enjoyed it very much, but then again, I tend to like the older mystery novels more than the current ones!
May 21, 2021
E.book. (This is book 24 in the main listing of Miss Siler books on Goodreads)
This made for a good choice for late night reading and was easy to pick up and put down until Miss Holiday goes missing, time to devour the rest in one session😊
There were enough red herrings to try to throw me off working out the culprits, and enough clues to work out who was organising things ... but not how.
Extra: a narcissistic old lady (who is bordering on insanity) rules her family.
This made for a good choice for late night reading and was easy to pick up and put down until Miss Holiday goes missing, time to devour the rest in one session😊
There were enough red herrings to try to throw me off working out the culprits, and enough clues to work out who was organising things ... but not how.
Extra: a narcissistic old lady (who is bordering on insanity) rules her family.
October 11, 2015
Another fine Wentworth with the usual ingredients of romance, snobbishness, hidden nastiness under seeming normality and a smidgen of melodrama. Who is stealing state secrets, who is responsible for the disappearance of elderly spinsters (elderly? 40!)? Cue Miss Silver, supported by Frank Abbott, to solve the mystery...
July 27, 2017
One of my favorite Miss Silver mysteries
August 18, 2017
Good mystery, good romance, love Patricia Wentworth!
November 10, 2017
An interesting entry in the Miss Silver series. Particularly of note because of the young Jenny and the 'how to prepare to become a writer' advice she gets from a publisher she sends her naive early scribblings to.
Jenny and her older sister, beholden to the aunt who has taken them in and exploits them despotically, and the publisher, are our heroes as they try to escape the tyrant, avoid the dangers surrounding them as a second woman disappears, as Miss Silver and the police try to solve the mystery .....
The GR blurb:
When a girl goes out for a walk in Hazel Green and disappears, there are suspicions that her disappearance is linked to security leaks at the nearby Air Ministry experimental station. Luckily, Miss Silver is at hand to find out.
Jenny and her older sister, beholden to the aunt who has taken them in and exploits them despotically, and the publisher, are our heroes as they try to escape the tyrant, avoid the dangers surrounding them as a second woman disappears, as Miss Silver and the police try to solve the mystery .....
The GR blurb:
When a girl goes out for a walk in Hazel Green and disappears, there are suspicions that her disappearance is linked to security leaks at the nearby Air Ministry experimental station. Luckily, Miss Silver is at hand to find out.
April 13, 2022
I had a difficult time rating this -- while it was very easy to read and at times quite suspenseful, it was not what I would call a typical Patricia Wentworth book. To begin with, the tone/atmosphere of the book was quite a bit darker and more sinister than her other books, and the characters less humorous (though still interesting). The villain of this book was also a bit different than her typical, being more flawed than quirky this time. Lastly, Miss Silver appears to have mellowed a bit with age, and is somewhat more genial, though still slightly bland and difficult to picture in my mind. To summarize, it was a decent book, but not what I was expecting.
February 22, 2021
One of the best Miss Silver mysteries I've read. Very enjoyable.
October 22, 2016
I have two opinions about this book. The first is that I shall be reading more of Patricia Wentworth. I suspect this will be a gateway drug to dozens of Christie-lite detective novels during winter Sundays. The second is that while not entirely satisfied with it, I enjoyed it a lot more than some other dross I've read.
It doesn't have the careless humour of Lord Peter Wimsey, it doesn't have the 'Johnny Foreigner' casual imperialist racism of Poirot or the twittering of Miss Marple. There's something there, but I think need to read more to fully understand who Miss Silver is. At this point I can't even tell you how old she is, only that she knits, and is a good listener.
It feels like one of the lesser Christies. Like there was a chapter I forgot to read in which all the salient information was expressed which would have helped me to understand the plot. Even when I don't work out who did it, in a Christie at least I can look back and see the trail, and I couldn't with this one. Also I missed the slightly earlier period feeling. The mid-50s is just too close and normal to feel like escapism, and that's all I really read these for! Christie and Sayers will probably always come first, but when I'm standing in Oxfam and there's nothing else on the shelf I shall be happy to pick up another Miss Silver.
It doesn't have the careless humour of Lord Peter Wimsey, it doesn't have the 'Johnny Foreigner' casual imperialist racism of Poirot or the twittering of Miss Marple. There's something there, but I think need to read more to fully understand who Miss Silver is. At this point I can't even tell you how old she is, only that she knits, and is a good listener.
It feels like one of the lesser Christies. Like there was a chapter I forgot to read in which all the salient information was expressed which would have helped me to understand the plot. Even when I don't work out who did it, in a Christie at least I can look back and see the trail, and I couldn't with this one. Also I missed the slightly earlier period feeling. The mid-50s is just too close and normal to feel like escapism, and that's all I really read these for! Christie and Sayers will probably always come first, but when I'm standing in Oxfam and there's nothing else on the shelf I shall be happy to pick up another Miss Silver.
September 20, 2020
This is an odd book in the Miss Silver series. The beginning gave me the creeps like a Dickens novel, especially with the strange man arriving at the house, and being allowed to meet with the child alone.
Those years (1950s-60s) were dangerously disingenuous times which created situations where children were abused, that we are only finding out about in the past few decades. The women in the story were vulnerable too.
Lots of long dialog passages trip one up in this book, and feel daunting when they appear, but I've noticed more and more of them in the later books in the series. Actually, this book feels like a mishmash of elements from previous books in the series, put together in a dull mess.
Those years (1950s-60s) were dangerously disingenuous times which created situations where children were abused, that we are only finding out about in the past few decades. The women in the story were vulnerable too.
Lots of long dialog passages trip one up in this book, and feel daunting when they appear, but I've noticed more and more of them in the later books in the series. Actually, this book feels like a mishmash of elements from previous books in the series, put together in a dull mess.
April 25, 2022
I have been reading this series on and off for a number of years and find them less enjoyable nowadays.
Here there was some bright characterisation, and and good description of old houses and the countryside. The plot was double stranded, with stolen government secrets and missing jewellery involved.
However, there were lots of annoyances. Scotland Yard and the Secret Service both failed to fully investigate the background of one suspect. The heroine was both spineless and feisty which was a bit odd. Her sister was just annoying. Miss Silver investigates too little and just intuits too much. And this time there was a secret passage, and the locals who won't talk to the police immediately blabbed to Miss Silver.
Enough for the moment.
3.25 stars.
Here there was some bright characterisation, and and good description of old houses and the countryside. The plot was double stranded, with stolen government secrets and missing jewellery involved.
However, there were lots of annoyances. Scotland Yard and the Secret Service both failed to fully investigate the background of one suspect. The heroine was both spineless and feisty which was a bit odd. Her sister was just annoying. Miss Silver investigates too little and just intuits too much. And this time there was a secret passage, and the locals who won't talk to the police immediately blabbed to Miss Silver.
Enough for the moment.
3.25 stars.
June 3, 2021
Charming and consistent with the Miss Silver series
Nothing revolutionary in this Miss Silver book but fans will have a good time and newcomers will see what fans come back for. The biggest surprise for me was that Miss Silver showed up in this mystery a lot earlier then in the other books in the series I’ve read. Other then that all the usual elements are neatly in place. Another surprise was the wickedness of the villain herein. They are a nasty piece of work. A fun light mystery read.
Nothing revolutionary in this Miss Silver book but fans will have a good time and newcomers will see what fans come back for. The biggest surprise for me was that Miss Silver showed up in this mystery a lot earlier then in the other books in the series I’ve read. Other then that all the usual elements are neatly in place. Another surprise was the wickedness of the villain herein. They are a nasty piece of work. A fun light mystery read.
December 15, 2017
Free | A surprising departure from the formula | There was quite a bit here that deviated from the standard Miss Silver plot, though the familiar fluff remains. Again, the reader doesn't have to stretch their mind to figure out whodunit, but it's certainly a different denouement than most of Wentworth's works.
August 6, 2020
(2 Stars) A very generic mystery story
I am going to keep this short. I did not hate this, but did not like it either. The twists were not surprising, the characters were not interested and honestly I was glad to be done with this.
I am going to keep this short. I did not hate this, but did not like it either. The twists were not surprising, the characters were not interested and honestly I was glad to be done with this.
September 9, 2023
There's nothing exactly wrong with this book, it's just not very memorable or very interesting.
For a start, the hero and heroine are more than usually annoying. I sometimes get frustrated with couples in Wentworth novels who fall in love at first sight, but here, our hero goes one better - he actually falls in love with the heroine from a photo of her, before he knows anything about her!
And what a heroine...Rosamond comes across as a bit drippy. She's supposed to be unable to find a job because she 'hasn't been trained for anything' and has a 12-year-old sister to care for, but having a much younger dependent didn't stop the heroine in Pilgrim's Rest from finding work. And when she finds out that her sister Jenny has been sneaking out of the house in the middle of the night at a time when a murderer is on the loose, she decides not to confront her because Jenny might lie about it and 'nothing would ever be quite the same again.' (Let's just ignore the fact that Jenny has already been lying and manipulating her way out of trouble for ages) So she decides to do nothing. Perhaps it's fortunate that Craig Lester falls in love with her photo - at least having him telling her what to do will save her the trouble of thinking in future. Let's just hope that he sticks to his assertion that he 'probably' won't beat her..
In addition to an unsatisfactory leading couple, we also have a very messy plot. The whole thing reads like a book that was written by an author who was too tired to do her job properly, but who was under pressure to keep producing 'a new Miss Silver' for the market. It's a shame, as this story could have had great potential if it had been better handled.
For a start, the hero and heroine are more than usually annoying. I sometimes get frustrated with couples in Wentworth novels who fall in love at first sight, but here, our hero goes one better - he actually falls in love with the heroine from a photo of her, before he knows anything about her!
And what a heroine...Rosamond comes across as a bit drippy. She's supposed to be unable to find a job because she 'hasn't been trained for anything' and has a 12-year-old sister to care for, but having a much younger dependent didn't stop the heroine in Pilgrim's Rest from finding work. And when she finds out that her sister Jenny has been sneaking out of the house in the middle of the night at a time when a murderer is on the loose, she decides not to confront her because Jenny might lie about it and 'nothing would ever be quite the same again.' (Let's just ignore the fact that Jenny has already been lying and manipulating her way out of trouble for ages) So she decides to do nothing. Perhaps it's fortunate that Craig Lester falls in love with her photo - at least having him telling her what to do will save her the trouble of thinking in future. Let's just hope that he sticks to his assertion that he 'probably' won't beat her..
In addition to an unsatisfactory leading couple, we also have a very messy plot. The whole thing reads like a book that was written by an author who was too tired to do her job properly, but who was under pressure to keep producing 'a new Miss Silver' for the market. It's a shame, as this story could have had great potential if it had been better handled.
August 10, 2025
"Vanishing Point" by Patricia Wentworth is a captivating mystery that showcases the author’s exceptional ability to weave intricate plots with engaging characters. Set in the early 20th century, the novel follows the astute amateur sleuth Miss Maud Silver, who is both charming and resourceful.
Wentworth's writing is imbued with a sense of atmosphere, drawing readers into a world filled with suspense and intrigue.
The plot centers around a seemingly straightforward disappearance that quickly unravels into a complex web of secrets and lies. Wentworth expertly builds tension, keeping readers guessing until the very end. The pacing is just right, allowing for moments of reflection and character development amidst the thrilling twists.
One of the standout features of "Vanishing Point" is its rich characterizations. Miss Silver, with her keen observational skills and unassuming demeanor, is a delightful protagonist. The supporting cast is equally well-developed, each contributing to the story's depth and complexity. Wentworth’s keen insights into human nature add layers to the narrative, making it more than just a typical whodunit.
The book also reflects the social mores of its time, offering a glimpse into the societal norms and challenges faced by women in the early 1900s. This historical context enriches the story and adds an extra dimension to Miss Silver’s character.
Overall, "Vanishing Point" is a beautifully crafted mystery that will satisfy fans of classic detective fiction.
Patricia Wentworth’s skillful storytelling and engaging characters make this novel a must-read for anyone who enjoys a good puzzle wrapped in an atmospheric setting. Whether you’re a long-time fan of Miss Maud Silver or new to her adventures, this book is sure to leave you eagerly turning the pages until the very last reveal.
It is also a great choice for Agatha Christie's fans.
Wentworth's writing is imbued with a sense of atmosphere, drawing readers into a world filled with suspense and intrigue.
The plot centers around a seemingly straightforward disappearance that quickly unravels into a complex web of secrets and lies. Wentworth expertly builds tension, keeping readers guessing until the very end. The pacing is just right, allowing for moments of reflection and character development amidst the thrilling twists.
One of the standout features of "Vanishing Point" is its rich characterizations. Miss Silver, with her keen observational skills and unassuming demeanor, is a delightful protagonist. The supporting cast is equally well-developed, each contributing to the story's depth and complexity. Wentworth’s keen insights into human nature add layers to the narrative, making it more than just a typical whodunit.
The book also reflects the social mores of its time, offering a glimpse into the societal norms and challenges faced by women in the early 1900s. This historical context enriches the story and adds an extra dimension to Miss Silver’s character.
Overall, "Vanishing Point" is a beautifully crafted mystery that will satisfy fans of classic detective fiction.
Patricia Wentworth’s skillful storytelling and engaging characters make this novel a must-read for anyone who enjoys a good puzzle wrapped in an atmospheric setting. Whether you’re a long-time fan of Miss Maud Silver or new to her adventures, this book is sure to leave you eagerly turning the pages until the very last reveal.
It is also a great choice for Agatha Christie's fans.
June 3, 2024
Lydia Crew —a woman who knows all the details of her family’s history from the very beginning. The lineages, the heroic, historic, all the branches of the family tree — good and bad. And she is the last of the family line by the name Crewe. She is fanatical about it.
Lydia Crewe is the mistress of Crewe House and runs it with an iron will. It was physically deteriorating yet Lydia demanded the cleaning and care be maintained, but she was miserly and instead of staff, she had Rosamond do the work.
Rosamond and Jenny Maxwell are sisters, who were taken in when their parents were killed in a car crash a few years back. Jenny was injured to the point she couldn’t walk. Rosamond’s doing the majority of domestic chores is the way of paying back Lydia for taking the two girls in. Slave service to a domineering aunt.
Miss Silver is called into the picture to find out about a domestic that went missing a few months back. A couple of postcards were received from the lady, then nothing. She wasn’t young with a beau. She took care of and supported her parents. For her to just leave made no sense and was giving rise to speculation. Shortly about the time Miss Silver comes on the scene, another domestic disappears. Again, there is no reason for it.
Could the fact that there is military activity going on in the area have a reason for the disappearances? Could the theft of jewels from some of the local homes be part of it? Past family histories?
Miss Silver, her demeanor and calm knitting sift through what she hears to help solve this case.
Lydia Crewe is the mistress of Crewe House and runs it with an iron will. It was physically deteriorating yet Lydia demanded the cleaning and care be maintained, but she was miserly and instead of staff, she had Rosamond do the work.
Rosamond and Jenny Maxwell are sisters, who were taken in when their parents were killed in a car crash a few years back. Jenny was injured to the point she couldn’t walk. Rosamond’s doing the majority of domestic chores is the way of paying back Lydia for taking the two girls in. Slave service to a domineering aunt.
Miss Silver is called into the picture to find out about a domestic that went missing a few months back. A couple of postcards were received from the lady, then nothing. She wasn’t young with a beau. She took care of and supported her parents. For her to just leave made no sense and was giving rise to speculation. Shortly about the time Miss Silver comes on the scene, another domestic disappears. Again, there is no reason for it.
Could the fact that there is military activity going on in the area have a reason for the disappearances? Could the theft of jewels from some of the local homes be part of it? Past family histories?
Miss Silver, her demeanor and calm knitting sift through what she hears to help solve this case.
May 29, 2021
Another delightful read with the esteemable Miss Silver. It's always a pleasure to get into the language, time, and characters presented by Author Patricia Wentworth's books. As always, I love Miss Silver's simple deductions of complicated mysteries and her relationship with DI/DS Frank Abbott. Their conversations and connection is a sweet highlight of every story. I'm, again, impressed with the details, involved plots, and plentiful suspects.
I suppose the only tricky part for me was the immediate romance between two of the main characters in this story. Although it didn't keep me from loving the story and appreciating its elaborate twists, it was a bit annoying. I'm sorry, but there it is. That's just me. I can see where it helped the storyline along and gave an outlet for the main female character and her sister, but I tend to find some of the historical romances to be a bit melodramatic and overbearing, but that's just me.
However, this small portion of the main plot didn't detract from the interest and appreciation of another mystery solved. As I stated before, I love Miss Silver and DI/DS Abbott and their easy friendship. It makes every read of the series worthwhile. These are the main reasons I consider it a "must-read." I'm eager to continue my marathon reading of Miss Silver's series, and I highly recommend them to anyone who enjoys British historical fiction, mystery, and beloved characters.
I suppose the only tricky part for me was the immediate romance between two of the main characters in this story. Although it didn't keep me from loving the story and appreciating its elaborate twists, it was a bit annoying. I'm sorry, but there it is. That's just me. I can see where it helped the storyline along and gave an outlet for the main female character and her sister, but I tend to find some of the historical romances to be a bit melodramatic and overbearing, but that's just me.
However, this small portion of the main plot didn't detract from the interest and appreciation of another mystery solved. As I stated before, I love Miss Silver and DI/DS Abbott and their easy friendship. It makes every read of the series worthwhile. These are the main reasons I consider it a "must-read." I'm eager to continue my marathon reading of Miss Silver's series, and I highly recommend them to anyone who enjoys British historical fiction, mystery, and beloved characters.
March 7, 2022
When Maggie Bell, a not so bright 4o year~old spinster who worked as a maid to the Cunninghams on addition to being at the beck and call of her elderly parents... disappeared a year ago from the start of this story... the baffling event took its place in the long memories of lore to be recounted in the usual conversations of the villagers in Melbury. Given that there was also a top secret government facility that was once the ancestral home of the Merridews... last of them was a childless widow who turned out to be Miss Silver's school chum, Scotland Yard asked Miss Silver to accept Marian's standing invitation and ferret out any information regarding government information leakage and whatever else that could be of interest to the government and to law enforcement. S0 Miss Silver and her ubiquitous knitting needles and balls yarn plus Detective Inspector Frank Abbott were packed off to the country and inevitably to deal with the usual murders and some unexpected nuances attached.
Given Maggie Bell's miserable life akin to that of an indentured servant whose freedom would only be available at the death of her parents... the murderer considered her to be expendable based only on the suspicion that she knew too much notwithstanding Maggie's low mental capacity. Even the second murder was committed because the murderer was not only a clever psychopath but also an obsessively paranoid one.
Given Maggie Bell's miserable life akin to that of an indentured servant whose freedom would only be available at the death of her parents... the murderer considered her to be expendable based only on the suspicion that she knew too much notwithstanding Maggie's low mental capacity. Even the second murder was committed because the murderer was not only a clever psychopath but also an obsessively paranoid one.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews