The Property of a Lady

Webber & Thomas #2

by Anthony Oliver

Retired Inspector John Webber and his eccentric companions are drawn into a case involving a wealthy heiress named Margaret Garland, an unusual hitch-hiker, and the behind-the-scenes plotting of the antiques trade

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, British Literature

264 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

Anthony Oliver was a British film, television and stage actor.

Librarian note: There is no article relating at the actor and the writer being the same person. But according to "Stop, Tou Are Killing Me" the birth and death dates match and his main character, Mrs. Lizzie Thomas, is a Welsh widow.

Reviews

[Kate]

"To all appearances, Margaret Garland is a refined young woman living quietly and properly in the small village of Flaxfield. Who would have thought that she would pick up a hitchhiker, let alone bring him home with her?

"But the good-looking young man certainly has established residence in Margaret's house --Lizzie Thomas has verified that with her binoculars. What she can't figure out is why he bothers her so -- and Lizzie isn't one to let even the smallest curiosity die.

"So, with the help of her dear friend John Webber, retired police inspector, the unstoppable Lizzie begins to investigate the strange young man's past. Along the way she encounters a wealthy American show biz wife, a pompous British antiques dealer, an aging French priest ... and the macabre workings of a truly psychopathic mind. Flaxfield will never be the same."
~~back cover

This is my favorite genre of mysteries: a nice English village, cups of tea by the fire, and an absorbing plot with little on-stage bloodshed. You think you know what the strange young man is plotting to do, but then maybe he's not plotting at all. Maybe he's just a young man who had the misfortune to be born to a dysfunctional mother. And did he really murder his father?

This well-written, well-plotted mystery will keep you guessing until almost a few pages before the end. If you like this genre, this is one of the best.

[J. Rubino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Young, single, wealthy Margaret Garland goes against instinct and picks up a hitch-hiker, the charismatic Mark Carter, who soon becomes tenant, financial advisor, lover and eventually husband, to the bewilderment of the residents of the small English village of Flaxfield. The mysterious stranger piques the curiosity of the middle-aged Lizzie Thomas and her friend-without-benefits retired Detective Inspector John Webber, and some disturbing incidents draw them into an investigation that comes to a shocking climax.
Author Anthony Oliver's narrative migrates from the POV of one of his colorful cast of characters to the next, without ever losing focus on the Thomas and Webber. Oliver also manages to skillfully embed his own thorough knowledge of antiques into the plot without losing focus on the mystery or stalling the suspense. This is one of only four Thomas/Webber novels, published in the '80s, but one of those authors who will have you asking "Why have I never HEARD of him?" Unfortunately, Oliver's novels have not been reprinted, so the out-of-print stock is in short supply, and the debut is unaffordable.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Picked up for a dollar at a used bookstore. I had a hard time getting into it, and I wasn't convinced by the psychology, but it was competently plotted and paced. I found myself having to frequently reread sentences, though, because the implication wasn't clear, and the the only character I really enjoyed was Betsey. Well, also Arlene, but witnessing British authors attempt American slang is either painful or riotously entertaining, depending on your mood. I also think that men should stop writing about women with sex manias. It never works, and it's uncomfortable to read.

[Barbara Michalak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entirely satisfactory. I will look for Oliver's other mysteries with these offbeat sleuths. Many memorable, distinct characters. One is a cat.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second book in the series. I'm enjoying these characters very much.

[Vallery Feldman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second in the series by Anthony Oliver. Good. but not as good as The Pew Group. that remains the best in the series of four.

[Eugene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a delightful read! Oliver, who was an actor and as well a noted authority on Staffordshire pottery, wrote only these 4 mysteries featuring busybody Lizzie Thomas and arthritic retired policeman John Webber in rural Flaxfield, England.
In this second tome, spinster Margaret Garland has taken to a young man who's entered her life serendipitously after she picks him up hitch-hiking. All is well until some of his odd behaviors put the locals into a questioning mode, while Margaret defends strongly the man who's brought romance into her life. But Lizzie and Webber have longer antennae than most, and they are not willing to let things be...
Sufice to say, events prove them right, and your journey alongside them is a mystery lover's delight; should your path take you across a copy, do check it out!

[Edith · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. Pleasant continuation of the Webber/Thomas series (#2). It's appeal is chiefly its characters and setting. The plot is creaky, and we know who the criminal is from the beginning. The resolution is perhaps unexpected, but I did not find it at all satisfying. This novel seems more dated to me than its predecessor. I would not rate this novel so highly, but for the scene of Mrs. Thomas on her arrival in France--that is entirely satisfactory!

[Sandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second in a series that revolves around antiques but is in no way cozy but rather darkly humorous.