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Miss Silver #3
Lonesome Road
Rachel Treherne was brought up to be the wife of a gentleman. She certainly did not expect to inherit and administer the family estate herself. When her father died, she did not enjoy her new status. And nor did her relatives, one of whom seemed to be trying to kill her...
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1939
303 people are currently reading
848 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Wentworth
196 books524 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 259 reviews
September 16, 2017
Someone is trying to kill Rachel Treherne. Due to family circumstances and a very odd will that puts Rachel in charge of the family’s fortune, she is very reluctant to ask for assistance. However, a mutual acquaintance (a link to a previous case of Miss Silver’s) urges her to seek out Miss Silver’s help.
This is the first time that Miss Silver has appeared so early in the story, and it’s a good device for this particular story. There are a lot of family members involved and in Chapter 4, in her highly efficient manner, Miss Silver lists them all along with a little note on each one. Of course, this is just how she does her work but it also helps the reader keep the family sorted out.
The Miss Silver series just keeps getting stronger as time goes on. Lonesome Road was written in 1939 and it occurred to me several times in this book how forward thinking Patricia Wentworth really was. Elsewhere, we are led to believe that women of that time had no business sense, left everything to their husbands to decide and sat around knitting and gossiping to pass the time. This is definitely not the case in this book.
Yes, there is the soft-hearted = soft-headed character; there is the scheming forger; there is the alarmist whose declarations are both off and on target; there is the bubble-headed, money-hungry grasper – and these are just some of the females. However, underlying it all there is also strength and positive traits to all of the characters in the book. Having said that, some of the positives are also for show rather than for real. Sorting out the real from those pretending to be real was fun – and as the suspects were gradually narrowed down, I still wasn’t sure until almost the climax which one was the culprit.
I enjoyed the story line of this book immensely. The plot was well executed, as were the sub-plots. There were some moments of jeopardy that felt so real my mind and eyes were racing to find out what happens next.
This is truly an amazing series – both for its own time, and for our time. Again, I look forward to another thrilling adventure with Miss Silver’s next case.
This is the first time that Miss Silver has appeared so early in the story, and it’s a good device for this particular story. There are a lot of family members involved and in Chapter 4, in her highly efficient manner, Miss Silver lists them all along with a little note on each one. Of course, this is just how she does her work but it also helps the reader keep the family sorted out.
The Miss Silver series just keeps getting stronger as time goes on. Lonesome Road was written in 1939 and it occurred to me several times in this book how forward thinking Patricia Wentworth really was. Elsewhere, we are led to believe that women of that time had no business sense, left everything to their husbands to decide and sat around knitting and gossiping to pass the time. This is definitely not the case in this book.
Yes, there is the soft-hearted = soft-headed character; there is the scheming forger; there is the alarmist whose declarations are both off and on target; there is the bubble-headed, money-hungry grasper – and these are just some of the females. However, underlying it all there is also strength and positive traits to all of the characters in the book. Having said that, some of the positives are also for show rather than for real. Sorting out the real from those pretending to be real was fun – and as the suspects were gradually narrowed down, I still wasn’t sure until almost the climax which one was the culprit.
I enjoyed the story line of this book immensely. The plot was well executed, as were the sub-plots. There were some moments of jeopardy that felt so real my mind and eyes were racing to find out what happens next.
This is truly an amazing series – both for its own time, and for our time. Again, I look forward to another thrilling adventure with Miss Silver’s next case.
May 31, 2019
So my first ever Miss Silver, and I really enjoyed it. Was it a Miss Marple, no, but to be honest it wasn't that far off. It was a great story , well written with some interesting characters. The one point I would make is that unlike with Miss Marple (sorry to keep harking on about her) whom to me looks like Joan Hickson , so I can hear her and see her any time she is mentioned, well with Miss Silver even after a whole book I am still in the dark as to what she really looks like. Is that a failing of Patricia Wentworth , probably not to be honest, it is probably more to do with the fact that I've read more (far more) Miss Marple books, and of course how many more times has Miss Marple been televised compared to Miss Silver ?
Maybe if I'd started with Book 1, I would have a better knowledge of Miss Silver ?
Anyway this was a really enjoyable read and given that Kindle is often discounting them down to 99p then I shall certainly be reading more. I just need to work out how to fit them in amongst Poirot, Maigret, Alleyn, Holmes and my Discworld challenge 😬
Maybe if I'd started with Book 1, I would have a better knowledge of Miss Silver ?
Anyway this was a really enjoyable read and given that Kindle is often discounting them down to 99p then I shall certainly be reading more. I just need to work out how to fit them in amongst Poirot, Maigret, Alleyn, Holmes and my Discworld challenge 😬
September 30, 2025
This book is difficult to review in a lot of ways.
It is heavily reliant on tropes, including one of my least favourite Did the upper classes in England truly behave like this? Always seem so irresponsible to me! But Rachel Treherne had become the family matriarch through the conditions of her father's will, which involved dolling out the money & changing her will on a yearly basis. Even the book's (mostly unlikeable) characters find this a weird state of affairs!
The writing was good & kept the plot moving forward. Until very close to the end I had fixed on the wrong suspect entirely - surprising seeing yet another Golden Age trope left this book without many possible culprits!
Good enough but not very memorable, but I know Wentworth improves.
It is heavily reliant on tropes, including one of my least favourite Did the upper classes in England truly behave like this? Always seem so irresponsible to me! But Rachel Treherne had become the family matriarch through the conditions of her father's will, which involved dolling out the money & changing her will on a yearly basis. Even the book's (mostly unlikeable) characters find this a weird state of affairs!
The writing was good & kept the plot moving forward. Until very close to the end I had fixed on the wrong suspect entirely - surprising seeing yet another Golden Age trope left this book without many possible culprits!
Good enough but not very memorable, but I know Wentworth improves.
May 13, 2018
Rating: 3.5* of five
Much more modern in that Miss Silver is quite the force in moving the story. Much more Golden Age in that The Ladies are Ever So Ladylike and one silly chit of a slip of a girl gets all twisted up and confused by A Big Bad Man. Also irritating is the fact that it takes a man to sort out Miss Rachel Treherne, a quite redoubtable party until it comes to her ghastly family and their disgusting behavior.
Well, autres temps autres moeurs, don't you know, and in the end the right couples are coupled with the Big Baddie most satisfactorily served a comeuppance. If Miss Silver is ever silver screened, this entry in the series will be loaded with a lesbian subplot that is absolutely accurate...right there for anyone with ~2 eyes to see. Dunno that it'll make diddly squat difference. You either like this book or you don't, but forevermore don't read on because the final formula is fixed with this book and the next 25-plus don't vary it.
I also liked a lot that Miss Silver came to Miss Rachel Treherne's attention via Hilary Cunningham, née Carew. I don't recall if this little easter egg is repeated, but I hope so.
Much more modern in that Miss Silver is quite the force in moving the story. Much more Golden Age in that The Ladies are Ever So Ladylike and one silly chit of a slip of a girl gets all twisted up and confused by A Big Bad Man. Also irritating is the fact that it takes a man to sort out Miss Rachel Treherne, a quite redoubtable party until it comes to her ghastly family and their disgusting behavior.
Well, autres temps autres moeurs, don't you know, and in the end the right couples are coupled with the Big Baddie most satisfactorily served a comeuppance. If Miss Silver is ever silver screened, this entry in the series will be loaded with a lesbian subplot that is absolutely accurate...right there for anyone with ~2 eyes to see. Dunno that it'll make diddly squat difference. You either like this book or you don't, but forevermore don't read on because the final formula is fixed with this book and the next 25-plus don't vary it.
I also liked a lot that Miss Silver came to Miss Rachel Treherne's attention via Hilary Cunningham, née Carew. I don't recall if this little easter egg is repeated, but I hope so.
August 2, 2018
Lonesome Road (Miss Silver,#3) by Patricia Wentworth.
I loved this mystery. Miss Silver, Rachel Traherne-the pace of the developing characters and their relationships with each other. The mystery itself was superb. One of my top favorites. 5 stars+
Rachel Traherne has been given the responsibility of being the executor of her father's will. She's in possession of great wealth and along with that a house filled with dependent relatives. Some recent events have become too stressful for her to manage on her own. She finally makes the decision to meet with Miss Silvers to discuss her dilemma.
Miss Silvers is a retired governess who was recommended to Rachel by a trusted acquaintance. The sequence of events once relayed to Miss Silvers cause a meeting of the minds that more than one attempt has been made on Rachel's life.
The facts on there before them both and Miss Silvers proceeds to take the necessary steps to protect her latest client.
Highly recommended. A gifted author from the golden age of mysteries.
I loved this mystery. Miss Silver, Rachel Traherne-the pace of the developing characters and their relationships with each other. The mystery itself was superb. One of my top favorites. 5 stars+
Rachel Traherne has been given the responsibility of being the executor of her father's will. She's in possession of great wealth and along with that a house filled with dependent relatives. Some recent events have become too stressful for her to manage on her own. She finally makes the decision to meet with Miss Silvers to discuss her dilemma.
Miss Silvers is a retired governess who was recommended to Rachel by a trusted acquaintance. The sequence of events once relayed to Miss Silvers cause a meeting of the minds that more than one attempt has been made on Rachel's life.
The facts on there before them both and Miss Silvers proceeds to take the necessary steps to protect her latest client.
Highly recommended. A gifted author from the golden age of mysteries.
February 10, 2023
Miss Silver strikes again!
March 12, 2023
So much fun! I had a blast reading this! It’s just my speed of a mystery. I had some gut instincts about some characters that were right but I didn’t guess the villain. Miss Silver is such a great character! She has hidden depths. 😍 Miss Silver is in this story from the first chapter to the last so that is very satisfying. I felt like I got a lot more of a sense for her character and detecting technique than in the first two books in the series.
I enjoyed the other main character in this as well, Rachel Treherne. Her family is out to get her? Or are they? Wentworth makes the family dynamics so complex and interesting.
I enjoyed the other main character in this as well, Rachel Treherne. Her family is out to get her? Or are they? Wentworth makes the family dynamics so complex and interesting.
March 8, 2016
I have read three of these novels, being one of those people who enjoy reading golden age mysteries, although admittedly a steady diet can become tiring. What I found so far is with each book my respect for Mrs. Wentworth has grown. Now, I really did not like the first book in the series, so initially anyway, I have to admit that it was a very low hurdle to clear. However I did enjoy the second book and this one even a bit more. So why the difference of opinion? I think both the plotting and character development has improved with each subsequent book. The one thing I truly find lacking is Miss Silver who seems to me, at least at this point, to be one of the blandest amateur detective characters ever developed. The saving grace is she's rarely actively involved in the story other than to serve up some questions, kind of summarize the case every once in a while, and then to offer a grand summation/explanation at the end. Personality? Not really.
...So I kind of like these, other than this old Miss Silver character and I'm hoping as this series develops further, (It's quite complete actually, just speaking from my perspective, because I'm reading the series in order.) that the character of Miss Silver will eventually develop into a person, rather than simply a little old lady in the background making observations so that we can follow along.
Kind of a bland review - I know. But then, what can I say, it's a Miss Silver thing.
...So I kind of like these, other than this old Miss Silver character and I'm hoping as this series develops further, (It's quite complete actually, just speaking from my perspective, because I'm reading the series in order.) that the character of Miss Silver will eventually develop into a person, rather than simply a little old lady in the background making observations so that we can follow along.
Kind of a bland review - I know. But then, what can I say, it's a Miss Silver thing.
June 27, 2021
Another Gem!
Patricia Wentworth does it again! This book is another gem of a mystery. The readers are led to the well, and thirst for a conclusion.
Mrs Wentworth doesn’t leave us hanging. Will intelligence and finesse Miss Maude Silver cleverly seeks the criminals out and put them in their place.
Patricia Wentworth does it again! This book is another gem of a mystery. The readers are led to the well, and thirst for a conclusion.
Mrs Wentworth doesn’t leave us hanging. Will intelligence and finesse Miss Maude Silver cleverly seeks the criminals out and put them in their place.
October 5, 2022
Book 3 in the Miss Silver series. Miss Silver appears from almost the start of the book until the last chapter. A well done mystery.
July 26, 2021
Free download available at Faded Page.
Somebody clearly wants her to die.
"You have had that money long enough," said the anonymous note. Two venomous snakes coiled in her bed, a suspicious fire and poisoned chocolates made the same point. Now Rachel looks fearfully at those around her: Her invalid sister Mabel, the innocent looking Caroline and her fiance Richard, her first cousin Cosmo Firth, her dedicated companion Louisa, and even the handsome visitor mysteriously linked to her father's past. Enlisting the very capable talents of Miss Silver seems the only way she can stay alive...
3* Grey Mask (Miss Silver, #1)
4* The Case Is Closed (Miss Silver, #2)
4* Lonesome Road (Miss Silver, #3)
3* The Case of William Smith (Miss Silver, #13)
2* The Ivory Dagger (Miss Silver, #19)
4* Out of the Past (Miss Silver, #23)
3* The Benevent Treasure (Miss Silver, #26)
2* A Marriage Under the Terror
2* Beggar's Choice
4* The Astonishing Adventure of Jane Smith: A Golden Age Mystery
TR Danger Point (Miss Silver, #4)
TR The Chinese Shawl (Miss Silver, #5)
TR Miss Silver Deals With Death (Miss Silver, #6)
TR The Clock Strikes Twelve (Miss Silver, #7)
TR The Key (Miss Silver, #8)
TR She Came Back (Miss Silver, #9)
TR Pilgrim's Rest (Miss Silver, #10)
TR Latter End (Miss Silver, #11)
TR Wicked Uncle (Miss Silver, #12)
TR Eternity Ring (Miss Silver, #14)
TR Miss Silver Comes to Stay (Miss Silver, #15)
TR The Catherine Wheel (Miss Silver, #16)
TR The Brading Collection (Miss Silver, #17)
TR Poison in the Pen (Miss Silver, #29)
TR Devil's Wind
TR The Fire Within
TR The Black Cabinet
TR Danger Calling
TR Run!
Somebody clearly wants her to die.
"You have had that money long enough," said the anonymous note. Two venomous snakes coiled in her bed, a suspicious fire and poisoned chocolates made the same point. Now Rachel looks fearfully at those around her: Her invalid sister Mabel, the innocent looking Caroline and her fiance Richard, her first cousin Cosmo Firth, her dedicated companion Louisa, and even the handsome visitor mysteriously linked to her father's past. Enlisting the very capable talents of Miss Silver seems the only way she can stay alive...
3* Grey Mask (Miss Silver, #1)
4* The Case Is Closed (Miss Silver, #2)
4* Lonesome Road (Miss Silver, #3)
3* The Case of William Smith (Miss Silver, #13)
2* The Ivory Dagger (Miss Silver, #19)
4* Out of the Past (Miss Silver, #23)
3* The Benevent Treasure (Miss Silver, #26)
2* A Marriage Under the Terror
2* Beggar's Choice
4* The Astonishing Adventure of Jane Smith: A Golden Age Mystery
TR Danger Point (Miss Silver, #4)
TR The Chinese Shawl (Miss Silver, #5)
TR Miss Silver Deals With Death (Miss Silver, #6)
TR The Clock Strikes Twelve (Miss Silver, #7)
TR The Key (Miss Silver, #8)
TR She Came Back (Miss Silver, #9)
TR Pilgrim's Rest (Miss Silver, #10)
TR Latter End (Miss Silver, #11)
TR Wicked Uncle (Miss Silver, #12)
TR Eternity Ring (Miss Silver, #14)
TR Miss Silver Comes to Stay (Miss Silver, #15)
TR The Catherine Wheel (Miss Silver, #16)
TR The Brading Collection (Miss Silver, #17)
TR Poison in the Pen (Miss Silver, #29)
TR Devil's Wind
TR The Fire Within
TR The Black Cabinet
TR Danger Calling
TR Run!
December 27, 2015
In terms of narrative, this is one of the best Miss Silvers I've read so far. A real page turner with a twist in the tail, it kept me reading to the end. Rather than the houseparty, we have a house that has a continual flow of family and friends and not-so-friends wandering in and out, mostly sponging or hoping to sponge on the bounty of Miss Treherne, a single woman who inherited her father's...charity? We aren't told more about the "houses" in the "charity" her father supposedly left her to manage, but then her entire life is a charity toward the undeserving.
This is one of the "change your will and you can stay alive" cosies. Miss Silver like Miss Marple sits and knits and figures it all out...or nearly all. There's a hysterical housemaid, a couple of venomous snakes, a car chase in the fog, and a cliffhanger worthy of a 1930s cinema serial. A few too many "masterful men" in this episode for my taste, who think their ideas are law (or should be) they can and should either shake or kiss their women into reason (or both), and a silly young girl who has the key to the whole puzzle, but is too feather-headed to know it. The obligatory rich American mixes English middleclass speech and movie-American. Very much a period piece! But a rattling good read if what you want is entertainment, and the plotting a bit better than most.
This is one of the "change your will and you can stay alive" cosies. Miss Silver like Miss Marple sits and knits and figures it all out...or nearly all. There's a hysterical housemaid, a couple of venomous snakes, a car chase in the fog, and a cliffhanger worthy of a 1930s cinema serial. A few too many "masterful men" in this episode for my taste, who think their ideas are law (or should be) they can and should either shake or kiss their women into reason (or both), and a silly young girl who has the key to the whole puzzle, but is too feather-headed to know it. The obligatory rich American mixes English middleclass speech and movie-American. Very much a period piece! But a rattling good read if what you want is entertainment, and the plotting a bit better than most.
February 9, 2016
There was an interchange of courtesies reminding Rachel of an old lady she had known as a child who was wont to say with an approving nod of the head "Compliments pass when gentlefolk meet." - Lonesome Road
This is the type of sentiment I love reading. It makes me smile.
August 27, 2020
Really 2-1/2 stars. Another enjoyable Miss Silver mystery. Although it did make me realize Agatha Christie's consummate skill in scenes where we are being introduced to large groups of people and their relationships to each other and their personality types. This rich family's first group scene felt muddled and confused. However, the mystery was enjoyable and kept me guessing until the end.
Read
November 6, 2017This is entertaining reading, but a lot of the situation boils down to "bizarre terms of a will that should have been dropped long ago" and "if only Caroline would have conversations with people".
July 20, 2023
I enjoyed this, though the mystery solution is over the top and attitudes are of the time.
A heiress and a bunch of mostly unpleasant money hungry relatives. Whose plotting murder?
It was easy to solve, in both parts, though we don't get much of an explanation at the end. The last pages are a dramatic comeuppance then a suitably Victorian shame free conclusion. I'm not convinced the logic of some events worked.
Rachel starts off strong but conflicted, then becomes oddly obstinate refusing to accept the obvious. It's frustrating to read strong women who then become weaker fluff with a strong man to save the day - but that is the formula, and quite possibly written mockingly.
The relationship, he probably fell for her as a baby! Wtf! 😆 stepped in with the magic solution she could have brought about years ago but for feminine fragility -excuse my cynism- and oh hea = starting a family.
It's of the time! While this might sound bitter I do enjoy these books a lot and liked this one. Prim proper Miss Silver is actually a very practical person if you think on it.
I want a convenient Well on property 😈
A heiress and a bunch of mostly unpleasant money hungry relatives. Whose plotting murder?
It was easy to solve, in both parts, though we don't get much of an explanation at the end. The last pages are a dramatic comeuppance then a suitably Victorian shame free conclusion. I'm not convinced the logic of some events worked.
Rachel starts off strong but conflicted, then becomes oddly obstinate refusing to accept the obvious. It's frustrating to read strong women who then become weaker fluff with a strong man to save the day - but that is the formula, and quite possibly written mockingly.
The relationship, he probably fell for her as a baby! Wtf! 😆 stepped in with the magic solution she could have brought about years ago but for feminine fragility -excuse my cynism- and oh hea = starting a family.
It's of the time! While this might sound bitter I do enjoy these books a lot and liked this one. Prim proper Miss Silver is actually a very practical person if you think on it.
I want a convenient Well on property 😈
October 3, 2019
I really thought this one would break 4 stars. It started off so well! First, Miss Silver actually plays a (semi) main role throughout the story. Second, it contained a unique heroine (compared to the first two, at least, which had pretty cookie cutter characters.) And third, well, it just felt more interesting from the start. Someone is trying to kill Miss Treherne. Unfortunately, suspects are rife as everyone in her family stands to benefit and everyone knows it...
I truly enjoyed the first 3/4ths of this book. But the last 1/4th fell apart. Womanly intuition plays a critical role which I always dislike. (It is like cheating! A character can't just irrationally know something) and the villain becomes painfully obvious. The action packed conclusion cleans things up just a little too neatly and the final pieces all fall into their expected place.
Almost...almost...almost something great! And yet not quite there.
I truly enjoyed the first 3/4ths of this book. But the last 1/4th fell apart. Womanly intuition plays a critical role which I always dislike. (It is like cheating! A character can't just irrationally know something) and the villain becomes painfully obvious. The action packed conclusion cleans things up just a little too neatly and the final pieces all fall into their expected place.
Almost...almost...almost something great! And yet not quite there.
May 27, 2013
It's always soothing to hear miss silver's cough lol and her clicking
March 8, 2020
She looked across the table with her dark eyes wide and said, “I think someone is trying to kill me.”
September 3, 2025
This was a fun golden age mystery featuring Miss Silver, a retired governess who takes on private investigations, and is called in by the wealthy Rachel Treherne who believes someone is trying to kill her. Miss Treherne, at only 38, is the Matriarch of a family, having been asked to hold the purse strings by her dying father, and her relatives alternatively sponge off her and complain that she keeps them on a financial short leash. This tale is set in a large country house with faithful servants, poisoned chocolates, thwarted romances, doting parents of unworthy children, and many more GAM clichés, but they seem to work here.
While this is part of a series, they don't need to be read in sequence.
While this is part of a series, they don't need to be read in sequence.
August 15, 2025
I wanted to get back to Miss Silver, as I’ve only read a handful but enjoyed the character and the mysteries she solves. This was no exception, I found the ratcheting up of tension well done, and the finale exciting.
Rachel Trahern was left a large fortune by her father, with some difficult and cumbersome limitations on how she could use the money. Her hypochondriac, self-centered, whiny elder sister was passed over, with a settlement upon her marriage, but she and her annoying family have run through that, and are ever present and demanding at Rachel’s cliffside home.
Her father built the home intending it as a gathering place for the whole family, so Rachel can’t escape her demanding family and relax; her lady’s maid is neurotically devoted and fears someone is trying to kill Rachel. The family are often in residence, trying to wheedle money out of Rachel; a series of nasty accidents drive her to request Miss Silver’s help. On the day she’s due to arrive, Rachel is pushed off the cliffside path, managing to barely hang on until rescue arrives.
There are several dramatic near-death accidents, and the reader is present - which made for a satisfyingly dramatic and exciting story. Miss Silver brings an invigorating, no-nonsense attitude to the problem, desperately needed as Rachel is overwhelmed, scared and lonely-she loves some of her dependents, “meh” about others, but they’re her family and she feels the weight of her responsibilities deeply.
Some great characters here, I thought: Miss Silver, of course; our heroine Rachel; her American neighbor (a possible suspect, but also an intriguing possible love interest); and a delightfully annoying group of relatives. The self-entitlement is off the charts with these people, very entertaining!
I really enjoyed this, and will read on with Miss Silver - currently free on kindle Unlimited. I can highly recommend the Audible, lovely narrator (Diana Bishop), really brought Miss Silver to life.
Rachel Trahern was left a large fortune by her father, with some difficult and cumbersome limitations on how she could use the money. Her hypochondriac, self-centered, whiny elder sister was passed over, with a settlement upon her marriage, but she and her annoying family have run through that, and are ever present and demanding at Rachel’s cliffside home.
Her father built the home intending it as a gathering place for the whole family, so Rachel can’t escape her demanding family and relax; her lady’s maid is neurotically devoted and fears someone is trying to kill Rachel. The family are often in residence, trying to wheedle money out of Rachel; a series of nasty accidents drive her to request Miss Silver’s help. On the day she’s due to arrive, Rachel is pushed off the cliffside path, managing to barely hang on until rescue arrives.
There are several dramatic near-death accidents, and the reader is present - which made for a satisfyingly dramatic and exciting story. Miss Silver brings an invigorating, no-nonsense attitude to the problem, desperately needed as Rachel is overwhelmed, scared and lonely-she loves some of her dependents, “meh” about others, but they’re her family and she feels the weight of her responsibilities deeply.
Some great characters here, I thought: Miss Silver, of course; our heroine Rachel; her American neighbor (a possible suspect, but also an intriguing possible love interest); and a delightfully annoying group of relatives. The self-entitlement is off the charts with these people, very entertaining!
I really enjoyed this, and will read on with Miss Silver - currently free on kindle Unlimited. I can highly recommend the Audible, lovely narrator (Diana Bishop), really brought Miss Silver to life.
May 17, 2022
2018: 4+*
I wonder what deathbed promises Wentworth had witnessed that caused her to hit out so hard against others being forced to honour those wishes. This book had many of the usual collection of characters Wentworth uses in her stories, but amazingly not one manipulative (living, breathing) narcissist. Miss Silver turns up early in the story and there are no policemen or Scotland Yard ‘tecs helping to solve the mystery; just Miss Silver and a few key characters are hard at work to expose and capture the potential murderer.
2021: 4*
Rachel sure has a collection of seriously(!) dodgy relatives. One irritation for me in this audiobook is the awful 'faux' American accent so it lost the + on the rating this time through.
2022: 4* Repeat late-night listen
I wonder what deathbed promises Wentworth had witnessed that caused her to hit out so hard against others being forced to honour those wishes. This book had many of the usual collection of characters Wentworth uses in her stories, but amazingly not one manipulative (living, breathing) narcissist. Miss Silver turns up early in the story and there are no policemen or Scotland Yard ‘tecs helping to solve the mystery; just Miss Silver and a few key characters are hard at work to expose and capture the potential murderer.
2021: 4*
Rachel sure has a collection of seriously(!) dodgy relatives. One irritation for me in this audiobook is the awful 'faux' American accent so it lost the + on the rating this time through.
2022: 4* Repeat late-night listen
March 17, 2014
The third Miss Silver and in this one she appears to be more present as a detective than in the first two books in the series. Miss Silver gets a woman to invite her to her country house so that she can investigate the woman's fears that a member of her family is trying to kill her. Miss Silver insinuates herself into the group as a doddering, retired governess and picks up much useful information. Like Miss Marple, but Maud Silver actually leaves her house and detects up a storm.
April 25, 2019
A classic of English Golden age mysteries. Sometimes family can be complicated, especially when there are large sums of money involved. An excellent read and a surprisingly satisfying ending.
January 15, 2025
Patricia Wentworth is like comfort food. Easy reading, cozy mystery reading. I read this during the snowstorm of January 2025. My project this year is to read for pleasure and distraction. This one was a little slow starting but I enjoyed it more towards the middle and the end. Wentworth (in the 4 I have read so far) gives us a capable, smart, plucky heroine but that heroine does always end up leaning gratefully on her manly man love interest when push comes to shove. If that bugs you, you might not like these books. It doesn't bug me.
August 24, 2013
2.5 stars. This is my second Miss Silver book (after The Case Is Closed) and it unfortunately paled in comparison to the previous one.
Where The Case is Closed lacked some of the suspense and feeling of very real danger that was present in Lonesome Road, it had an absolutely delightful heroine in Hilary Carew and her lovely romance with Henry Cunningham. Rachel Treherne, on the other hand, is equally central to the events of Lonesome Road (we see more of her than Miss Silver, in fact), but shares none of Hilary's spunk, good humour and sheer common sense in nasty situations. It makes for an infinitely more tiresome read when the heroine is morose and seemingly detached from those around her. On top of that, Rachel is so stubborn and devoid of sense that midway through the novel, I found myself wondering whether Miss Silver would be better off leaving Rachel alone so that she could be murdered - then she'll see the error of her ways. The bottom line is that Rachel steadfastedly refused to consider her relatives potential murderers (because it would make her feel bad, despite the overwhelming proof), insisted on not calling the police and would not address the other members of the house either - but then asked Miss Silver to help her and find out the truth of the matter. Needless to say, I couldn't find it in me to feel much sympathy for such a blockheaded heroine and her romance with was under-developed and not particularly moving. And unless I'd missed something, we were never told whether he was the same man who had saved her from the lift by tearing her muslin dress, did we? There seemed to be so many loose ends in this novel and I still couldn't get a clear picture of the majority of the supporting characters by the time I turned the last page.
On the upside, I loved the little ways in which Lonesome Road was connected to The Case is Closed - I wasn't aware of how fond I was of Hilary Carew and her story until a few passing mentions by Rachel and Miss Silver told me how she was doing after the events of the previous novel and I was genuinely happy for her.
Miss Silver also made more of a mark in this story than she previously had; I still know little about the woman besides the bare facts (former school marm, likes to knit and coughs a lot), but I have hopes that I'll eventually find out what makes her tick.
Where The Case is Closed lacked some of the suspense and feeling of very real danger that was present in Lonesome Road, it had an absolutely delightful heroine in Hilary Carew and her lovely romance with Henry Cunningham. Rachel Treherne, on the other hand, is equally central to the events of Lonesome Road (we see more of her than Miss Silver, in fact), but shares none of Hilary's spunk, good humour and sheer common sense in nasty situations. It makes for an infinitely more tiresome read when the heroine is morose and seemingly detached from those around her. On top of that, Rachel is so stubborn and devoid of sense that midway through the novel, I found myself wondering whether Miss Silver would be better off leaving Rachel alone so that she could be murdered - then she'll see the error of her ways. The bottom line is that Rachel steadfastedly refused to consider her relatives potential murderers (because it would make her feel bad, despite the overwhelming proof), insisted on not calling the police and would not address the other members of the house either - but then asked Miss Silver to help her and find out the truth of the matter. Needless to say, I couldn't find it in me to feel much sympathy for such a blockheaded heroine and her romance with was under-developed and not particularly moving. And unless I'd missed something, we were never told whether he was the same man who had saved her from the lift by tearing her muslin dress, did we? There seemed to be so many loose ends in this novel and I still couldn't get a clear picture of the majority of the supporting characters by the time I turned the last page.
On the upside, I loved the little ways in which Lonesome Road was connected to The Case is Closed - I wasn't aware of how fond I was of Hilary Carew and her story until a few passing mentions by Rachel and Miss Silver told me how she was doing after the events of the previous novel and I was genuinely happy for her.
Miss Silver also made more of a mark in this story than she previously had; I still know little about the woman besides the bare facts (former school marm, likes to knit and coughs a lot), but I have hopes that I'll eventually find out what makes her tick.
May 13, 2019
An excellent whodunnit in the Miss Silver series. Such knowledge of a range of character types and tensions within an extended family group. Is one of them trying to kill our heroine, who has control of the family fortune, or are there other motives. Only Miss Silver, brought into the house as an old acquaintance, can solve the problem, or can she?
The GR blurb:
'Every year beautiful Rachel Treherne must rewrite her will--and decide who will inherit her late father's vast wealth...But this year, things are just a little bit different:
Somebody clearly wants her to die.
"You have had that money long enough," said the anonymous note. Two venomous snakes coiled in her bed, a suspicious fire and poisoned chocolates made the same point. Now Rachel looks fearfully at those around her: Her invalid sister Mabel, the innocent looking Caroline and her fiance Richard, her first cousin Cosmo Firth, her dedicated companion Louisa, and even the handsome visitor mysteriously linked to her father's past. Enlisting the very capable talents of Miss Silver seems the only way she can stay alive...'
The GR blurb:
'Every year beautiful Rachel Treherne must rewrite her will--and decide who will inherit her late father's vast wealth...But this year, things are just a little bit different:
Somebody clearly wants her to die.
"You have had that money long enough," said the anonymous note. Two venomous snakes coiled in her bed, a suspicious fire and poisoned chocolates made the same point. Now Rachel looks fearfully at those around her: Her invalid sister Mabel, the innocent looking Caroline and her fiance Richard, her first cousin Cosmo Firth, her dedicated companion Louisa, and even the handsome visitor mysteriously linked to her father's past. Enlisting the very capable talents of Miss Silver seems the only way she can stay alive...'
November 28, 2021
This was rather fun and I enjoy the writing style more than Agatha Christie's. It seems less detached. Miss Maud Silver is a great character and we get to see quite a lot of her, not just sitting around talking, but actually participating in action. My criticism of this book is mainly around two key female characters. Miss Rachel is the one whose life is in danger but she is denial about it because it is clear that the person making murder attempts is a member of her (mostly dysfunctional) family. Miss Rachel seems to lack a backbone unless it is to be used for being obstinate and make bad decisions. Her cousin Miss Caroline is her favourite relative and therefore one of the suspects. She is even worse, a wet blanket without an ounce of common sense. Sigh. Why?! There is no reason for them to be quite so daft.
January 11, 2025
Typical Miss Silver story, with a young woman being threatened and a family full of suspects. There's a suspicious American thrown in, too.
I agree with the reviewers who find Rachel hard to understand. She spends a fair amount of time waffling and refusing to believe what she really knows. I'd have swallowed this more easily if her family had been nicer.
Then there's the final action scene - Not her best, but still entertaining enough for 3 stars.
I agree with the reviewers who find Rachel hard to understand. She spends a fair amount of time waffling and refusing to believe what she really knows. I'd have swallowed this more easily if her family had been nicer.
Then there's the final action scene - Not her best, but still entertaining enough for 3 stars.
October 14, 2019
Almost there and a very low 4. She's got the pacing and Miss Silver is far more developed but she's not quite nailed her own way of creating characters yet - what lets it down are that there are a few too many of them and to properly develop them all would slow the plot right down. I think the original intention, from the introduction of the characters, was to have a few of them disappear off to town for a lot of the book, but then couln't work out how to do it without making it seem forced.
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