The Poison Typewriter: A 1936 detective mystery

by Peter Zander-Howell

A number of anonymous letters, all typed, are sent to various residents in a Sussex village. Each contains allegations of misbehaviour. Some are described by the writer as "sins against the laws of God", and others as "sins against the laws of the land".
Each of the letters is sent separately to three different people - but none go directly to the persons named.
Some of the accusations are serious, and the police begin to investigate.
Then, a villager is found battered to death...

223 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 28, 2025

Reviews

[Kim Campbell]

This was really enjoyable. No spectacular denouement, just good solid police work ending with arrests. Do people who write poison pen letters get anything out of it? Do they do it because it gives them a sense of power? Or do they in some warped way get enjoyment from it? I wonder if they ever consider the consequences. The letter writer in this book certainly didn't.

[Carola Mac]

Very Good

It was different. I enjoyed it. The details of an investigation of a at first mystery then a crime. All the characters from the village, and the police totally beliaveable.

[Susan]

1936 Aldon Longville village. After four poison pen letters have been received DCI Godwin and his team are called in to investigate. But then there is a murder.
An entertaining historical mystery