Mediocre short story collection, only a few were entertaining and many were either boring, pointless or both. I'm not a fan of the form in general so your mileage may vary. ( )

This is a collection of short stories, some of which are very short. They are set in different locations and times, which caught me by surprise first time there was a switch. The time frames are in generally: the Black Isle in the time of Mary, Queen of Scots, in just pre- WW2 in a ficitonal home counties locale and the same location at an undisclosed time, probably 60s, to 80s, but I remain unsure. As each setting features at least 1 common character, this isn't as confusing as all that. They are not all mysteries, as such,some are puzzles, thers are more psychological studies.
The stories range from the simple to the complex and some have a twist that I'd not always seen coming. Those I enjoyed best where the unhappy wife on holiday, the divorced wife and those featuring Henry Fyle and his sister Wendy. Henry works in the Foreign Office in late 30s London and the story generally starts when asks Wendy if he can some and stay for a few days. Wendy is delightful and has a brain concealed under her staid housewifely exterior and she plays an integral part in unraveling the puzzle that Henry and the brains of the Foreign office have struggled with. I liked the way that in these it was something apparently simple that was the key each time, but that something was outside Henry's experience, hence his need for his sister.
As with any collection, some are stronger than others, but those I liked least were outweighed by those that I enjoyed.
Not a writer I'd come across before, but one that I would consider reading more of, although I need another series of detective fiction like a hole in the head! ( )