One of the things I really like about Lake’s mysteries is the potential to have all the atmosphere and tension of a Golden Age murder mystery except without any murder.

In 1922, Vivian Porter becomes a resident at a family-estate-turned-boarding-house near Oxford, at the request of the owner’s nephew, in order to investigate mysterious goings on.

I enjoyed the portrayal of the boarding house dynamics, of different (and several highly educated) personalities living together, and the atmosphere of mystery. I also liked that this features an unexpected romance between two middle-aged people.

If I’d read this more recently, I’d have something more coherent to say about Cadmus. What I remember is the sense that he’s someone who prefers to stay within his comfort zones, and I liked how both the narrative and Vivian accept that about him -- not dismissing him as incapable of changing, but neither expecting to be someone he’s not. ( )