Convent on Styx (1975)
1975 Michael Joseph:
For the second time in her career Dame Beatrice Lestrange Bradley is called upon to solve the mystery of murder in a convent. After a series of anonymous letters have been received by the Sisters and also by members of the staff at a school run by the nuns, the supposed writer of the letters is found drowned in the school pond, together with her own Family Bible.
At the inquest a verdict of accidental death is returned, but Dame Beatrice regards this as unsatisfactory for reasons which she passes on to the local Inspector of Police. With some help from him and some evidence supplied by two of the schoolchildren, she unmasks a heartless and cowardly murderer.
Review:
A small convent runs a girls' day school, and takes paying guests to supplement their income. A series of anonymous letters, suggesting impropriety by the male woodwork teacher, the eviction of a paying guest because of rent arrears, and malicious intent in an accident where a child was run over by the convent car, cause concern for the Mother Superior and the school's Headmistress. During the school holiday, the school is burgled, with the only missing item being the home addresses of the 'lay' teachers. They also start to receive anonymous letters, and the pupils' parents begin to become uneasy.
Although the nuns believe they know the culprit, they have no evidence, and are reluctant to call in the police. The school's headmistress, although a nun for almost 20 years, trained at Cartaret College, and has remained in contact with Laura Gavin since their college days. She asks Laura to persuade Dame Beatrice to look into the anonymous letters on behalf of the convent. Dame Beatrice agrees, and sets off for the convent. But before she can arrive, a body is found in the convent grounds. Dame Beatrice takes up residence in the convent, and gradually pieces together the mystery, before saving the convent from an imminent disaster."
The setting for the book is similar to St. Peter's Finger, and the plots have similarities too. Both convents have a very old nun "close to God", who Mrs Bradley/Dame Beatrice finds gives a clue to the mystery. Both convents have schools attached, although the one in Convent On Styx is a day school rather than boarding. Convent On Styx is unusual in that the motive behind the murder is topical—it reflects events in the UK at the time it was written. Most of Gladys Mitchell's books omit contemporary references. I wouldn't say it was one of her best - the book is halfway through before Dame Beatrice makes an appearance. Still, it is interesting that 32 years after Laurels are Poison, Cartaret College appears again.
--My thanks to Dr. Ruth H. Sigley for this review.