This is the second book in the series featuring mystery writer Donald Langham and the lovely Maria Dupre, who works with his agent Charles Elder. Following on from “Murder by the Book,” Donald and Maria are most definitely an item and, in fact, Donald is trying to gather the courage to propose. He intends to do so during a trip to the countryside, but their holiday idyll is disturbed by an intriguing phone call.

Alasdair Endicott is a young author and son of Donald’s friend and fellow writer, Edward Endicott. Having travelled to visit his father in the village of Humble Barton, Alasdair finds his study locked, but the room – and house – empty. His father, a previous Hollywood screenwriter, was writing a book about Satanist Vivian Stafford. Stafford had apparently organised a séance, which many people in the village had also attended, but Donald’s sensible and down to earth demeanour immediately make him intrigued. Were Vivian Stafford still alive, he would be about 130 years old and people do not simply vanish from locked rooms in real life…

This series is set in the 1950’s and the author does a great job of recreating the era. Both Donald and Maria are excellent characters and the interplay between them is entertaining. I enjoyed the English village setting, complete with ageing Hollywood actresses, blackmail, secrets and unrequited love. The mystery itself is interesting and the themes of the supernatural are perfectly balanced by the sceptical Donald. I hope there will be more books in this series and look forward to following the adventures of Langham and Dupre.