"A delightful amateur sleuth tale"
During World War II, a very young German bomber pilot
parachutes to safety in the village of Sitting Marsh as his
plane crashes. The villagers capture the pilot, but soon
attack his parachute for the silk. The frightened aviator,
believing the mob of wild women want to kill him, flees
into nearby Hawthorne Woods. The next day the murdered corpse of a land girl working at
Macclesby Farm is found. Everyone including PC George
Dalyrmple believes the German killed the girl. The only
holdout is Lady Elizabeth Hartleigh who thinks the prime
suspect is a shield for the real killer. Hoping to be
useful to her villagers, Elizabeth begins to investigate
the homicide. DEATH IS IN THE AIR, the second Lady Compton WWII amateur
sleuth tale (see A BICYCLE BUILT FOR MURDER), is a
delightful novel. The story line is fun for its historical
perspective as much as for its phenomenal amateur sleuth
plot. Still, this novel belongs to its characters
(Elizabeth, the villagers, and the deployed American
troops) that bring the era to life. A bit of romance
between Elizabeth and Major Earl Monroe adds an additional
pearl to a fantastic story. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted July 5, 2001
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