The Poisoned Chocolates Case by Anthony Berkeley

I am having much fun reading classic mysteries that Matthew has added to our library collection. The latest that I read is a reissue of the 1929 mystery The Poisoned Chocolates Case by Anthony Berkeley. In it, a box of poisoned chocolates is sent to Sir Eustace Pennefather, a member of a men's club, the Rainbow, off Piccadilly Circle in London. Though almost everyone agrees that Sir Eustace is a man who probably deserves killing, he escapes this fate by donating the chocolates to a man who has lost a wager with his wife. Curiously, the wife bet for a box of chocolates. She will never want any again.

Chief Inspector Moresby of Scotland Yard and his police team are struggling to find a suspect for the murder. Amateur detective Roger Sheringham offers the services of his newly formed Crime Circle to help. The chief inspector briefs Sheringham and the club's five other members, and they set off individually to solve the case. Then, in a series of late night meetings, they each propose a different solution. Who is right?

Readers who enjoy Agatha Christie's Miss Marple books will discover similarities in The Poisoned Chocolate Case. At only 221 quick-reading pages, it is a great weekend or vacation read.

Berkeley, Anthony. The Poisoned Chocolates Case. Felony and Mayhem Press, 2010, 1929. 221p. ISBN 9781934609446.