Peril at Somner House: A Mystery Featuring Daphne du Maurier

Challis fails to make Daphne du Maurier an interesting lead in her lightweight second mystery featuring the young future author (after 2009's Murder on the Cliffs). Daphne's older sister, Angela, invites her along on a vacation to Somner House, located on an island off the coast of Cornwall that's isolated from the outside world for most of the winter. On the island, Daphne meets a host of characters straight from an Agatha Christie novel, one of whom, Lord Max Trevalyan, is soon found dead of severe head wounds. The many suspects include Trevalyan's widow, her lover, and the gardener, whose daughter gave birth to Max's son. A romantic subplot concerning Daphne's attraction to the murder victim's Darcyesque younger brother never comes to life. Some readers will have trouble with the author's clumsy prose (e.g., "A vague smile of vacuity passed her lips"). (Nov.)