Cyril Hare's short stories were mostly written for the London Evening Standard. Among them, The Story of Hermione, in which the eponymous character grows rich from the all too convenient deaths of several relatives, has been called one of the most chilling short stories ever written. Sister Bessie describes vividly the agonies of a blackmail victim and the desperate crimes he commits in the hope of freeing himself from his tormentor. Miss Burnside's Dilemma

Who killed solo violinist Lucy Carless during a concert by the Markshire Orchestra? Was it her first husband? Or her second? Womanizer Bill Ventry? Or perhaps the clarinetist and fellow Polish émigré, Zbartorowski, with whom she'd had a violent argument? "A plot compounded of musical knowledge, a Dickens allusion, and a subtle point in law is related with delightfully unobtrusive wit, warmth, and style." - The New York Times

England is in the grip of the Second World War and the Blitz has forced the evacuation of various government offices from London. Francis Pettigrew, an unsuccessful barrister and amateur detective, accompanies his ministry to the distant seaside resort of Marsett Bay where the civil servants must make the best of their temporary home. In this strange atmosphere, Pettigrew begins to fall in love with his secretary, Miss Brown, who is also being courted by a widowed man who is much older tha...

The picturesque village of Yew Hill, Markshire becomes an idyllic retreat for Francis Pettigrew and his wife until Francis is suddenly summoned to sit in as the County Court Judge and an elderly neighbor is brutally murdered.

An Inspector Mallett mystery - Daylesford Gardens, South Kensington, is an unlikely address for the discovery of death by strangulation. Even more unusual is that the house does not belong to the deceased financier. In the meantime, the mysterious tenant, Colin James, has disappeared. Inspector Mallett of Scotland Yard is brought in to unravel a complicated trail.

Suicide Excepted shows a man committing an almost perfect murder, only to find that a quirk of the insurance laws may deprive him of the reward.

The banks of the Didder on a sunny summer afternoon when the trout are rising seem an unlikely place for a murderer to strike. But when the body of a local landowner is discovered it soon becomes apparent that there are a number of people with good reason to dislike him. Inspector White, always deeply suspicious of the country, is brought in from Scotland Yard. Although quick to disentangle the complex relationships linking the suspects and the victim, it is only by mastering the subtletie...

Judge William Barber begins his usually uneventful tour of England's Southern Circuit, but when he receives a threatening note and becomes the victim of several strange mishaps, attorney Francis Pettigrew starts investigating.

The Blackmailers is a detective story by Cyril Hare, a British writer famous for his intelligent and realistic crime fiction. The story focuses on the problem of blackmail and the dangerous secrets that people try to hide from others. The plot begins when a character becomes involved in a situation where someone is threatening to reveal a secret in exchange for money. As the tension grows, the story shows how fear, guilt, and pressure can influence people’s decisions. The characters must d...

The Murder at Warbeck Hall by Cyril Hare is a masterfully plotted country-house mystery that combines sharp legal insight, dry wit, and the intricate puzzle craftsmanship for which Hare is renowned. Set within the imposing yet uneasy atmosphere of an old English estate, the novel transforms a seemingly peaceful holiday gathering into the scene of suspicion, secrets, and sudden death. When guests assemble at Warbeck Hall, tensions simmer beneath the surface — family rivalries, financial wor...

First published in 1942, Tragedy at Law is widely regarded as Cyril Hare’s finest and most enduring detective novel, offering an elegant blend of classic courtroom drama, intricate mystery, and sly humor. The story follows the meticulous progress of Mr. Justice Barber as he makes his formal circuit through the courts of southern England. Presiding over trials with pomp and precision, Barber seems untouchable — until an anonymous letter warns of danger. As the judge receives a series of inc...

First published in 1946, With a Bare Bodkin takes Francis Pettigrew out of the courtroom and into the tense, often absurd world of wartime bureaucracy. In the midst of World War II, Pettigrew is seconded to the Pin Control Office — an obscure but vital government department responsible for regulating the supply of metal pins. The setting is remote, the work dull, and the atmosphere thick with office politics, petty rivalries, and romantic entanglements. The routine is shattered when a coll...