A classic murder mystery well worth reading

4 stars

In the beginning of this book I thought it might be unfair for a modern reader to review a book written in 1933 as the style is so very different from what we know now. That notion sprung to mind is it felt a rather slow and ponderous start but once underway, The Spiral Staircase has more than a few tricks up its sleeve.

As mentioned, a book coming up to a hundred years old may show its age in style, sensibility and language. Whilst wrapping my mind around slang that is no longer in fashion (ie: knocking up instead of knocking on) and the delicate, fragile nature women were meant to have in times of stress, I found it refreshing. It is great fun to have a proper locked room mystery when there are no emails, social media and the phone is a landline that is used sparingly. When old fashioned rules of civility are held to regardless of a character's 'truth' and a big, remote country estate in the middle of a blazing storm is dark and ominous. It was such fun when I made it beyond the opening, definition of characters and their relationship to each other. This is a world I would enjoy living in. 

Here we follow young Helen Capel who is small and feisty and, basically, the dogsbody for any task needing doing within the Warrens' ancestral home. The dreaded old Lady Warren is bedridden and this where her duties might take her for the night if needed to relieve the newly arrived, peculiar Nurse Barker. There is a house full of family and all sorts with a frisson of danger in the air as a murderer of young women is running free and quite close. Helen is particularly frightened as she hits the murder's demographic perfectly but it will be fine as there is safety in numbers... until there isn't.

At times I felt the book a bit clunky but enjoyed the novelty of character dialogue which was honest and straightforward. Even when the truth is an uncomfortable thing to say, one must say it. As the book gently progressed my opinion was on the lower end of spectrum as events seemed to advance too smoothly. As character number diminished, and Helen was running all over the house doing all kinds of random tasks, we reached a turning point where the book gripped me. Where I felt complacent before, now suspense raised it's frightful head and I wanted to see where it would take us. As I advanced through the pages, the tension and sense of heightened concern built to a most fun and satisfying conclusion. Bravo, Spiral Staircase, for calling foul on my initial thoughts of writing you off. 
I stand corrected and very pleased with this enjoyable mystery which proved a delightful keyhole with which to view a past age.