Review: They say blood is thicker than water.  Let's spill some and find out!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 21, 2014
Some families don't get along, but the Haynes are in a class by themselves. The father drives his wife into an early grave and torments his oldest daughter until she runs away from home.  When the old goat dies he leaves a will dividing his money between his lawyer and his children AND stipulating that the siblings (who loathe each other) have dinner together twice yearly.  Three dinners so far and a brother or sister  has died mysteriously at each one.  And you think YOUR family reunions are deadly!So we're down to the oldest son, but there are spouses and children and three (THREE!) young folks who are orphans with mysterious parentage, so there are plenty of people to suspect and all of them look quite suspicious at one time or another.  And, of course, there's that daughter who ran off and was never heard of again.  Or was she?This is my third Clara Benson and not my favorite.  Angela (normally a great favorite of mine) seems a bit off.  She divides her time between blushing prettily while  coyly denying any interest in detection and dodging death with tactics learned in WWI undercover work.  And she spends what seems like DAYS trying to get the slippery shyster to show her the damned will.  I yelled "Go to Somerset House, woman!"  until my voice gave out,  but it was still several chapters before she gave up on the lawyer and went to Somerset House (where all will, birth, and death records are available to the public.)I still enjoyed it.  It's a period piece and Angela's household is as entertaining as ever.  Marthe continues to run the joint with an iron fist and impeccable French snootiness.  William is as intelligent as Mrs. Bradley's George and much more attractive and personable.  The banter between the three of them is worth the price of admission.  The Haynes family is screwy enough to be interesting.  The clues are broad and plentiful and if you haven't identified the killer by the middle of the book better cut back on the sherry. Not Benson's best, but still a good read.