The Uninvited Corpse

 The Uninvited Corpse (1987) by Michael Underwood

Rosa Epton finds herself regretting both the power of the press and an appearance on a television program called "Legal Aid" where a panel of lawyers answered questions about the profession for viewers. The advertisement and her appearance leads two clients to her...two clients that are going to cause a great deal of trouble.

Mr. Philip Tresant learned about her through a newspaper left behind on a seat on the Underground. And, being in need of a solicitor to represent him against a charge of theft, he thought Ms. Rosa Epton as likely as anyone. Mr. Vernon Gray watched "Legal Aid" and thought she was the only member of the panel to talk sense. So when he decided it was about time to draw up a will, he thought of that sensible solicitor on television. Tresant proves to be difficult to defend--he immediately sinks in to depression and it will take all of Rosa's powers of persuasion to get him to make a sensible appearance in court. And she's still not sure she'll get him off on a charge of pilfering five pounds from the church offering plate. 

Mr. Gray wants her to make up his will, but doesn't have any relatives or friends to whom he wants to leave his considerable wealth. In fact, he seems to want Rosa to come up with people to make his heirs. Through gentle prodding, she manages to convince him to name the heirs himself--a neighbor who is slightly bossy, but who has tried to help him and his doctor. But he's not done with her...after the will is drawn up, he convinces her to help him find a new housekeeper. He hasn't had much luck in finding one that will stay. It takes a few tries before she finds one that Gray likes well enough and who can take the elderly man's acerbic nature. But finally the job is accomplished...and just when Rosa thinks she's done with Vernon Gray (until she needs to provide the will for probate), he and his housekeeper disappear.

Mrs. Henderson, the bossy neighbor, becomes alarmed when she returns from a weekend away and gets no answer from Gray's apartment. None of the other residents in the building have seen Gray or the housekeeper for several days. She finally convinces the police that something is amiss...and when the officers effect an entry to Gray's apartment they find that she was right. Gray and Mrs. Janet Berry are indeed gone. And there is an unknown man lying dead in Mr. Gray's bed.

Rosa keeps a watching brief on Gray's apartment and affairs and winds up doing a bit of detective work on the side. She discovers clues that point to a mystery in Gray's past and that mystery will need to be cleared up before the police can unravel the current mysteries of where Gray and Mrs. Berry are and who the man in the bed is.

I read a few of the Rosa Epton mysteries back in 80s and apparently this was one of them, but fortunately I had no memory of the plot. This was an enjoyable, quiet read. Fairly predictable, especially after a couple of the clues were laid down, but great fun to read, regardless. Rosa is a good character, interesting to watch at work. She tends to take a few liberties (but then, so did Perry Mason--to whom she is compared in the book flap blurb), but all in the interests of justice. It was a bit convenient how the two plots dovetailed, but it did make for a nice, tidy ending. Overall, a solid mystery. ★★★

First line: "Goodbye, dear," Mrs. Henderson shouted through the car window above the engine noise.

Last line: Rosa laughed. "Better still, Steph, sing it." 

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Deaths = 4 (one strangled; two natural; one shot)