A Body at a Boarding School

 A Body at a Boarding School (2021) by Benedict Brown

Christopher and his distinguished grandfather, renowned former Inspector Lord Edgington, are back on the hunt for a murderer. It's the last day of term at the Oakton Academy for Distinguished Young Gentleman and Christopher thinks the worst thing that might happen is a beating at the hands of the school bullies who have been after him ever since he laughed at a smiling pigeon and the ringleader thought Christopher was laughing at him. Or maybe it will just be that he has to run in the sixth form's cross country race--and Christopher hates few things more than running. But when his ex-bully, turned protector and friend Marmaduke asks him for a favor, he little suspects that he'll find a dead body.

Marmaduke had planned a grand joke on the cruel headmaster--a particularly hideous drawing that would be on display before the entire school on parents' day. But the headmaster caught him in the act of setting up the display and plans to out Marmaduke to his despicable father, so Marmaduke asks Christopher to slip into the headmaster's office while the race is being run and retrieve the drawing. Christopher is reluctant to risk the headmaster's wrath until he realizes that he will get out of running the race...and when he reaches the headmaster's office, he realizes that he won't have to worry about the headmaster's wrath ever again. Somebody has put an end to the man's cruelty for good. Fortunately, Christopher's grandfather is on hand to take over the investigation and bring the killer to justice.

I'm always a sucker for academically-inclined mysteries and one set during the Golden Age of Mysteries is definitely right up my alley. Fine setting, interesting characters, and a nice twisty plot with red herrings. What more could you ask for? Well, perhaps less of Christopher running on in the almost wrap-up scene. His grandfather gathers all the suspects, lines them up, and then tells Christopher to give them the big reveal of how "they" figured it all out. Except Christopher hasn't got all the threads in his hands and has to wander around and tell every single little detail that we, the readers, have already gotten first hand as we followed the sleuths around. It was just a tad bit tedious, especially since Christopher has none of the aplomb and self-assurance of a Poirot doing the same stunt in Agatha Christie. If you're going to put on a big show at the end, you should at least be absolutely sure that you're right. But, of course, Lord Edgington does do the honors eventually when we get to the absolutely final wrap-up scene. 

This is a very good second story in the series. Often sophomore efforts tend to lose a little of the shine when debut novels have been strong. But other than the wrap-up scene, Brown does an excellent job continuing the series. I look forward to the next one (which I just recently picked up at a used book store). ★★★ and 1/2.

First line: I'd never seen any point in running. It's too much like having a long drawn-out heart attack but with no light at the end of the tunnel.

Last line: "Though it might be a good idea for you to hold onto something."
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Deaths = one poisoned