Speedy Death cover

Speedy Death

by Gladys Mitchell

If anything rouses the rancour of guests at Chayning Court, it is that someone should dare be late for dinner. But as it turns out, the object of their disdain and speculation on this occasion, the intrepid explorer Everard Mountjoy, would never apologise for his tardiness. In fact, he would never eat dinner again, for he was slumped dead in the bath... The alarming Beatrice Adela Lestrange Bradley then takes it upon herself to unravel the ensuing scandals, unaware that she, along with all other guests and staff, will rank among the extensive list of suspects. Fruitless reconstructions and raging tempers lead to a frustrating impasse, an intriguing deadlock shattered only by the timely introduction of poison to the murderous mix. Thereafter, the mystery will surely need little more scrutiny before the culprit is fingered.

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Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?