When I picked up this book, I only knew A.A. Milne as the creator of Winnie-the-Pooh. I was so surprised to find he wrote a classic country house mystery! It’s a total treat.

The Story

Antony Gillingham arrives at the Red House just in time for the drama. The owner, Mark Ablett, is hosting a party when his estranged and rather shady brother, Robert, shows up. Shortly after, a shot is heard from the study. The door is locked from the inside. When they break in, Robert is dead and Mark has vanished. Antony, with his cheerful friend Bill, decides to play detective and untangle the web of alibis, secret passages, and hidden motives among the guests.

Why You Should Read It

This book is pure fun. Milne’s writing is sharp and witty. Antony isn’t a brooding genius; he’s a cheerful, observant guy who enjoys the puzzle. His friendship with Bill is genuinely funny and warm. The mystery itself is a proper, fair-play puzzle. Milne lays out all the clues, and you can try to solve it alongside the characters. It’s less about dark violence and more about the satisfaction of fitting the pieces together.

Final Verdict

This is the perfect book for a lazy afternoon. If you love Agatha Christie’s puzzles, the charm of classic English settings, or stories where the detective is someone you’d like to have a drink with, you’ll enjoy this. It’s a must-read for fans of the 'Golden Age' of detective fiction and a wonderful surprise for anyone who only knows Milne from the Hundred Acre Wood.