A Case Of Mice And Murder by Sally Smith (Audiobook)

 

When the Lord Chief Justice is discovered murdered in the grounds of the Inner Temple, London, eccentric barrister Gabriel Ward is asked to investigate.

A Case Of Mice And Murder by Sally Smith is such an engaging tale, I loved every second of the audiobook. Thanks to the narration of Matthew Lloyd Davies, you are immediately drawn into the exclusive domain of Inner Temple, one of the Inns of Court in central London. The story is set in 1901, and little over a hundred years later it is difficult to believe how much has changed since then.

The story features two threads. Firstly, there is the murder of the Lord Chief Justice, the country's head of judiciary. Not only is the murder shocking, particularly as the grounds of Inner Temple are locked overnight, but the body is also discovered without socks. The idea of what is considered to be scandalous at the turn of the twentieth century is amusing and is a recurrent theme throughout the story. Since the police do not have jurisdiction over the Inner Temple, it is barrister Gabriel Ward who is tasked with investigating the murder. It was fascinating learning about life in the Inner Temple, particularly the peculiarities that set it apart from the rest of London.

The second thread consists of a case that Ward is defending. A publisher found the manuscript for a children's book, which has proved extremely successful. Someone has come forward, claiming to be the author, and is suing the publisher. For me, this thread was the more entertaining of the two storylines. I loved hearing about Millie The Temple Church Mouse, the way in which the story was used as a teaching tool for children and the mystery around the identity of the author.

Gabriel Ward is a fascinating character, one I am sure will be part of a long series of books. Ward is set in his ways and keeps very much to himself, where possible. His life revolves around routines, something that today would immediately be identified as neurodivergent, but in 1901, is considered "odd". Ward's "oddness" means that he's very observant, extremely knowledgeable and doesn't judge other people.

As Ward grapples with both cases, we meet a range of characters, some of whom become immediate suspects in the murder as they are only interested in furthering their own careers. It is the servants that really bring the story to life, the way in which they know everything that is going on and keep things running smoothly. As for the conclusion of the two cases, I didn't have a clue, but thoroughly enjoyed the way in which the storylines were eked out to keep you in suspense. If you enjoy cosy crime, then this audiobook/book is definitely one to check out. I'll certainly be investigating the sequel, A Case Of Life And Limb, very soon.

A Case Of Mice And Murder by Sally Smith is available in paperback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury UK for a review copy.

Author Details

Sally Smith spent all her working life as a barrister and later King's Counsel in the Inner Temple. After writing a biography of the famous Edwardian barrister, Sir Edward Marshall Hall KC, she retired from the bar to write full time. A Case of Mice and Murder, her first novel, was inspired by the historic surroundings of the Inner Temple in which she still lives and works and by the rich history contained in the Inner Temple archives. A Case of Mice and Murder is the first in a series starring the reluctant sleuth Sir Gabriel Ward KC.