Detection Unlimited, by Georgette Heyer (1953)

Georgette Heyer was (and probably still is) a very popular writer of Regency romances. She also wrote 8 detectives stories, most of which I enjoy very much. Detection Unlimited is not one of my favorites (and the title is sooo undescriptive), but it's still a good mystery for all that.

Detection Unlimited, by Georgette Heyer. 1953

Backmatter:
It was a hot June evening, and young Haswell had just motored the lovely Abby Dearham back from Thornden's social event of the week. All of the vollage uppercrust had come to Haswell's tennis party-the Squire, the Vicar, the sharp-tongued heir to five centuries of local real estate. But Sampson Warrenby had declined, and no one was sorry.

Why this charmless social climber was invited was beond Abby. Had he some sinister hold on the social leaders of Thornden?

All joking was cut short when a wild-eyed girl came running down the lane. For it was Warrenby's niece, announcing he was dead.

First paras
Mr. Thaddeus Drybeck, stepping from the neat gravel drive leading from his house on to the road,found his further progress challenged, and indeed, impeded, by the sudden onrush of several Pekinese dogs, who bounced and barked asthmatically at his feet. Repressing a desire to sweep them from his path with the tennis racquet he was carrying, he used this instead to guard his ankles, for one of Mrs. Midgeholme's Pekes was known to bite.

"Shoo!" said Drybeck testily. "Get away!"

The Pekes, maddened to frenzy by this form of address, bounced and barked more than ever; and one of them made a dart at Mr. Drybeck's racquet.

Heyer's Mysteries
Footsteps in the Dark (1932)
Why Shoot a Butler? (1933)
The Unfinished Clue (1934)
Death in the Stocks (1935)
Behold, Here's Poison (1936)
They Found Him Dead (1937)
A Blunt Instrument (1938)
No Wind of Blame (1939)
Envious Casca (1941)
Penhallow (1942)
Duplicate Death (1951)
Detection Unlimited (1953)