Witting’s second Inspector Charlton mystery, first published in
1937, is set in Paulsfield (clearly a fictional Petersfield in
Hampshire).
It is a market day and there is much noise and bustle. A bull
decides it is time to liberate itself and goes on the rampage. As
this is happening, a cleaner working on the statue in the middle of
the square is shot dead, straight through the head.
Inspector Charlton has very few leads on this case. There is no
obvious motive for the cleaner’s death, and when two further
murders are committed within the same day, both taking place in
the market square, the mystery has obviously deepened
exponentially.
Midsummer Murder is another Clifford Witting that will delight
all his fans.