Murder mystery novelist Patricia Wentworth was born Dora Amy Elles in India, where her father was a general, in 1877. She started writing late in life, after spending many years as a wife and mother. Widowed in 1906, she published her first book in 1910. She remarried in 1920, and her most famous sleuth, Miss Maud Silver, a retired governess turned detective, first appeared in 1928.
Books by Patricia Wentworth
Patricia Wentworth wrote 32 Miss Maud Silver whodunits, as well as another 34 books.
Mystery author Caron Allan is a big fan of Wentworth’s work. She writes:
The strengths of the books lie in the portrayal of the era, and in the way many of the characters are forced to find their way through unfamiliar and difficult circumstances. They are not all wealthy, they are not all high-born, artistic, celebrities or otherwise fortunate. The mysteries are pleasing, often very clever, and the reader can detect along with the protagonist. The writing is intelligent, clear, and lacking in long flowery descriptions, which I personally detest.
I recommend them for … readers who love a traditional mystery without body parts being lopped off, or strong language, or who prefer romance without sex scenes, or who like something with a strong sense of morality and a satisfying mystery. more
Caron Allan also shares a great collection of Patricia Wentworth books’ cover art on Pinterest.
- Links that say “Borrow” will take you to the Internet Archive Open Library where you may borrow the book. (You’ll need to sign up for the Internet Archive if you haven’t already done so; it’s free and simple.) Once you borrow a book, you’ll be able to read a scanned copy of the book online, or download a pdf of the scanned book, or download an epub file (readable only with Adobe Digital Editions, which you’ll be prompted to download for free).
- Links that say “Buy” will take you to the book’s main page on Amazon. *As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Miss Maud Silver Books, in Order
- Grey Mask (1928) — Borrow (pdf only). — Buy.*
- The Case Is Closed (1937) — Borrow. — Buy.*
- Lonesome Road (1939) — Buy.*
- Danger Point / In the Balance (U.S.) (1941) — Buy.*
- The Chinese Shawl (1943) — Borrow. — Buy.*
- Miss Silver Intervenes / Miss Silver Deals with Death (U.S.) (1943) — Borrow. — Buy.*
- The Clock Strikes Twelve (1944) — Borrow. — Buy.*
- The Key (1944) — Buy.*
- The Traveller Returns / She Came Back (U.S.) (1945) — Borrow. — Buy.*
- Pilgrim’s Rest / Dark Threat (1946) — Borrow. — Buy.*
- Latter End (1947) — Borrow. — Buy.*
- Spotlight / Wicked Uncle (U.S.) (1947) — Buy.*
- The Case of William Smith (1948) — Buy.*
- Eternity Ring (1948) — Borrow. — Buy.*
- The Catherine Wheel (1949) — Borrow. — Buy.*
- Miss Silver Comes to Stay (1949) — Borrow. — Buy.*
- The Brading Collection / Mr. Brading’s Collection (1950) — Buy.*
- The Ivory Dagger (1951) — Borrow. — 99 cents on Kindle.*
- Through the Wall (1950) — Borrow. — Buy.*
- Anna, Where Are You? / Death At the Deep End (1951) — Borrow. — Buy.*
- The Watersplash (1951) — Borrow. — Buy.*
- Ladies’ Bane (1952) — Borrow. — Buy.*
- Out of the Past (1953) — Buy.*
- Vanishing Point (1953) — Buy.*
- The Benevent Treasure (1953) — Borrow. — Buy.*
- The Silent Pool (1954) — Buy.*
- The Gazebo /The Summerhouse (1955) — Borrow. — 99 cents on Kindle.*
- The Listening Eye (1955) — Buy.*
- Poison in the Pen (1955) — Borrow. — 99 cents on Kindle.*
- The Fingerprint (1956) — Borrow. — Buy.*
- The Alington Inheritance (1958) — Borrow. — Buy.*
- The Girl in the Cellar (1961) — Borrow. — Buy.*
Deals on Other Books by Patricia Wentworth
- Outrageous Fortune — Borrow. — Buy.*
- The Black Cabinet — 99 cents on Kindle.
- Nothing Venture — Buy.*
- Silence in Court — Buy.
- Run — Buy.*
- The Coldstone — Borrow. — Buy.*
- Blindfold — Buy.*
- Who Pays the Piper? — Buy.*
- Dead or Alive — Buy.*
- Down Under — Buy.*
- Weekend with Death — Buy.*
- Danger Calling — Buy.*
*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
