Someone From The Past by Margo Bennett

Someone From The Past by Margot Bennett was first published in 1958. It’s another fine British Library Crime Classic that is guaranteed to keep mystery fans intrigued until the very end.

Nancy Graham is a young woman who re-connects with her former friend and colleague, 28 yr. old Sarah Lampson. Both of them, at one time, worked at the same company. Both of them were extremely close friends. Both were part of a tight group of mutual male friends that hung out together and shared their life’s experiences.

And that’s where the story takes root. Back then, both Sarah and Nancy wound up falling for the same man who was part of their mutual group – and wasn’t the first time. But time marches on, friendships drift apart.

But when Sarah runs into Nancy, that spark of friendship is still there. And Sarah gets right to the point: She confides in Nancy that she is receiving threatening letters – someone is out to kill her. She believes it’s someone from their past – one of their mutual male friends, including ex-husbands and lovers. Sarah is about to marry a wealthy businessman. She doesn’t want any scandal. She also knows Nancy is smart and curious and asks Nancy to quietly investigate.

She reluctantly agrees, but interviewing past friends re-opens old wounds – especially when it comes to the men that Nancy fell for, but Sarah took for herself.

It’s no spoiler that Sarah is found dead – murdered. Currently Nancy is madly in love with Donald, one of the group’s members. He’s recently visited Sarah. Now he’s high on the suspect list. Nancy finds herself in a seriously tight spot. She knows Donald is innocent – even if the police don’t agree.

And as the mystery unfolds, Nancy tries to shield Donald and gets herself in too deep with the police inspector. She’s told so many lies she can’t keep her stories straight. She’s tampered with evidence! She’s sacrificing everything to protect Donald – implicating herself in the murder!

Ex husbands, lovers and friends — Nancy knows them all extremely well. But IF Donald wasn’t the killer, none of the other suspects seem plausible. Mystery fans will be baffled. Is Donald the killer after all? If not Donald, then which old friend/lover became a deadly enemy to the late Sarah? And why?

Margot Bennett not only gives us a superb whodunit, but also cleverly tugs on our heart strings as Nancy re-visits the past: the highs, the lows, the heartbreak – the “what could have been” and “what was meant to be.” The author also drives home the fact that some people will do “anything” for love.

Someone From The Past is another stellar mystery, brought back from the annals of time by The British Library Crime Classics and Poisoned Pen/Sourcebooks, and it’s not to be missed!

A copy of this book and cover photo were provided by the publisher.