CHARLOTTE MacLEOD – The Convivial Codfish. Doubleday Crime Club, hardcover, 1984. Avon, paperback, 1985; reprinted many times.

   The Comrades of the Convivial Codfish have had such a glorious time “Bah, Humbug-ing” their way through their annual Scrooge Day luncheon that it seems a shame it has to be spoiled by the loss of the silver Codfish from its chain around the neck of the Exalted Chowderhead.

   To Jeremy Kelling, the E.C., this is almost as bad as his subsequent fall and the deadly events at the Tolbathy’s railroad party. Max Bittersohn, Sarah Kelling’s new husband, has allowed himself to be inveigled into attending the railroad party (on the Tolbathy brothers’ private railroad) to take Jeremy’s place, and not so incidentally, to try to find out what’s going on.

   He does, but not until several people have died, and the question of motive becomes very complicated indeed. Sarah plays only a small role, unlike in some of MacLeod’s other mysteries, while Max does the detecting. The opening scene, with the Comrades at their Scrooge lunch, is worth the price of the book. Wonderful!

      The Sarah Kelling & Max Bittersohn series —

The Family Vault (1979)

The Withdrawing Room (1980)
The Palace Guard (1981)
The Bilbao Looking Glass (1983)
The Convivial Codfish (1984)
The Plain Old Man (1985)

The Recycled Citizen (1987)
The Silver Ghost (1987)
The Gladstone Bag (1989)

The Resurrection Man (1992)
The Odd Job (1995)
The Balloon Man (1998)