The Italian Affair
Horror of horrors in the little village of Thraxton -
the library is closed!
Miss Prunes peers anxiously in the doorway, but her view of the interior is obscured by plaster dust - for Mr. Sid, Lady Letitia Golightly’s general handyman, is in the process of renovating and re-decorating the library. He will, as Lady Letitia says, 'make quite a difference'. Which is just what Miss Prunes is afraid of.
He has already made a difference to the little bay trees outside the new Italian Restaurant next door. As the Italian waitress points out, they are coperti in polvere! But that is the least of her worries when she discovers the unconscious body of Sr. Ricardi inside the restaurant.
Who on earth can be responsible? The Vicar who cannot stand Catholics and had heard that the Italian restaurant owner was planning to build a Catholic chapel in the village? Mr. Sid who hates all Italians on principle for “coming over here, stealing our wimmin”? Miss Micklewhite and her friend Miss Lavender, who ate at the restaurant on the previous evening? Lady Golightly, who had an affair with an Italian of the same name many years ago in Florence? The Italian waitress herself, the suspiciously named Isabela Borgia, who appears to be in love with her patron? Or could it be the newcomer to the village, Miss Prodnose, who seems likely to rival Miss Prunes in knowing everything there is to know about the inhabitants, and who needs a job and hoped that the waitress would fall sick and leave a vacancy?
Doubtless Detective Chief Inspector Spade and his jocular sidekick Detective Sergeant Singer will eventually uncover the truth - with a little help from Miss Prunes.
the library is closed!
Miss Prunes peers anxiously in the doorway, but her view of the interior is obscured by plaster dust - for Mr. Sid, Lady Letitia Golightly’s general handyman, is in the process of renovating and re-decorating the library. He will, as Lady Letitia says, 'make quite a difference'. Which is just what Miss Prunes is afraid of.
He has already made a difference to the little bay trees outside the new Italian Restaurant next door. As the Italian waitress points out, they are coperti in polvere! But that is the least of her worries when she discovers the unconscious body of Sr. Ricardi inside the restaurant.
Who on earth can be responsible? The Vicar who cannot stand Catholics and had heard that the Italian restaurant owner was planning to build a Catholic chapel in the village? Mr. Sid who hates all Italians on principle for “coming over here, stealing our wimmin”? Miss Micklewhite and her friend Miss Lavender, who ate at the restaurant on the previous evening? Lady Golightly, who had an affair with an Italian of the same name many years ago in Florence? The Italian waitress herself, the suspiciously named Isabela Borgia, who appears to be in love with her patron? Or could it be the newcomer to the village, Miss Prodnose, who seems likely to rival Miss Prunes in knowing everything there is to know about the inhabitants, and who needs a job and hoped that the waitress would fall sick and leave a vacancy?
Doubtless Detective Chief Inspector Spade and his jocular sidekick Detective Sergeant Singer will eventually uncover the truth - with a little help from Miss Prunes.