Althea Graham's hypochondriac mother seldom visits the gazebo--yet she is found dead in it one morning. The Graham estate had once enjoyed a rural view, but now the grounds are part of suburban London and the gazebo is an anachronistic summerhouse. Scotland Yard becomes suspicious of Althea and her fiance, the dashing foreign correspondent Nicholas Carey, because the death of her mother frees them to be married at last. Miss Silver is fortunately a friend of Althea's and comes to the rescue, complete with knitting needles, a gentle smile, and the perception of a mind reader.

THE BODY IN THE SUMMERHOUSE
spelled doom for all of Althea Graham's dreams. For Nicky, the man she loved, who had returned to her after years, was the only suspect in the murder -- and already the police were building a hanging case against him.

Althea turned to Miss Maud Silver, the sharp-eyed spinster detective -- and, with the help of gossiping neighbors, a faithless wife, and two sinister house hunters, Miss Silver soon pinpointed the real killer -- just as he prepared to strike again!

Also published as: The Summerhouse