The Benevent Treasure

 

The Benevent Treasure / Patricia Wentworth
NY: HarperCollins, 1990, c1951.
297 p.

I've read a few of Wentworth's books, most in this series with the very cool covers since I got a whole handful at the thrift store. 

This one features estranged families, family curses and secret treasure, and deception abounding. Young Candida Sayle is left alone in the world when her Aunt Barbara dies. She is then approached by aunts from the other side of the family, the Benevent side, who weren't much interested in her previously. But they have reached out to breach the estrangement, and invite her to stay with them. 

When Candida arrives, she begins to learn the dark history of the Benevent family from her aunts, and hears the tales of the fabled Benevent treasure, which is supposed to be both valuable and a death sentence for anyone who finds it. Her aunts also seem to be trying to throw her together with their youthful male secretary, but that isn't going to work for either of them. He already has a secret fiancée, and Candida has run across local architect Stephen Eversley who she first met years before, and they've renewed an acquaintance that is quickly growing into something more. Neither of the Miss Benevents approves of this attachment at all. 

It's Stephen's involvement that brings Miss Silver into this story. He's concerned about the strange circumstances of Candida's welcome into the Benevent home, and so wants someone to investigate discreetly. And thank goodness Miss Silver is there because of course things are not what they seem, there is danger in the air, and the treasure really is deadly. This one is twisty, with some fairly gory moments for a classic mystery. It's a little bit gothic, with the old mysterious Benevent mansion and young innocent Candida the main focus. Enjoyable read, however, with just a touch of Miss Silver to keep it from going too far into the dark!