The Affair of the 39 Cufflinks    by James Anderson Order:  USA  Can Poisoned Pen, 2003 (2003) Hardcover     Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth The Affair of the 39 Cufflinks is a delightful, traditional English country house mystery. It's chock full of possible suspects - the obligatory Earl and his Lady, a lawyer, an MP, the daughter of the house, the dizzy blonde, and various other charming but suspicious characters, including the very proper butler. When a cantankerous blackmailing stepmother is smothered, the game's afoot (we encounter the deceased old woman, Florrie, only briefly before she meets her maker). Alderly, the country house, is the scene of the reading of the will, with everyone gathered in high expectations of inheriting gobs of money. Each suspect seems to have a secret they would not like divulged. Would they kill to prevent that from happening? The plodding but intelligent police detective Wilkins applies his skills to winkle out the murderer before the guests are permitted to leave Alderly to return to their homes. This is the third in a series by James Anderson and it's a fun read. I can just imagine the enjoyment the author had in writing The Affair of the 39 Cufflinks. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews