The Layton Court Mystery introduces best friends Roger Sheringham and Alexander “Alec” Grierson, who join a distinguished roster of London society guests at the country estate of wealthy bachelor Victor Stanworth. The retreat takes a grim turn when Stanworth is discovered dead in his study with a gunshot wound to the head. At first glance, the scene suggests suicide: the study is locked from the inside, there are no signs of forced entry, and nothing unusual was reported the night before. Yet Roger, ever suspicious of neat explanations, sees inconsistencies everywhere he looks. Convinced that something is amiss, he recruits Alec to help him search for clues.

Anthony Berkeley originally published The Layton Court Mystery anonymously; its modest success launched Berkeley’s career. More importantly, it introduced Roger Sheringham, the amateur sleuth who would become Berkeley’s signature creation.

Readers new to Berkeley may find The Layton Court Mystery refreshingly brisk compared to many of its contemporaries. The setting functions primarily as a backdrop, established efficiently so the plot can take center stage; the dialogue moves quickly. Berkeley’s most delightful innovation, however, is his use of humor. Rather than presenting Sheringham as an infallible genius, he allows his protagonist to stumble—often spectacularly. Roger’s ego and overconfidence frequently lead him astray, and Alec’s occasioned exasperation towards Roger’s idiosyncrasies provides a perfect counterbalance. Their playful habit of calling each other “Roger Holmes” and “Alec Watson” underscores a self-aware charm hardly seen in other mysteries of the time.