Please help me find this female detective book

[BatshitCrazyWoman]

I've been wracking my brain, and I just cannot remember the name of any of the books or the author.

There were a couple of books featuring the same person, set in the 1930s or 40s I think (but I could be wrong). She isn't a very likeable person, and is described as rather plain looking.

One was a murder story set in a boarding school.

Not much to go on, I know! Does anyone recognise the book(s)?

I read them when I was in my 20s, so over 30 years ago now.

In the UK? The boarding school thing is tugging at my memory

Yes, sorry I should have said, definitely set in the UK.

Gladys Mitchell? I can't remember the name of the detective but she's a psychiatrist.

Just checked - Gladys Mitchell's detective is called Mrs Bradley. There are loads of books but one called Laurels are Poison is set in a teacher training college. There might well be a boarding school one as well.

Yes!! Thank you so much @BobinogBobbleHat

In Josephine Tey's Miss Pym Disposes there's a murder at a ladies p.e teacher's training college. But I seem to remember she's quite likeable

sorry, no help!

I think the teacher training college is the one I'm (mis) remembering. I was getting them from the library - the Barbican library near work had some, and my local library had a few more, but I've just read that there were over 60 featuring Mrs Bradley 🤯 I've got lots to catch up with 😁

Ah, I was thinking of Francis Durbridge's Paul Temple's detective series with a husband and wife team, wife was called /nicknamed Steve for some reason

Steve was short for Stephanie. It confused the hell out of me for a while

That sounds interesting, too.

Was it made into a series with Diana Rigg? Or am I confusing things further?!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mrs_Bradley_Mysteries

Whaddya know, I was right for once!

I never saw that when it was on @PyongyangKipperbang

Yes, but Diana Rigg was far too glam to be Mrs Bradley, she 'of the horrid leer, cackle and claw-like hand'.

I've never been quick enough to help with a 'what is this book?' thread before and I'm very pleased I got this one!

This true, but they were quite fun.

As is often with me, I saw the tv before the book so I didn't have a problem. There was a lot of breaking of the 4th wall and, I think, there was one bit where she and her chauffeur, Neil Dudgeon, were in bed together? Kind of thing that's going to put up the back of purists.

Think Mary Wimbush versions turn up on 4 Extra now and again