Patricia Wentworth

What readers say

Patricia Wentworth is best known for the Miss Silver mysteries, starring a knitting, quietly shrewd former governess whom the police come to rely on. Readers love her as comfort reading: easy, witty prose, vivid casts in country houses and flats, period atmosphere, and gentle romances woven into each case. Common criticisms are the familiar formula, convoluted plots leaning on coincidence, romances that are sweet but rarely believable, dated attitudes, and books where Miss Silver appears late or barely at all. Many say the early books are the weakest and the series grows stronger.

Best for: Readers who want gentle Golden Age mysteries with a dash of romance and don't mind a formula.

Summary of public reader reviews, updated November 2026.