23 SEPTEMBER 1960, Page 38

They Died in the Spring. By Josephine Pa– l oy Thompson. (Hammond,

12s. 6d.) Pleas3lie straightforward, sober-sided novel in which,,fihg Colonel gets shot by sporting gun after 113"0 infuriated the village (and especially the 1113ibe neurotic rector) by threatening to plough Ow cricket field. Then the body of Miss Schmidt' s' home help, is found in a well. The pace j5.0,5 sedate as such a setting and such simple vicitio demand; the characters are recognisable 0%0 policemen pleasant; and if the murderer sc`osei Unlikely and the motive slender, so (I suPP are most murderers and motives.