The Bellamy Trial

Courtroom mysteries were rare in 1925 when Agatha Christie wrote “Witness for the Prosecution.” But it was “The Bellamy Trial,” published two years later, that was ultimately listed in the prestigious “Haycraft-Queen Cornerstones of Detective Fiction.”

Sue Ives and Stephen Bellamy are charged with the murder of Stephen’s wife Mimi, found stabbed in an uninhabited cottage on a Long Island estate. The eight-day trial introduces a trove of witnesses (some reliable, some not); an avuncular defense attorney who may be incompetent; a wily and relentless prosecutor; and the voracious members of the press and public captivated by a crime that lays bare the intrigues and jealousies of the country club set. Two of the reporters, a veteran, and a rookie attending her first murder trial, act as a Greek chorus commenting on unfolding events. Keeping an eye on the often theatrical proceedings is a wise and stern judge.

Also present are the stereotypes of the 1920s: a boisterous Irish landlady; an effusively comic Italian caretaker; and a seductive French maid. Since women at that time were not allowed the privilege or responsibility of serving, there was an all-male jury.

Like the peeling of an onion, each witness provides a revealing layer of the story.

And like any good mystery, there is, of course, a surprise twist.