[This novel from 1933 is a work of comic fiction that was, I guess, mismarketed as a mystery. It's published by the Detective Club, and the Coles did write mysteries ... but imo this is not even a screwball mystery, it's purely farcical comedy with, yes, a burglary (and attendant police inspector) as a plot device, but with little attention given to its mysteriousness, and the solution to the crime a mere footnote to the main action. Though it's stylistically less indebted to Wodehouse than that Joan Butler book, the characters and plot complications are more successfully Wodehousian (though it's definitely more cynical and a lot racier than Plum's work). On the whole, I found it quite entertaining, though there are some appalling instances of humor in very bad taste.]

***

There was enough noise going on to wake any normal person a dozen times over, but the fat cleric was sleeping peacefully through it all. [I just like the idea of being woken up "a dozen times over," all at once.]

***

[Now I know the genteel way of saying that someone has a stick up his arse.]

"Swallowed a ramrod, eh, and never digested it?"

***

"What I always maintain is that the Bible can only be regarded as inspired in the purely Freudian sense."

"You are sure you don't mean Pickwickian," said David.

"Never heard of him," said Miss Perks.

***

"What all you professionally religious people suffer from is lack of faith. Now, I can believe anything--absolutely anything."

***

David had made up his mind that Miss Perks should not get a chance of going on about her ghosts until Mrs. Muggeridge had been given a fair chance of getting her ghost off her chest.

***

"Garn, don't you know his Grace has got hundreds of Holbeins and what's-his-names hanging up in the Long Gallery...?"

[...]

"I've got you where I want you, Mr. whatever your name really is...."

[...]

He had made no attempt to stem the torrent of Mr. Jenkins's remarks. That individual so evidently belonged to the class of persons who are best left to talk themselves to a standstill before one attempts to do business with them.

***

"There seem to be rather a lot of ifs," said Susan.

"Didn't somebody once say life was just one if after another? Whether anybody said it or not it is. Things do look a bit iffish at the moment."

***

David felt he had been given his cue--to say as little as possible and let the man of few words talk as much as he liked.

***

"As for this outrageous story of yours, I don't believe a word of it. Charles would never------"

In the midst of the torrent Lady Snodgrass stopped. David could see her beginning to wonder if Sir Charles would never.

***

"Send for Sir Charles at once. I've been insulted as well as murdered."

***

"The fact is, we've been deburgling."

"Deburgling?" said Pat. "Whatever's that?"

"Well, when a burglar burgles things he takes them away, doesn't he? We've been putting them back. That's what I call deburgling."

***