'The Maze' by Geoffrey Warburton

The next story in The Ghosts & Scholars Book of Mazes is set at a country house with a hedge maze, but this time it's status is problematic in several interesting ways. Webb accompanies his posh girlfriend, Lydia, to her parents' home, which is described as smaller than the average country house. 

It transpires that Lydia's father, Siggy, is a Jewish refugee from the Nazis who made good. This twist made me wonder what the nature of the 'maze menace' might be, but I was still surprised. Suffice to say that Siggy takes Webb into the maze, which at its heart contains his wife's grave - which is surrounded by large mirrors. 

The story can be read as reversing the basic premise of 'Mr Humphreys...' but it's also got a murder-mystery element. The supernatural menace is nicely evoked, and if it is derived from folklore (as seems likely) it is still a new one on me. There is an excellent scene ringing the changes on the familiar Jamesian trope of the village children (or whatever) encountering the threat before the narrator. 

So, another winner in this excellent book. My reading continues tomorrow, probably. 

What day is it anyway? 

Maybe I should go outside.