A review by slferg
Heads You Lose by Christianna Brand

4.0

Set in England during WWII, there is a house party at Pigeonsford Estate. The owner, Stephen Pendock, has as guests Lady Hart, her two grandaughters Venetia and Francesca, Venetia's husband Henry, and James Nicholl. Grace Morland, who always paints the church tower has invited herself to the patio to paint the tower in the snow. As per custom, she is invited to tea before she returns home. She is in love with Stephen Pendock, but he appears to be falling for Francesca. The summer before there was a murder in the woods by the house where a young woman was decapitated with a scythe that is still unsolved. They memory is hanging heavily on the house. Then Grace Morland's adopted? cousin Pippi turns up at her house. Grace is murdered that night and decapitated with Fran's new hat placed on her head. Inspector Cockrill is not happy with the behavior of the house party, although he does derive some amusement from them trying to work out theories to solve the crime.
The ending and solution are rather unusual.