If you're a fan of old-fashioned, British-to-the-bone, period-set, BBC-produced murder mysteries, you'll probably find "The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club" a cozy, comfortable delight. If you're not, you'll probably find it stuffy, stodgy and stagey. Me, I'm somewhere in the middle, leaning more towards the second camp this time. The story is divided into four chapters lasting a total of about 180 minutes, but it probably could have been told in half that time; most of the narrative lacks propulsion, and there is even less outdoor "action" than in "Clouds of Witness". The last 10 minutes are well-done, but getting there can be a sometimes agonizing process. ** out of 4.
