A straightforward murder mystery set in and around a sleepy English village, A STRANGER IN TOWN features imported American star Alex Nicol (who is much better than he was in THE GILDED CAGE) as a guy who shows up in the UK after his good friend, a composer, commits suicide. He's only there to gather a few belongings to return to the States but a mysterious note warning him of intrigue leads him to stay on and investigate the apparent suicide himself.
What follows is the uncovering of a hotbed of conspiracy and murder, with various characters hiding their true motivations. I quite like these gentleman detective films such as this and A STRANGER IN TOWN has a fairly good plot, although it lacks excitement and it cheats a bit by not allowing the viewer to work out the murderer's identity until the climax. Nicol's encounters with a volatile farmer are my favourite moments here.
The supporting cast is a solid one that includes Colin Tapley as a toff, Anne Paige as a would-be love interest, and Charles Lloyd Pack as a former army man. John Horsley is the usual dogged cop who adds little to the narrative other than to pad out the running time. Harry Towb and Arthur Lowe have bit parts.
