The Sound of Murder, the latest offering at the Mill dinner theatre, is a clever and well-crafted thriller. It keeps audiences guessing about every new twist of the plot while supplying a good measure of wit to accompany the excitement of the action. The play is the work of the very experienced William Fairchild, who penned many successful scripts for film and television; it was written in 1959.

The evening is drenched with the atmosphere of the 1950s — and not just as a consequence of Terry Parsons's superb set, showing us a swanky Surrey cottage of the period. It is apparent, too, in the wholly different moral world of that time, which will seem utterly bizarre to anyone born in the last four decades.

The owner of the cottage is Charles Norbury (Steven Pinder, pictured), a hugely successful children's writer whose fortune has been made with twee tales involving Fuzzy Tail and his pals. These cosy stories are the surprising product of a remarkably vicious personality, whose waspish tongue seems ever turned to the task of abusing his poor wife, Anne (Dido Miles). She, for her part, wants off, with a kind but impecunious boyfriend, Peter (Roderick Culver), eager to marry her when she's free.

There's the period detail, of course; for at any time since the 1960s the pair would simply have run away to happiness together. But here Anne and Peter feel they have to marry — and Charles is taking grim satisfaction in not granting Anne a divorce. The drastic solution, as the play's title suggests, is going to be to bump off Charles. But the plot proves to have complications, especially following an intervention from the writer's plain-Jane secretary (Kate Terence) who has eyes on Peter for herself.

The acting, under director Andy de la Tour, is of a high standard from all members of the cast. David Partridge is on fine form as a good-sort police inspector, whose efforts to obtain an author's autograph for his admiring son are brutally rebuffed by the odious Norbury. Mr Partridge's personal charms are such as to inspire my companion in the stalls to note that she would be far from unwilling to surrender herself to the long arm of the law.

The Sound of Murder continues until November 29. For tickets call 0118 969 800 (www.millatsonning.com).