The Bells are Rung Down Summary

For a fortnight, the people of the village live in the church and Rectory grounds on a temporary island until the waters recede. Lord Peter reveals that Jeff Deacon was killed by the bells during the New Year peal: the vibrations and/or the decibels killed him.

The Bells are Rung Down Analysis

This short chapter is divided sharply in two halves, one bringing the account of the flood to its conclusion, and the other providing the solution to the mystery of how Jeff Deacon died.

The first half of the chapter has a cheerful tone to it and is told in summary rather than as direct action. This section gives the details of how the villagers organized themselves during their time on the "island" created by the floods. In many ways, this temporary lifestyle...