Un telegramma comunica all'avvocato Matthew Deckenham la morte di Lord Marchester, suo cliente, e lo invita a raggiungere immediatamente il luogo dell'accaduto, Marchester Royal. Precipitatosi alla stazione, Deckenham incontra l'ispettore Skarratt di Scotland Yard, in partenza per la medesima destinazione: apprende così che Lord Marchester è stato assassinato. L'ispettore inizia le indagini,ma una complessa situazione ereditaria e imprevisti retroscena complicano il caso, rendendo più difficile la strada verso la soluzione finale.
Joseph Smith Fletcher was an English journalist, writer, and fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He studied law before turning to journalism.
His literary career spanned approximately 200 books on a wide variety of subjects including fiction, non-fiction, histories, historical fiction, and mysteries. He was known as one of the leading writers of detective fiction in the Golden Age.
This was one of two novels and two books of short stories the author published in 1909, and it is very much of its time. The murder of a much-liked baronet in his country house library sets off an investigation by the able but impetuous Inspector Skarratt of Scotland Yard.
Dastardly deeds abound, and once the baronet's brother is safely in custody, a secret marriage,theft and a conspiracy must be unravelled before the dramatic denouement reveals the guilty.
The investigation has historical interest, but there are loads of unresolved loose ends and it is quite obvious that Fletcher had different possibilities in mind for the ending, which is, as ever, somewhat rushed after the exceedingly leisurely pace of much of the proceedings.
It was however, an easy and speedy read for the start of the year.