Q.E.D.

by Lynn Brock

The celebrated suspension bridge which crosses Linwood Gorge – its chains once spanned the Thames – has seen many tragedies in its seventy years, but none more sinister than that with which this latest of Colonel Gore’s cases concerns itself. “You probably haven't heard yet,” said the constable with calm matter-of-factness, “Dr. Melhuish was taken out of the river shortly after three o'clock this morning, dead…” With such mundane-yet-portentous words begins an investigation the likes of which Colonel Gore has rarely encountered, bringing hollow leads, red herrings, false identities, and two desperate physical attacks… Add organised crime links and new ( and old! ) suspects appearing almost daily, and the puzzle is enough to confound the most seasoned investigator. But the kicker for Gore is that – this time it’s personal! His friend murdered, his godson left bereft and the doctor’s wife now battling a spiral of grief and despair. It all rests on him - can he get to the bottom of this dastardly mess and thus allow them the slightest chance of happiness? Staggering in the simplicity of its achievement, incredible in the selection of its victim, the murder of Dr. Sidney Melhuish presents itself to the reader, as it did to the police, an apparently unsolvable mystery. Baffled for space by a parallel trail, will Gore in the end, inch by inch, and at grave personal risk, drag the truth to light? Lynn Brock (1877-1943) was the pseudonym of the Irish writer Alister McAllister and is best known for his series of Colonel Gore detective novels, which enjoyed popularity in the 1920s and 1930s. He also wrote several plays under the name Anthony Wharton.

251 pages, Paperback

Published July 21, 2023

About the author

Alister McAllister (1877-1943) was an Irish novelist and playwright who wrote detective stories under the name "Lynn Brock" and other works under the name "Anthony Wharton".