Major Brentwood dies by drowning, and his widow inherits the insurance. Nothing unusual about that - but the widow's previous husband also died by drowning, under similar circumstances. The local force passes the buck to the Yard, and Ellerdine and Blossom journey down to Cornwall to investigate. Brentwood turns out to have been a bit of a muckraker, and the previous husband something of a mystery man. One suspect is traced as far as a sheep station in Queensland, and after what is probably the least exciting trans-global trip in fiction, Ellerdine and Blossom finally make their catch.
The redeeming features of this book are the two meticulously-drawn maps at the front and an occasionally amusing comment from Ellerdine or his chief. Detective work is at a minimum - though Ellerdine is materially assisted by an early tape recorder - the dialogue is stilted and the investigation utterly dull. And most of the mystery is revealed in a flashback before Ellerdine manages to get round to it.
Even for a fan of the pedestrian, there are limits.
Jon.
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