
Characters of the Book
CHAPTER I. “Who Killed Cock Robin?”
CHAPTER II. On the Archery Range
CHAPTER III. A Prophecy Recalled
CHAPTER IV. A Mysterious Note
CHAPTER V. A Woman’s Scream
CHAPTER VI. “ ‘I,’ Said the Sparrow”
CHAPTER VII. Vance Reaches a Conclusion
CHAPTER VIII. Act Two
CHAPTER IX. The Tensor Formula
Philo Vance, the cultivated amateur sleuth, returns to New York after a winter in the Alps only to be drawn into a chilling series of crimes that have the city holding its breath. A gruesome murder at the Dillard estate is signed with the enigmatic moniker “Bishop,” a name that offers no clue about the perpetrator but hints at a ritualistic cruelty. As Vance teams up with District Attorney John F.-X. Markham and a host of police detectives, the investigation quickly expands to include physicists, mathematicians, and even a chess‑playing professor, each a potential piece in a baffling puzzle.
The case unfolds against a backdrop of academic salons and high‑society gatherings, where scholarly rivalry and hidden passions mingle with deadly intent. Vance’s sharp intellect and love of classical literature guide him through a maze of motives and alibis, while the growing press frenzy turns the hunt into a public spectacle. Listeners will be pulled into a richly detailed world where every clue feels both academic and ominous, setting the stage for a gripping mystery that demands careful thought as much as quick intuition.
Language
en
Duration
~8 hours (497K characters)
Release date
Jan 20, 2025
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1888–1939
Best known for creating the stylish detective Philo Vance, this American writer brought art-world polish and sharp puzzles into some of the most popular mystery novels of the 1920s and 1930s. Before turning to crime fiction, he had already made a name for himself as a critic and editor.
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