
This etext was transcribed by Les Bowler
CHAPTER I THE CRIME
CHAPTER II THE MISFORTUNES OF A B.A. OF LONDON UNIVERSITY
CHAPTER III MRS. HOBBS
CHAPTER IV THE BOARDING-HOUSE AND BOARDERS
CHAPTER V CONSTABLE HOBBS DISTINGUISHES HIMSELF
CHAPTER VI MRS. BOOTH COMMITTED FOR TRIAL
CHAPTER VII LOOKING BACKWARD-WINDSOR
CHAPTER VIII THE TWO LOVERS
CHAPTER IX HUEY AND ALEC
A sensational murder shocks Sydney’s North Shore when the celebrated sportsman Alexander Booth is found dead beside his wife in their locked bedroom, a thin dagger lodged between his shoulder blades. The grisly scene unfolds in Mrs. Delfosse’s respectable boarding house, drawing a throng of curious onlookers and frantic police to the quiet suburb. With the door bolted from the inside and the window barred, the circumstances seem impossible, prompting an immediate inquest.
Detective Sergeant Burrel begins a meticulous examination of the room, the chimney, and every possible point of entry, while the grieving Mrs. Booth can recall only a chilling moment of coldness and terror. Adding to the intrigue, Booth’s office is discovered ransacked, the safe emptied, suggesting a motive beyond personal vengeance. As clues multiply and the community buzzes with speculation, listeners are invited to follow the early stages of a case that tests logic, observation, and the hidden motives of those nearest the victims.
Language
en
Duration
~4 hours (282K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2022-03-29
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
1856–1932
An English-born writer who turned years of travel through Australia, New Zealand, and Europe into lively popular fiction. Best known for mystery and adventure stories, he wrote with an eye for colonial settings and a taste for suspense.
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