
A high‑profile murder shocks a bustling city when a well‑known official is found dead at the foot of the Home Secretary’s desk, the room sealed from the inside and seemingly impossible to reach. The victim’s last moments are witnessed by an eclectic group—including the sardonic Denzil Cantercot, who smokes contemplatively, and the timid Crowl, nibbling bread and cheese—each offering their own motives and alibis. Their personalities sparkle with wit, turning a grim crime scene into a stage for lively banter and subtle rivalry.
As the investigation unfolds, listeners are invited to sift through red herrings, hidden passages, and the peculiar logic of a locked‑room puzzle that defies ordinary explanation. The author balances humor with suspense, ensuring every clue is presented fairly while keeping the atmosphere taut enough to make you question every seemingly innocent detail. Can you untangle the web of secrets before the final reveal?
Language
en
Duration
~4 hours (248K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by David Edwards, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
Release date
2009-02-23
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1864–1926
Best known for coining the phrase “the melting pot,” this British writer brought the energy, humor, and struggle of Jewish immigrant life into novels, plays, and essays. His work moves easily between sharp social comedy and serious questions about identity, belonging, and nationhood.
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