A master hand : $b The story of a crime

A seasoned district attorney recounts a baffling crime that shocked a bustling 1880s New York metropolis. After a late‑night invitation to a quiet card game, he finds himself drawn into a circle of friends whose seemingly ordinary lives hide deeper secrets. As the narrator pieces together conversations, newspaper gossip, and a single unsettling note, the story unfolds as a meticulous case study of how circumstantial evidence can both mislead and illuminate.

The narrative moves through the early days of the investigation—soliloquies in a club, a tense evening at a private supper, and the first formal inquest—providing a vivid portrait of legal and social customs of the era. Readers are invited to follow the methodical gathering of clues, the uneasy suspects, and the relentless pursuit of truth, all presented with a clear, matter‑of‑fact tone that respects the complexities of a real‑world mystery.