
audiobook
Chapter I. The Euthanasia Policy
Chapter II. The Detective Malgré Lui
Chapter III. At the Load of Mischief
Chapter IV. The Bedroom
Chapter V. Supper, and Mr. Brinkman
Chapter VI. An Ear at the Keyhole
Chapter VII. From Leyland’s Note-Book
Chapter VIII. The Bishop at Home
Chapter IX. The Late Rector of Hipley
Chapter X. The Bet Doubled
In a world where every risk can be contractually covered, the mysterious Indescribable Company turns even death into a marketable commodity. Its glossy brochures promise that a premature demise will line the pockets of heirs, while outliving the insured age turns the survivor into a perpetual pensioner. The opening chapter reads like a darkly comic lecture on actuarial optimism, laying out policies that reward calamity and punish self‑destruction.
The story follows a detached investigator who is hired to untangle a curious claim under the company’s infamous Euthanasia policy. As he wades through legal jargon, odd testimonies, and a series of bizarre accidents, he discovers that the line between insurance and murder is thinner than the fine print suggests. The narrative blends sardonic social commentary with a classic whodunit, keeping listeners guessing while questioning the value we place on life.
Language
en
Duration
~6 hours (368K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
New York, NY: Jacobsen Publishing Company, Inc., 1927.
Credits
Brian Raiter
Release date
2024-03-18
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1888–1957
A brilliant convert, broadcaster, and classic whodunit writer, this English priest brought wit and clarity to everything from detective fiction to Bible translation. His work moves easily between scholarship and storytelling, with a voice that still feels lively today.
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