At the Villa Rose

Introducing Inspector Hanaud, one of the earliest whodunits that was to influence masters of the genre Inspector Hanaud, the well-known French detective, is on holiday in Aix les Bains when he is asked by a young Englishman, Harry Wethermill, to investigate the murder of a wealthy widow, Mme Dauvray. Mme Dauvray has been strangled and her valuable jewels, which she wore 'with too little prudence', are missing. Celia Harland - the beautiful girl who, it transpires, was Mme Dauvray's companion - is missing. Everything points to Celia having been in cahoots with the murderer and having made off with Mme Dauvray's fabulous jewellery collection. But Wethermill cannot believe this of her, and wants Inspector Hanaud of the Paris Sûreté, to take on the case. "One of the best, most artistic, most engrossing detective stories ever written" - The British Weekly