As always, Jesse Falkenstein and Sergeant Clock have a score of cases on their hands, but Jesse is mainly interested in the murder of Margaret Brandon, a trance medium. He was her lawyer and liked her, and someone had gone to great efforts to make her death seem accidental.

But with so many suspects - the egocentric writer, the young lout, the nephew in line for an inheritance - both Falkenstein and Clock are at their wit's end until their old acquaintance Mr Walker sends his comments from Hawaii - which might be just what they need to get a lead . . .

''My favourite American crime-writer'' New York Herald Tribune