A Bespoke Murder

The Lusitania has been sunk by the Germans, and there is a backlash throughout Britain against those with German names, whether they have been in Britain for generations or not.  Jacob Stein owns a bespoke tailor shop in London.  A mob attacks the shop while he and his 18 year old daughter, Ruth are in it.  Ruth manages to escape out the back, but Jacob is caught inside by the looters.

Inspector Harvey Marmion is assigned to investigate.  He takes Sergeant Keedy with him to the burned out shop.  They find out that Jacob has been stabbed in the back, and the safe is open.

When Marmion is told that Ruth had been raped while her father's business was being burned, he adds the task of finding the culprits to his other tasks.  The rapist shipped out to France the day after the incident, and had bragged during the rape of doing just that.  Meantime Sergeant Keedy continues to arrest and interview men who were part of the mob that burned down Stein's tailor shop.

Marmion and Keedy need to travel to Belgium to bring back the rapist.  As they continue their investigation into the fire and murder, they begin to wonder if there isn't an anti-semitism movement afoot.

Author Edward Marston has a couple of other story threads going throughout the main one, neatly tying them all together as an exciting conclusion is made to "A Bespoke Murder". A thoroughly enjoyable read.