Sir John Fielding has asked his protege, Jeremy Proctor to look at three
cold cases that have vexed Fielding for some time. Was a chemist
poisoned by his much younger wife, how did a maidservant break her neck,
and thirdly did a colonial really commit suicide? Fielding is sure
that he made a mistake in each case. Meantime, Fielding is busy on a
commission, which is going to determine what to do with a recently
condemned nobleman's estate.
Surprisingly there is now a claimant to the estate. He has been in the
American colonies for eight years. How can it be determined that he is
truly the heir? The Lord Chief Justice assigns Fielding the task of
investigating the claimant, and for that, he and Jeremy must travel to
Bath. There they meet the mother of the claimant. Fielding places
doubt in her mind about her son. Unfortunately the next day, she is
found dead at the foot of a steep set of stairs. Unfortunate accident
or murder?
Returning to London with evidence gathered in Bath, Fielding feels it is
not enough, so he dictates a letter to Jeremy, which is sent off to
Virginia. Reviewing the cold or unresolved cases seems to bring new
light to them, but is it enough? The Lord Chief Justice then sends them
off to Oxford, where the claimant is said to be. It is there that
Jeremy discovers that there is a third party involved in the scam.
Will the trip to Oxford unveil who the claimant truly is? What of the
third party? Author Bruce Alexander has plenty of tension building in
this eighteenth century murder mystery before it reaches its ultimate
conclusion. A very enjoyable read.
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