'[A] formidable exercise, distinguished by Priestley's undiminished gusto for storytelling.' -

'[A] most satisfactory suspense story. It has the advantage of being different and witty and full of the kind of observation that will delight many.' -

'[A] cosy, old-fashioned detective story.' - Francis Iles,

'[C]omfortably old-fashioned novels are hard to come by these days. Good old Priestley has written a good old book.' -

'[T]his is an enjoyable story, with plenty of moral social comment.' -

'In Priestley offers the best of the detective genre. It is almost a classic yet it has a zip and freshness that sets it apart.' -

Dr Salt is leaving the dismal and depressing town of Birkden, and his departure can't come soon enough. Recently widowed and newly retired from the practice of medicine, Salt looks forward to starting a new life in a sunnier clime. But before he can go, he must solve the mystery of the disappearance of one of his patients, Noreen Wilks, a young woman in urgent need of a life-saving drug. Believing she's just a flighty young person who has run away, the police refuse to investigate, but Salt has reason to suspect foul play. Joining forces with Maggie Culworth, whose father has also inexplicably vanished, Salt must contend with powerful forces desperate to conceal the truth as he follows the clues towards a shocking and macabre conclusion.

The only detective story by the prolific playwright and novelist J. B. Priestley (1894-1984), (1966) was originally written for the author's own amusement but has gone on to be recognized as a classic of the mystery genre. This edition features a new introduction by Mark Mason.