Death of a Sardine

It is no good examining alibis and clues in this mystery, since at the moment when murder was committed the principal suspects were all blind drunk on hootch.

Tom's father built himself a palatial villa above the sea at Trigoso. Very rich, widowed and retired, his main wish was to please his son. His main diversion was the pursuit - idealistic, expensive, and almost always vain - of unsuitable women. At the start of this story he is in the clutches of Irma, a very young and mysterious German adventuress. Because he is fond of his father Tom is worried.

He arrives at the villa fresh from his finals at Oxford and takes an immediate dislike to Irma. Soon there looms, out of Irma's past, the threatened vengeful appearance of her husband, a German Graper. The anticipated arrival of Herr Gantzenhausen hangs like thunder round the villa and reduces its inhabitants to a state of siege. The murder comes almost as a relief....