The girl from Scotland Yard

About the book

Lady Raytham is already uneasy when a young woman from Scotland Yard arrives to ask why she has withdrawn a large sum from her bank. Leslie Maughan's appearance initially reassures her, but the investigator's calm persistence is harder to dismiss. The return of Peter Dawlish after imprisonment for forgery adds another source of tension, particularly for the butler connected with his case. Wallace develops the mystery through social visits, private fears, and clues that undermine the household's polished surface. Leslie works as Chief Inspector Coldwell's assistant, using both direct questions and a willingness to look beyond a person's public reputation. Her concern for Peter's prospects contrasts with the defensive secrecy of people whose wealth and position might seem to guarantee their security.

• Women investigating
• Reputation and secrecy
• Justice and rehabilitation

Why read it

Leslie's first interview shows her turning an apparently polite social call into a precise test of concealed fear.

English Doubleday, Doran edition dated 1928, retaining the 1926 and 1927 copyrights