The story in one page
When a British yacht is suspiciously cast away off Leghorn, acting pro-Consul Bertram Cavendish is pulled into a web of international intrigue. The mystery deepens in a Scottish wood, where he finds a woman struck down and a fleeting witness who vanishes into the night. His investigation uncovers Elma Heath, a woman deprived of speech and hearing, who is being hunted by Baron Oberg, a ruthless Russian official known as The Strangler. Cavendish travels from London to the fortresses of Finland, dodging jewel thieves and secret police to rescue Elma and recover a stolen document signed by the Czar himself.
Who's who
- Bertram Cavendish
The acting pro-Consul in Leghorn who investigates the yacht.
- Elma Heath
The afflicted woman at the center of the Russian conspiracy.
- Baron Oberg
A vindictive Russian official known as The Strangler.
- Jack Durnford
A naval officer and friend who assists Cavendish's investigation.
- Hylton Chater
An expert jewel thief involved in the pursuit of Elma.
What it's really about
- Political Oppression
- The reach of the Czar's secret police across Europe.
- Criminal Double-Crossing
- Jewel thieves masquerading as gentlemen to hide their tracks.
Why it's memorable
- A tiny Russian order of Saint Anne found abandoned in the Scottish leaves.
- Cavendish snatching and tearing up his own fortress commitment papers before Oberg's face.
The ending, explained
Spoilers — show the ending
Baron Oberg is killed by a revolutionary's bomb, while the thief Dick Archer commits suicide to avoid arrest. Elma recovers her speech and hearing after marrying Cavendish, and her mother is released from an Arctic prison.
For your book club
- The contrast between Mediterranean coastal life and the grim fortresses of the Russian Empire.
- The use of physical disability as a plot device to hide state secrets.