The story in one page
Lord Peter Wimsey discovers a dead man in a stranger’s bathroom, wearing nothing but a golden pince-nez. With the help of his discreet man, Bunter, and Inspector Parker, Peter navigates the disappearance of a high-profile financier. Between club visits and dental records, they unravel a scheme involving medical expertise and cold-blooded precision. The investigation reveals that even the most meticulous scientific mind can be undone by the urge to document its own brilliance.
Who's who
- Lord Peter Wimsey
An aristocrat with a talent for solving crimes
- Bunter
A man who manages logistics and photography
- Sir Julian Freke
A surgeon who enjoys dangerous scientific experiments
- Mr. Thipps
An architect who finds a body in his bath
- Parker
An inspector who works with Peter on cases
What it's really about
- Professional arrogance
- Science and ego drive the criminal logic
- Social propriety
- Courtesy often masks the most suspicious behavior
Why it's memorable
- A man waking up in a bath to find an unexpected corpse
- A confession letter sent to the investigator before the suicide
The ending, explained
Spoilers — show the ending
Freke pens a final letter detailing his crimes to Wimsey, but Parker arrives to arrest him before he can finish his lethal injection or succumb to his own hand.
For your book club
- Is an apology enough if you have ruined someone's night?
- Why do brilliant minds insist on writing down their crimes?