Murder in the Basement

A pair of newlyweds, Reginald and Molly Dane, move into their new London home. While examining the cellar, Reginald discovers that a patch of flooring has been altered. Believing there might be hidden treasure, he digs it up—only to find the naked body of an unidentified woman buried in a shallow grave.

Chief Inspector Moresby of Scotland Yard takes the case but hits a brick wall. Before he can figure out whodunnit, he must first figure out who was done in. The first half of the book plays out as a meticulous, realistic police procedural as investigators work tirelessly to trace the victim's identity.

A tenuous piece of evidence connects the case to Roger Sheringham, who had recently spent a fortnight working under cover as a schoolteacher. Sheringham had written a highly satirical, unpublished manuscript about his eccentric colleagues at the school. Moresby reads through this manuscript, convinced that the victim—and the potential killer—are hidden among the characters!