The Second World War has begun, and England is under constant bombardment. Whilst working as a fire-watcher, Farrar receives a message from one Blenkinsop, who claims to have news for Farrar from the captain of the S.S. Bridgend, who went down with his torpedoed ship. Coincidentally, Philip Tolefree is also on the way to see Blenkinsop, having received a letter intimating that he will discover important information on a matter of national security. Heading to the seaside town of Westport the two are caught up in an air raid, during which Blenkinsop is killed. But all is not as it seems. A doodled asterisk next to a picture of a clock seems to indicate that one of the guests at the Westport’s Imperial Hotel had foreknowledge of the raid. Moreover, reports of gunshots lead Tolefree to wonder whether Blenkinsop met his ends by more direct means. From London to the Cotswolds to North Wales, Farrar and Tolefree find themselves on a quest not only to avenge the dead man, but to discover the secret knowledge in his possession…

Originally published in 1943, this is a vintage murder mystery with a memorable wartime setting.