“Are you a detective, Mr. Terhune?  If you will forgive my saying so, you do not look like one.”

Theodore Terhune, bookseller in the tranquil Kent village of Bray-in-the-Marsh, interrupts the attempted robbery of Helena Armstrong, secretary-companion to Lady Kylstone. Someone was trying to steal the key to the Kylstone burial vault, which will shortly be open to the public for the anniversary of the Battle of Agincourt. When the key goes missing, Terhune is certain there must be something in the barren vault the thieves are after, but why bother when it will shortly be accessible to all? A series of mysterious encounters leads the curious Terhune from one clue to another, involving a trip to New York City, a professional criminal for hire, attempted murder on board a passenger ship, an automobile accident, and a mysterious person nicknamed "Blondie"; eventually leading to the secret past of two families.

A 1941 bibliomystery rthat mixes detective novel, adventure thriller, quest story and satire of English village life into one highly entertaining read.