"Todd's astute character studies . . . offer a fascinating cross
section of postwar life. . . . A satisfying puzzle-mystery." -- The New
York Times Book Review
Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge is assigned one of the most
baffling investigations of his career: an unsolved murder case with an
unidentified victim and a cold trail with few clues to follow
A woman has been murdered at the foot of a megalith shaped like a great
shrouded figure. Chief Inspector Brian Leslie, one of the Yard's best
men, is sent to investigate the site in Avebury, a village set inside a
prehistoric stone circle not far from Stonehenge. In spite of his
efforts, Leslie is not able to identify her, much less discover how she
got to Avebury--or why she died there. Her killer has simply left no
trace. **
**
Several weeks later, when Ian Rutledge has returned from successfully
concluding a similar case with an unidentified victim, he is asked to
take a second look at Leslie's inquiry. But Rutledge suspects Chief
Superintendent Markham simply wants him to fail.
Leslie was right--Avebury refuses to yield its secrets. But Rutledge
slowly widens his search, until he discovers an unexplained clue that
seems to point toward an impossible solution. If he pursues it and he is
wrong, he will draw the wrath of the Yard down on his head. But even if
he is right, he can't be certain what he can prove, and that will play
right into Markham's game. The easy answer is to let the first verdict
stand: Person or persons unknown. But what about the victim? What does
Rutledge owe this tragic young woman? Where must his loyalty lie?
