All in the Family
Several of the stories feature plots that suggest the criminal detection begins at home. A future brother-in-law proves less than trustworthy in “The Greek Interpreter.” The two severed ears found inside “The Cardboard Box” are the ultimately grisly conclusion to the long-term consequences of sibling rivalry. A father-son relationship is central to the drama taking place in Reigate while “The Greek Interpreter” suffers horribly as a result of the type of men with whom his sister falls in league with. A jealous husband’s suspicions of marital infidelity winds up being a confirmation of the profound love of a mother for a daughter.
In Plain View Under Your Nose In Front of Your Face
A persistent them that turns up over and over again in these stories are how the valuable items that are being desperately searched for turn out to be hidden in plain view or right beneath your nose. Where do you hide a champion horse race instantly recognized due the patch of white on its head? Anywhere you want as soon as you cover up that that white silver blaze. Where is a great place to hide something you don’t want anyone in the house to find? Inside the very furniture you are sitting on. How do you make sure an impressive oak central to your treasure map never gets cut down? By making the oak a decoration at the highest point on your house.
Betrayal and Revenge
The betrayal of another that stimulates long simmering plans for revenge drives the plot of several stories here that confront the long-term effects such betrayal has on those involved. “The Resident Patient” is a man forced to construct every aspect of his daily life around the paranoia of becoming a victim of the vengeance of those he betrayed. The betrayal of “The Crooked Man” literally cripples his body, but also cripples the love of the man who he betrayed him for the purpose of stealing the woman they both loved. “The Cardboard Box” is an example of what happens plans for revenge are thrown off track by the lack of one crucial piece of information.
