When a corpse vanishes from a locked library at Grinton Hall, Sir John Appleby and Charles Honeybath must determine how the body was removed from a sealed room.

Appleby and Honeybath, two seasoned investigators, arrive at the estate to find a crime scene devoid of its primary evidence. They navigate a house filled with guests who provide conflicting accounts, forcing the detectives to sift through social pleasantries to identify the culprit. The narrative follows a traditional investigative framework, focusing on the logical deduction of physical clues within the confined setting of an English country house. The detectives must contend with the architectural oddities of the library and the calculated silence of the suspects.

Readers often note the sophisticated, dry wit that characterizes the interaction between Appleby and Honeybath. Discussion frequently centers on the intricate plotting typical of the Golden Age of detective fiction, where the environment itself functions as a primary antagonist. Critics highlight the author's ability to maintain a lighthearted tone despite the grim nature of the central crime. The pacing is generally described as deliberate, favoring character dialogue and logical analysis over physical action. Many enthusiasts of the genre appreciate the classic structure and the clever use of the locked-room trope to challenge the reader's deductive skills.