A young man's body discovered in a Sussex stream is the first indication of a complex disappearance and murder. Sir James Lyttleton has vanished, leaving only a cryptic wire to his daughter, but the investigation quickly escalates when his body is found in another man's coffin. Journalist James Dawson and Chief Inspector Candlish of Scotland Yard must unravel the intricate plot of a cunning and remorseless killer, navigating a world where appearances are deceiving and the truth is buried deep.

The Lyttleton Case is presented as a classic crime novel, unearthed for contemporary connoisseurs of the genre. As the sole novel by Welsh writer R.A.V. Morris, its rediscovery is highlighted by editor Douglas A. Anderson, whose work on Kenneth Morris led to its identification. The narrative is characterized by its intricate plot, involving a perplexing disappearance and a murder that defies simple explanation, suggesting a focus on clever misdirection and deduction typical of classic detective fiction. The inclusion in the Detective Club Crime Classics series indicates it is valued for its contribution to the genre's historical development and its engaging mystery.