A Dragon in His Boot

An elderly antiques dealer ends his days in a squash patch on French Island, a rope around his neck and a perplexing token hidden in his boot. Shortly after his murder, a wealthy Chinese real estate tycoon is smothered to death in a hospital bed. These peculiar homicides follow a rash of poison pen letters, most delivered to women once members of a priggish school club known as The Blue Girls. Three of them were physically attacked, as well. Once again, few clues and few suspects tax the prowess of Chief Inspector Freddy Donovan, his detective, Axel Fox, and the imagination of thriller writer, Iris Woolsey. The trio is already concerned about a popular matron who has nearly cleaned out her stock portfolio and disappeared without a word. In the midst of the mayhem, Oliver Poole finds himself sinking beneath elaborate plans for his wedding to a young beauty from Chicago. Is he infatuated or is he foolish? All in all, Belmont on the river remains stalwart and curiously seductive.