The story follows a young boy named Billy, who works as a shoe-shiner in a bustling city. Despite his poverty and hardship, Billy maintains a cheerful and optimistic outlook on life, finding joy in the simple pleasures of his daily routine.One day, while shining shoes in the town square, Billy encounters a small, raggedy clown who is performing for the crowd. The clown's performance is met with indifference and ridicule from the audience, who mock his shabby appearance and clumsy antics.Mo...

The Reverend Ashley Drew is suspicious of Mrs. Slocombe's new companion, Margaret Cresswell - for he has just recognised in Margaret the former wife of the notorious criminal Albert Plimmer, whose capture he helped bring about. As Vicar of Cornborough, Ashley has a duty to uphold the moral standing of his flock, and he gives Mrs. Plimmer an ultimatum - confess all to her new employers or he will be forced to reveal the truth himself. But before he is able to put his ultimatum to effect, th...

One summer night, Dr Everest of Tunbridge Wells is called to a house near his practice to tend to the dying Colonel Manningtree. But what he believes to be a routine case takes a turn for the sinister when the Colonel's daughter, Dora, visits him the following morning with a strange story. Claiming to have been disturbed by odd noises during the night, Dora is adamant that she heard her father's voice call out to her - and when she went to the room where his body lay, the face beneath the ...

Stephen Enderton, the deformed and disabled son of Sir Jeremy Enderton, is tragically killed when he is asphyxiated in a sealed room after passing out during an epileptic seizure. But why was the casement window of the room shut? And how did Stephen manage to turn on both gas taps on the room's stove as he fell? As a result of these doubts, the local police are pleased to receive the help of Inspector Bedison of Scotland Yard. As Bedison investigates, he discovers a tangled web of familial...

Inspector Bedison is not exactly a welcome visitor at 8 Selborne Gardens, home of the financier Randolph Sunderland, when he arrives to investigate the man's involvement in a financial swindle worth thousands of pounds. Sunderland insists that he is as much a victim of his absconding partners as any of his duped investors. Bedison is unsure of the man's guilt, but is not surprised to be called back to Selborne Gardens shortly afterwards - this time to investigate the matter of Sunderland's...

"The Bountiful Lady" by Thomas Cobb is a heartwarming tale that revolves around the transformation of a young girl named Mary from a miserable state to a joyful one, all thanks to the influence of a generous and kind-hearted woman known as the Bountiful Lady.The story begins with Mary, who is depicted as unhappy and downtrodden, perhaps due to her circumstances or experiences in life. However, her life takes a dramatic turn when she encounters the Bountiful Lady, who takes an interest in h...

When Basil Purcell is found dead during Lady Redington's garden party, no one in Lower Marling is particularly sorry. Even so, when evidence of foul play is discovered, it is Inspector Bedison's duty to bring the killer to justice. But with so many people possessing a motive and with no witnesses to the crime, his task seems almost insurmountable...Originally published in 1929, this vintage British murder mystery is sure to delight all fans of classic crime fiction!

"A masterpiece. . . . An unforgettable character . . . who proceeds to take you on a roller-coaster ride through his tawdrily tumultuous life." — Chicago TribuneAt the age of fifty-seven—living a life riddled with ex-wives, one night stands, and daily diet of Jack Daniels—Bad Blake is on his last legs. His ticker, his liver, even his pick-up truck are all giving him trouble. A renowned songwriter and "picker" who hasn't recorded in five years, Bad now trave...

Mrs. Prentice's extra-marital affairs are the talk of London - and her current fling with film actor Carrington Case has been particularly efficacious in setting society tongues wagging. So when Mrs. Prentice is found murdered outside Sark Street Chapel one snowy winter's night, a crime of passion is suspected and Prentice's loyal secretary, Godfrey Marston, turns detective in the hunt for the killer of his employer's late wife.Originally published in 1930, this is a classic Britis...

Dick Forsyth's parents died in a train crash when he was a young boy. On the same train was the wealthy Silas Wedderburn. Surviving the accident, Wedderburn adopted the unfortunate orphan as his own. Now, eleven years later, Wedderburn is on the brink of death and everyone in the little village of Castlebridge expects Dick to be made heir to the old man's fortune. But a startling revelation and a death-bed plea upset all of Dick's future plans - and force him to turn detective. As a family...

Enter Bridget" is a novel written by Thomas Cobb, an American author known for his works of fiction. However, there is no known book titled "Enter Bridget" by Thomas Cobb. It's possible that the title may be mistaken or that the book is not widely recognized.Thomas Cobb is best known for his novel "Crazy Heart," which was published in 1987 and later adapted into a film starring Jeff Bridges. The novel tells the story of a washed-up country music singer grappling with personal demons and at...

On the night of his wife’s funeral, successful poet Mr Derwent leaves his house and disappears without a trace. Despite the assurances of Inspector Holt, Florence Derwent is convinced that her father has been murdered, and is determined to discover the truth, whatever it takes. Just what has become of Derwent? And could the mysterious woman in black, seen prowling the village at night, hold the key to the affair? When all is revealed, the final solution is more terrible and tragic than any...