A Clue for Mr Fortune

The collection here consists of six interconnected novellas (roughly 40 to 50 pages each) that showcase Reggie's distinct forensic skills and psychological acuity: "The Dead Leaves" - Explores dark themes regarding an academic who learns from his professor to marry strictly for money. "The Hole in the Parchment" - Follows Reggie and his wife, Joan, during a vacation in Florence, Italy, where they become entangled in a complex case of theft and forgery.
"The Holy Well" - A atmospheric and first-rate classic detective puzzle centered around an intricate baby-exchanging scheme in rural Cornwall. "The Swimming Pool" - A complex mystery demonstrating Reggie's keen observation skills. "The Torn Stocking" - A gritty story looking at the consequences of family dysfunction following the suspicious death of a teenage girl accused of shoplifting.
"The Wistful Goddess" - A clever case that tests Reggie's unorthodox style of deduction. Unlike many traditional detectives of the Golden Age, Reggie Fortune is a surgeon and physician whose primary tools are forensic medicine and scientific analysis. He is famous for his cherubic appearance, childish mannerisms, a distinctively elliptical way of speaking, and a sharp, ruthless streak when pursuing true justice.
While the stories carry the light, high-society charm reminiscent of Lord Peter Wimsey, Bailey's works are notably darker-frequently tackling intense societal themes such as domestic abuse, greed, and institutional corruption.