''Murder in Absence'' by Miles Burton (John Rhode) is about two seemingly separate crimes: first, the baffling murder of estate agent Rufus Jones in English market town Hembury, followed by an investigation into suspicious activities on a Norwegian freighter in the Mediterranean, both eventually linked by amateur sleuth Desmond Merrion.
The novel features classic Golden Age elements, including a perplexing murder, a focus on motive and opportunity, and a shift in setting, with Inspector Arnold initially suspecting Jones's business partner before Merrion uncovers the deeper plot connecting the two mysteries.
''Murder in Absence'' by Miles Burton (John Rhode) is about two seemingly separate crimes: first, the baffling murder of estate agent Rufus Jones in English market town Hembury, followed by an investigation into suspicious activities on a Norwegian freighter in the Mediterranean, both eventually linked by amateur sleuth Desmond Merrion.
The novel features classic Golden Age elements, including a perplexing murder, a focus on motive and opportunity, and a shift in setting, with Inspector Arnold initially suspecting Jones's business partner before Merrion uncovers the deeper plot connecting the two mysteries.