He is somewhat over fifty, a long-faced gentleman with sandy-grey hair and a slither of side whiskers that mercifully distract attention from his large outstanding ears. A high and flat-crowned bowler hat matches and yet does not match a frockcoat tightly buttoned across his sparse chest. His boots are square-toed, his cravat is ready-made. In short, he seems to be a rather harmless, somewhat eccentric gentleman. But it is fatal to underestimate Mr. J.G. Reeder.

Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace (1875-1932) was one of the world's most famous crime writers. He wrote more than 120 mystery novels, including "The Four Just Men", "The Fellowship of the Frog", and "The Squeaker". This is the third book of a series featuring Mr. J.G. Reeder.