Told in 3 chapters with different characters in a sort of triptych. The publishing firm of John Sheldon & Co had a very successful writer who dies in 1913, John Fanning. There is a history of the 100 years of the firm to be finished, but which stopped when war broke in 1914 and as their centenary is upon them in 1924 they realise it has to be completed. John Fanning's own story is the third of the three and the one which has all the mystery of the period from 1900 to his death in 1913 and his relationship with the firm and its people. He was man who never failed to victimise every human being who put trust in him, also inordinately vain, self centred, narccisitic and a "murderer". As he is described variously by the earlier characters relating their stories in the narrative although all at varience, with the truth of his real secrets laid bare by the final narrator. It seems everyone liked him in life. But the full sinister and destructive nature is laid bare her. Belongs to the class of novel which has more interest for the professional writer than the amateur reader. An excercise in Technique and experiment of writing. It is a novel ahead of its time, with the chapters only loosely connected and not as easily digested in the 1920's as it would be today. A Fine mystery novel though. The authors 3rd novel.