US title The Clue of the Silver Cellar

Twelfth in the mystery series with Inspector Arnold and amateur detective Desmond Merrion.

When a police officer finds part of a fur coat wrapped around the buffer of an engine, he is bewildered and informs his Superintendent about it. Suspecting the worst, Superintendent Rowley starts his investigations and finds that the wife of the local medical practitioner, Dr Thomas Prentice, had said that she was going to London but hasn’t been heard of since. Some other belongings of her are found scattered around the country-side. At Rowley’s request Inspector Arnold of the Scotland Yard is sent to help in the investigation and before one day has passed, he calls in his friend Desmond Merrion. The problem that confronts the investigators is how to proceed in a case where there is no body. So is Barbara Prentice missing or dead?