Detective Jefferson Hastings is invited at Sloanehurst, home of Arthur Sloane, rich and eccentric man deeply interested in study of crime and criminals. During his stay at Sloanehurst a young woman is found dead at the estate and Sloane's daughter wants Hastings to help solving mystery of the murder. In the beginning it appears that there are no clues at all, and every suspect has a perfect alibi, but exhaustive and thorough investigation is starting to give results. Old detective has to use every trick in the bag and rely on delicate expressions and even the slight signals to crack the mystery. James Hay, Jr. (1881–1936) was American novelist and journalist, born in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Most of his books are crime mysteries and detective stories, some of which are set in Asheville, place where he spent part of his life, and worked as an editor in the Asheville Citizen magazine. Some of his other detective novels have their settings in Washington, where Hay spent his final years. Hay was the founder of the National Press Club, and had friendly relations with presidents Wilson and Taft.