The Man with the Dark Beard – Basil Wilton is accused of murdering his own father but is he the real killer or is the-man-with-the-dark-beard someone else known to him who is on a murdering spree? How is Basil's to-be father-in-law related to the whole affair? Who Killed Charmian Karslake? – The riddle around the murder of Charmian Karslake, an American actress, gets murkier at every step. Can Inspector Stoddart solve this puzzle? The Crime at Tattenham Corner – A gruesome death just before an important horse race looks out of place until Inspector Stoddart is called in to look into the matter. The Crystal Beads Murder – A broken necklace is the sole clue for Inspector Stoddart to solve a high-profile murder until it's too late! Annie Haynes (1865-1929) was a renowned golden age mystery writer and a contemporary of Agatha Christie, another famous crime writer, which often led to her comparison with the latter, and unfavourably so. Haynes's fictions are now lauded for their quick-pace action and sustaining aura of suspense till the end.