A blind PI’s latest case involves two impostors, one uranium mine, and murder in this mystery by the author of Reservations for Death. Following the loss of his sight in World War I, ex–intelligence officer Capt. Duncan Maclain honed his other senses and became one of the most successful and well-known private investigators in New York City . . . The man following Captain Maclain home from the Marshall Chess Club is only the beginning of the detective’s troubles. Later that day, Maclain has an appointment with Pat Ashley and Henry Wilkins, the two operators of New York state’s only uranium mine, but the wintery weather causes a car crash that sends Ashley to an early grave and Wilkins to the emergency room. Hoping to speak with Wilkins the moment he comes to, Maclain rushes to his bedside, but a clever assassin prevents Wilkins from ever uttering another word. The next morning, the FBI takes Maclain across town for a rude awakening: the two dead men were not Ashley and Wilkins—and Maclain needs to stay away from this case. Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done, considering who’s waiting for him back home . . . Baynard Kendrick was the first American to enlist in the Canadian Army during World War I. While in London, he met a blind English soldier whose observational skills inspired the character of Capt. Duncan Maclain. Kendrick was also a founding member of the Mystery Writers of America and winner of the organization’s Grand Master Award
