It appeared in 1905 and featured the first of her detective characters, The Old Man in the Corner, who solves mysteries without leaving his chair.

[1][2] This is one of three books of short stories featuring Orczy's armchair detective, and although the first published it is second chronologically.

The Old Man in the Corner stories first appeared in 1901 in The Royal Magazine, with the author receiving the large sum of £60.

His listener and protégé is an attractive young journalist (named some editions of the previous volume as Polly Burton), who brings him details of obscure crimes baffling the police, which he helps her to solve.

She is fascinated by the unlikely unravellings she hears, but despite her sarcasm and pride in her own investigative talents she remains the learner, impressed in spite of herself.