[1] [2] [3] It was the second in his series featuring the lawyer Francis Pettigrew and also saw the return of Inspector Mallet of Scotland Yard who had appeared in the previous book Tragedy at Law.

It was inspired by the author's time working for the Minister of Economic Warfare during the Second World War.

For the duration of the war barrister Francis Pettigrew gives up his practice at the Middle Temple and goes to work for the Board of Control for pin manufacture in Marsett bay.

He lives in accommodation with various other members of the department, most of whom are wartime civil servants drawn from the industry itself.

Inspector Mallet, on secondment from Scotland Yard to investigate black market activity linked to insider trading at the Board of Control, is called in to oversee the murder case.