The early part of the book reeks of the misogyny of the era, but the story picks up as it goes along. Driffield is an interesting protagonist, and his relatyionship with his Watson shows potential. The murderer was perhaps a little TOO easy to work out, the culprit's personality as displayed was a dead giveaway, pun intended. The ruse toward the end was likewise a bit obvious, but Driffield himself is entertaining enough to make the book enjoyable