British detective Patrick Dawlish discovers how cutthroat the real estate business can get in a classic mystery from the Edgar Award–winning author.

Intelligence officer Patrick Dawlish should know better than to think looking for a country house with his wife, Felicity, won't get him into trouble. This time, the trouble comes in the form of a note from a disabled World War II veteran desperate for his help.

In the same place where Dawlish is house-hunting, the former glider-troop lieutenant is being pushed out of his home. The land is wanted for building development. Jumping into the case with his wife by his side, Dawlish comes face-to-face with an enigmatic businessman—an odd mix of crook and philanthropist, saint and sinner—whose plans for the area include blackmail, fraud, and even murder . . .