Showing The Prisoner in the Opal by A. E. W. Mason

An Englishwoman is brutally murdered in the South of France and an American goes missing. With the discovery of a body, a severed hand and an opal bracelet, Inspector Hanaud of the Sureté is called in to investigate. It’s not long until allegations of devil worship begin to arise. Inspector Hanaud must race against time before a second violent murder is committed.

‘One of the best by a detective ace’ – Herald Tribune

The Author: Alfred Edward Wooley Mason was born in 1865. He was educated at Dulwich College before being sent up to Oxford University. Once his formal education was completed, Mason went on to become an actor. He began his writing career with historical fiction and then moved into the arena of politics, becoming a Liberal Member of Parliament for Coventry in 1906.

But his love of writing carried on and Mason developed his style to incorporate detective fiction, introducing one of the earliest fictional detectives, Inspector Hanaud, the Gallic counterpart to Sherlock Holmes. His detective fiction contains material clues and spontaneity. Throughout the course of his life he produced over thirty titles.

A E W Mason died in 1948.