This is the last of four books oriented in an English cathedral town. As with many early English writers, the Protestant religion seems to be Englands major industry. As do other writers, his clergy seem to detest many of the townspeople. Do as I preach, not as I do. Despite a wealth of characters (most of the town) the central figure in this novel is the cathedral. Part 1 is slow paced as the host of characters are introduced and the scene is set to build up loathing for the principal victim: the town miser and usurersort of a combination of Uriah Heep and Silas Marner. Finally he disappears, but is he murdered, or not? That is the question! All who have detested (hated) him are suspected and denounced, but no body, no proof of crime. Time and again we are led down the proverbial path to unmask the dastardly deed and its perpetrator, only to be befuddled with its next suspect. Subsurface to all of this is the haves of the town versus the havents of the slum section. The supposed murder finally brings the unrest to a climax and we are treated to a masterful rendition of a full-fledged riot, somewhat oriented at destroying our central figure: the cathedral. Did I forget to mention that central to this are the town communist agitators? For shame! So here we have a mob, bent on revenge for their idleness and poverty. Come one and all for there is anonymity in the mob. Do they achieve their objective? Do the police solve the disappearance? Is a villain brought to justice? Read on! Overall, this is a well-developed novel. Unfortunately, one can only find the authors works in used bookstores.

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