The Theft of the Iron Dogs : A Lancashire Mystery : 118

E.C.R. Lorac must be seriously considered for the position of leading writer of classic detective stories.’ – Birmingham PostWhile hot on the heels of serial coupon-racketeer Gordon Ginner, Chief Inspector MacDonald of Scotland Yard receives word of a peculiar incident up in Lancashire – the fishing cottage of a local farmer has been broken into, with an assortment of seemingly random items missing which include a reel of salmon line, a large sack and two iron dogs (or andirons) from his fireplace. This incident becomes all the more enticing to MacDonald when a body washes up on the banks of the River Lune not far from the cottage in question; the body of Gordon Ginner. First published in 1946 and set in the fell country of Lunesdale over the course of a rainy September, The Theft of the Iron Dogs is the very picture of a cosy crime mystery and showcases Lorac’s masterful attention to detail and deep affection for both Lunesdale and its residents.