Except for One Thing

Just how possible is the perfect crime? And if committed, who would know? 

Richard Harvey, or “Ricky” to those close to him, is engaged to Valerie Hadfield, a wealthy actress with whom he fell in love with.

However, as time has gone on during their engagement, he’s realised she’s not the women he thought she was. 

Despite his wishes for the engagement to be brought to an end, the vicious and vindictive Valerie threatens to cause a scandal, ruining his standing as a reputable chemist.

More recently, Richard finds the affections of Joyce Prescott, a smart and friendly woman, and the two wish to marry. 

Frustrated with his situation, Richard muses over ways in which he can be rid of Valerie, freeing the way for his marriage to Joyce. 

It is at this point that he bumps into Chief Inspector Garth of Scotland Yard, a friend with whom he’s worked with in the past on cases that require his expert scientific abilities.

With other members of the police force, the group soon get to discussing the nature of murder cases and modern forensic techniques. Garth believes that the advances in science make it virtually impossible for someone to commit the “perfect crime.”

This gets Richard thinking about his options…

With all of his experience working alongside the police force, particularly in forensics, he has all the knowledge he needs. 

All seems to be going to plan, he has thought of everything; covered his tracks in every way he could conceive.

However, his own ego soon begins to betray him…

He hasn’t in fact been quite as thorough as he had first thought and his plans soon begins unstuck as the tenacious Inspector Garth quickly begins to see the cracks in Richard’s story…

Except for One Thing is a thrilling work of crime fiction from one of the genre’s greats.