The main characters of this novel are both police officers: one is a senior female officer with a very privileged background, while the second eschews promotion and is satisfied with his lot, despite his privileged background.
The book takes its cue from the machinations within the police of the early 1960s, when policing still adhered to the pro-active principles of the Peel Doctrine: all the minutiae of inter-rank and inter-departmental rivalries are brought to light. The novel covers serious crimes like murder and treason, as well as the rivalries between departments of state and a city and county police force.
The solving of crimes is left to the female officer; she has to fight not only criminals but some senior officers who seem to be doing their best to undermine her. On the other hand, there are others who wish to enhance her prospects for high office.
Her investigations lead her to an unconventional address where she makes a breakthrough in her enquiries; this also brings a whiff of romance into the novel. Through the convolutions of the final chapters, successes or failures in both police work and romance are revealed.
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