This is an old style murder mystery written in the late fifties. It contains a strong central character who unwillingly is drawn into a murder investigation. The author dribbles out clues at a rate to keep the reader interested, and he has enough red herrings to keep the reader in doubt. By today's standards, it is lacking in political correctness. But, it is well written and well paced. At times, MacDonald's prose can be astonishingly good.