An investigation is launched when an elderly man is found murdered with a typewriter used as a bludgeon. Before his death he had reported receiving a threatening letter from a man named Emil Bonfils—a reference to a grudge dating back to Paris in 1902—and claimed to have been shot at, though no evidence could confirm the original claim. A multitude of curious clues are collected: a typewriter with its serial number filed off, a letter signed “E. B.” that hints at old treachery, specially altered pistol cartridges, a jewel case, strands of yellow hair, and personal effects scattered in a stolen car. Items from a wallet—containing newspaper clippings, a counterfeit list of names and addresses, and money—appear deliberately planted as misdirection. Interviews with family and servants reveal that the murdered man had recently been involved in delicate personal and financial arrangements. His son explains that his father had been planning to marry a young woman known only as Miss Dexter, who is suspected of being more interested in his fortune than in him personally. Suspicion further intensifies when it becomes evident that Miss Dexter, who portrays an aloof and almost feline grace, may have been engaged in a duplicitous scheme. Initial leads focused on a possible long-standing vendetta linked to Emil Bonfils, but as the investigation proceeds, clues suggest that those early theories were false leads. Investigators learn that the victim had recently revised his estate plans—a new will favoring both the prospective bride and his son—while the old will left the entire fortune to his family, a discrepancy that raises financial motivations. Interviews, including one with the family’s long-trusted but uneasy servant and the victim’s lawyer, hint at hidden tensions. Miss Dexter’s own account, cool and measured despite indications of inner fear, contradicts earlier statements; she denies any knowledge of Bonfils or any threat, but subtle cues imply she may be guarding secrets about her own role. As the inquiry deepens, detectives find that nearly all physical clues—from the typewriter to the faked list of addresses found in the wallet—appear to have been deliberately planted to mislead. When a man claiming to be Miss Dexter’s brother—allegedly involved as a co-conspirator in a scheme to swindle the victim’s substantial fortune—comes under scrutiny, further inconsistencies emerge. His vague alibi, conflicting statements, and the discovery that he was masquerading under an assumed identity suggest the true motive was not revenge for an old grievance but a calculated con to defraud the dying man. A turning point occurs when a confrontation on a crowded ferry leads to a violent encounter, during which a man introduced as Madden Dexter—purportedly Miss Dexter’s brother and business associate—reveals himself as a con man with multiple aliases. The detective discerns a “tenth clue”: that every piece of evidence that seemed to point toward an historic vendetta with a Frenchman was a fabrication intended to divert attention. The real killer is not the man named Emil Bonfils or someone of French origin, but rather a schemer using a fake identity to secure a cut of the victim’s wealth. Ultimately, the detective’s methodical re-evaluation of the planted clues, inconsistencies in alibis, and the financial motives involved uncovers a conspiracy spun by two con artists—one masquerading as Madden Dexter and the other as Miss Dexter, whose real identity is later revealed. Their elaborate scheme, involving faked personal items, spurious lists, and staged evidence, was designed to mislead the investigation and position themselves advantageously to inherit the victim’s fortune. The case concludes with the true perpetrator exposed for his double-dealing, his carefully orchestrated deceptions unraveled by the detective’s insistence on questioning every anomaly rather than following the misleading trail of planted clues.
By Dashiell Hammett · First published 1939 · Genre: Detective Fiction, Mystery, Crime Fiction