The narrative follows a chaotic series of events triggered by a motorcycle race on the Great North Road. Two riders, Simpkins and Walters, engage in a reckless pursuit, leading to a police intervention when they are caught speeding. The situation escalates when a bag, initially tied to one of the motorcycles, is discovered to contain a severed head, igniting a murder investigation. As the police, led by a superintendent, delve into the mystery, they learn that the bag belongs to a motorist who had reported it stolen. The motorist recounts his frantic search for the bag after it was claimed from a cloakroom at Paddington Station. He reveals that a man in motorcycling gear had taken it just before the police warning about a murder was issued. The investigation reveals conflicting accounts from the two motorcyclists, each blaming the other for the bag's presence. Tensions rise as they are taken to the police station, where the contents of the bag are examined. The superintendent suspects a connection to a recent murder case, specifically the Finsbury Park murder. The plot thickens as the motorist, who is revealed to be a detective, proposes a trip back to the scene where the bag fell off. During this trip, they encounter a sidecar rider who inadvertently provides crucial evidence—a strap that links back to Simpkins. Under pressure, Simpkins confesses to having taken the bag from the cloakroom, believing it belonged to a man he had encountered there. As the investigation unfolds, it becomes clear that the bag's original owner is connected to a murder involving his wife, Dahlia Dallmeyer. The narrative culminates in a confrontation aboard a transatlantic liner, where the murderer, Philip Storey, is apprehended by the detective after revealing his guilt through a panicked reaction to the bag's contents. The story intricately weaves themes of mistaken identity, the chaos of human behavior, and the pursuit of justice, culminating in a resolution that highlights the detective's skill in unraveling the truth amidst the confusion.
By Dorothy L Sayers · First published 1936 · Genre: Mystery, Crime, Detective Fiction