Louis R Fletcher

Mute of Malice Louis R Fletcher

Can a tonne of gold ever be forgotten? People have a long memory where gold is concerned. A mans body is found in a snowed up cave at Leeden Tor on Dartmoor, dressed in an odd selection of ill-fitting clothing. He carries no clue to his identity. Detective Inspector Francis 'Frank' Steadwell believes the body was arranged after death and concludes that Mister Leeden has been murdered. Her enquiries uncover a legend about one tonne of Polish government bullion that was snatched in 1939 ahead of the invading Nazis. Rumored to have been brought to England and hidden at an RAF airfield at Yelverton on the edge of Dartmoor, from there it was lost. Frank steadwell believes that Mister Leeden was murdered in his quest to find the gold. Selena Leigh may know more about the gold than any living person but is a sullen mute and unable to communicate. Enquiries are frustrated by Selena's psychologist, Professor Caroline Cory, and Frank is also plagued by the scheming private eye Abi Cantrell, who has her own agenda for Mister Leeden's corpse. The arrival of the ruthless Colonel Kowalski of Polish military intelligence adds credibility to the existence of the horde. There are too many people interested in the gold and a race has begun to find its whereabouts. Then the murders begin. Who was Mister Leeden and who sent him? Did he want the gold for himself or another? Is there a key to unlocking its hiding place? DI Steadwell uncovers the truth which leads from child cruelty, through greed, to nationalistic ambition and murder. People are out of their depths and pay a terrible price for their avarice. Twisting and turning the story ends with an unexpected conclusion.