The story opens with a lawyer talking to a group of people about the will of Caleb Delthern. He has left a house and $13 million to his heirs, or at least the ones that are present one month from the initial meeting date. Winstead, the oldest heir gets half of the money, the others sharing in the rest.
Jasper and Humphrey are the two male heirs who are there, and they are both unhappy at getting only a million-and-a-half each. Marcia, a woman, seems to have no problem getting that much money. One male, Warren, is not there, but the lawyer considers it not necessary for him to be there. Lamont Cranston can serve as a proxy for the man if necessary.
Winstead decides that Warren could still be an heir, even if he's not there. Jasper appears to be an evil person.
Jasper almost gets thrown out forever from the men's club he is in due to his drinking and trying to fight another member.
Winstead is murdered at the mansion. Humphrey becomes the oldest living member of the family, and the biggest potential inheritor.
Humphrey is killed with Warren in the room, but in the dark. Wellington, the servant, is also murdered.
Later, a detective at the house to protect Jasper is murdered.
There is yet another murder, and another death. The entire truth comes out, and the Shadow ends the reign of another criminal.
About half way through the story I figured who the main criminal was, but I figured wrong as far as I thought a certain person was helping him but that turned out not to be true.
It's another really good Shadow story with the usual highly detailed and realistic descriptions of places, things, and people.
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