A few years ago I read a thriller by the wonderful Val McDermid. It was an engrossing story but afterwards, I got to thinking. And what I thought was this: if the plot of the novel (that a charming serial killer was picking up women at weddings, killing them and then leaving their bodies in burning cars) had ever actually happened, the country would have been in uproar, not just going about its disinterested business. And that got me thinking about the amateur detectives of the 'golden age' of crime fiction. What would have been the public reaction if these people had really existed? That provided the inspiration for this story.

There will be a prize for the first person to work out where the title of this story comes from and explains its significance. Answers via the form on my home page please.

Click on the link below to get a downloadable version of the story or continue to the bottom of the screen to read it online.