The Mysterious Mr. Badman: A Yorkshire Bibliomystery

This classic mystery by Harvey (1885–1937) was first published in 1934. While his nephew, Dr. Jim Pickering, considers taking over a local doctor’s practice, Athelstan Digby holidays nearby in Yorkshire. When Mr. Digby’s landlords need to attend a funeral, he offers to watch their bookshop for the day. That afternoon, three customers (a vicar, a chauffeur, and a stranger to the area) all ask for a copy of the same book, John Bunyan’s The Life and Death of Mr. Badman. Late in the day, a young boy shows up with books to sell, including the Bunyan. Digby takes it to his room to check it out and finds a letter stuck between the pages. He realizes the contents of the letter could change the course of English politics. When the book and letter are stolen, Digby, his nephew, and the stepdaughter of the Home Secretary set out to recover them. The trio face a wily foe who won’t hesitate to use blackmail, kidnapping, and murder to achieve his goal.