Produced by Stephen Lins THE CRIME CLUB VOLUME 25 * THE CASK This is the Story This book introduced to the public a new Master of Detective Fiction, and Mr. Crofts is now a very famous name indeed to the many enthusiastic students of detective novels. It has all the great virtues; a mysterious murder cunningly conceived and carried out; the strongest suspicion ingeniously thrown on an innocent man; a subtle alibi brilliantly shattered by an unfaltering process of analysis. The book is flawless in design and presents an intellectual problem of supreme interest. The lover of detective stories can want nothing better. As the _Outlook_ said, “In construction and invention Mr. Crofts has no living equal.” By the Same Author THE BOX OFFICE MURDERS MYSTERY IN THE CHANNEL SUDDEN DEATH DEATH ON THE WAY THE SEA MYSTERY INSPECTOR FRENCH’S GREATEST CASE THE STARVEL TRAGEDY THE GROOTE PARK MURDER THE PONSON CASE THE PIT-PROP SYNDICATE THE CRIME AT GUILDFORD THE LOSS OF THE JANE VOSPER INSPECTOR FRENCH AND THE CHEYNE MYSTERY MAN OVERBOARD THE CASK by FREEMAN WILLS CROFTS [Illustration: publisher's mark] Published for THE CRIME CLUB by COLLINS FORTY-EIGHT PALL MALL LONDON First Impression - - - - June, 1920 Second ” - - - - December, 1921 Third ” - - - - January, 1922 Fourth ” - - - - February, 1923 Fifth ” - - - - May, 1924 Sixth ” - - - - April, 1925 Seventh ” - - - - December, 1926 Eighth ” - - - - January, 1927 Ninth ” - - - - October, 1928 Tenth ” - - - - January, 1931 Eleven ” - - - - September, 1934 Twelfth ” - - - - February, 1935 Thirteenth ” - - - - December, 1936 Fourteenth ” - - - - July, 1937 Fifteenth ” - - - - January, 1938 PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN COLLINS CLEAR-TYPE PRESS : LONDON AND GLASGOW COPYRIGHT CONTENTS PART I--LONDON I. A STRANGE CONSIGNMENT II. INSPECTOR BURNLEY ON THE TRACK III. THE WATCHER ON THE WALL