Red aces

Kenneth McKay counts other people's money at a bank while worrying about his own debts and his relationship with Margot Lynn. An unexplained meeting and a brief letter leave him suspicious and distressed. His father spends his days calculating gambling odds in a riverside house at Marlow, while money has been disappearing from Kenneth's workplace. These personal and financial troubles open Edgar Wallace's collection of three cases featuring the detective J. G. Reeder.

The contents bring together the title story, 'Kennedy the Con. Man' and 'The Case of Joe Attymar.' In one investigation, Reeder pursues the subscribers to a questionable treasure scheme, arranges telegrams and discusses inquiries with Scotland Yard. Records, maps and conversations become tools for following connections between people and money. Reeder's cautious speech and dry private observations add humor to the investigations. The collection offers readers detective stories built around suspicious dealings, strained trust and the patient gathering of information.