The Puzzle of the Pepper Tree (Hildegarde Withers Series #4)

On vacation in California, the spinster sleuth stumbles onto the case of a man murdered in mid-air—"[Withers is] still one of the best" (Anthony Boucher).

Because of the fog, the man in the brown suit arrives five minutes late for the ferry to Catalina Island. If he wishes to reach his destination today, his only option is the Dragonfly, a twelve-seat prop plane that makes up in speed what it lacks in comfort. The ride is bumpy, and all of the passengers—including a honeymooning couple, a...