For years Inspector Richard Queen had been outshone by his writer-detective son. Now, with Ellery away, Dick Queen, freshly retired from the NYPD, had a case all his own -- or did he? The verdict had been accidental death, and only the victim's nurse had seen the thing that made it murder. Dick Queen believed her, especially when the next lead in the case developed terminal back trouble -- from six inches of sharpened steel. Recruiting a Senior Citizen's corps of retired cops, Dick Queen tracked a murderer -- and found himself courting his only witness! What was Ellery going to say . . .

For years Inspector Richard Queen had been outshone by his writer-detective son. Now, with Ellery away, Dick Queen, freshly retired from the NYPD, had a case all his own -- or did he? The verdict had been accidental death, and only the victim's nurse had seen the thing that made it murder. Dick Queen believed her, especially when the next lead in the case developed terminal back trouble -- from six inches of sharpened steel. Recruiting a Senior Citizen's corps of retired cops, Dick Queen tracked a murderer -- and found himself courting his only witness! What was Ellery going to say . . .