Death Paints a Picture

Death Paints a Picture Synopsis

Death Paints a Picture, first published in 1960, features Inspector Henry Arnold and Desmond Merrion, no. 60 in the series of British mysteries by Miles Burton (a pen-name for prolific author Cecil Street [1884-1964]). From the dustjacket: After the corpse of George Hawken had been found on the rocks near his Cornish home the coroner's jury brought in an open verdict. Hawken had been a respected but financially unsuccessful artist whose death benefited no one except one of his nephews, who inherited a modest cottage. Yet that nephew had mysteriously disappeared. There was no doubt about the death of Hawken's brother, Sir Matthew, which followed not long afterwards: five grains of potassium cyanide had killed him instantly. Inspector Arnold and his friend Desmond Merrion were faced with a paradox: those who had had an opportunity to commit both crimes had no motive; no one with a motive had had the opportunity. Once more Miles Burton has succeeded in posing an intriguing problem whose solution will keep his readers guessing until Arnold finally arrests a triple murderer.