THE BODY OF A GIRL

In the once quiet town of Stoneferry on Thames, newly appointed Chief Inspector William Mercer officiates over the recently discovered skeleton of a girl, relates it wrongly to one Sweetie Sowthistle who had disappeared two years ago, and then to another young woman who had worked for the local solicitor. But then there are the Crows, a criminal organization, and a hot car racket, and a literally one but strong armed bandit called John Bull, and all of this is solidly forcefed in an energetic combination of the traditional and the procedural. Mr. Gilbert is at his professional best.