by H. Beam Piper
About this book
When Lane Fleming is discovered dead in his locked gunroom with a Confederate revolver in hand, his widow Gladys suspects foul play—despite the coroner's verdict of accidental death. To uncover the truth, she hires Colonel Jefferson Davis Rand, a sharp-witted private detective and fellow firearms enthusiast, to catalogue and appraise her late husband's legendary collection of early pistols and revolvers.
As Jeff meticulously examines one of the country's finest gun collections, a troubling question emerges: did someone want Fleming's prized weapons badly enough to commit murder? The locked room presents an impossible puzzle—how could the killer have orchestrated this seemingly accident? With each pistol examined and each suspect questioned, Jeff navigates a fascinating world of gun collecting and obsession, where authenticity matters and secrets run deep.
H. Beam Piper's classic mystery masterfully weaves together an intricate locked-room puzzle with the captivating history of American firearms. The narrative moves with rapid-fire momentum while maintaining rigorous logic and reasoning, introducing a remarkably intelligent new detective to the genre.
Perfect for mystery enthusiasts, firearms history buffs, and fans of classic detective fiction, this audiobook combines intellectual intrigue with compelling character work. If you enjoy mysteries grounded in expertise and atmospheric detail, Murder in the Gunroom delivers both puzzle and personality in equal measure.