In this 24th book in the 'Richard Jury' series, the Scotland Yard Detective Superintendent investigates the murder of a wealthy American professor and his wife. The book can be read as a standalone, but familiarity with the characters is a bonus.
*****
Handsome rich American physics professor David Moffitt and his beautiful wife Rebecca are visiting London, and arrange to spend the evening at the VERY exclusive Artemis Club - a gambling casino/art gallery owned by Leonard Zane.
The Moffitts take an elite 'black taxi' to the club, driven by ace cab driver Robbie Parsons.
As soon as the Moffitts arrive at the casino, they're shot dead by a tall black gunman. The killer then jumps into Robbie Parson's taxi and orders him to pull away......fast! Robbie is sure his life is about to end, but the gunman just rides around town and gets out at Waterloo Station - where he pays his fare and adds a big tip!
Robbie doesn't want the perp to get away, so he activates a network of street kids - reminiscent of the Baker Street Irregulars - to track the killer. One child in particular, a ten-year-old named Patty Haigh, takes this directive VERY seriously.
Patty spots the gunman at Heathrow Airport and - using cunning, chicanery, thievery, and lies - joins the perp on a trip to Nairobi, Kenya. In fact, Patty goes so far as to befriend the killer, who's oddly kind and helpful.
Scotland Yard Detective Superintendent Richard Jury, who was acquainted with the Moffitts, is put in charge of the murder case.
As always Jury gets assistance from eccentric friends who reside in the village of Long Piddleton. Jury sends Melrose Plant (aka Lord Ardry) to Nairobi;
And Jury tells antique dealer Marshall Trueblood to get a job at the Artemis Club, as a blackjack dealer.
Jury soon learns that Leonard Zane's casino/art gallery imports paintings from a Kenyan artist AND Zane owns a tanzanite gem mine in Kenya. This makes Zane, as well as other people connected to the Moffiits, persons of interest in the murder case. The investigation soon gets VERY complicated - with elements of smuggling, jealousy, greed, etc. - and Jury and his assistant Sergeant Wiggins interview many suspects.
Meanwhile, Melrose Plant makes useful discoveries in Kenya - as does Patty Haigh - and they inadvertently meet in Nairobi and join forces. Patty's resourcefulness in any and all circumstances is remarkable, and she's easily the book's most interesting (and fun) character.
Jury's beautiful, fortune-teller neighbor Carole-Anne Palutski - who often cadges restaurant dinners off the detective - makes an appearance in the story.
And it's always amusing to observe the health regime of the hypochondriac Sergeant Wiggins.
The book's title, 'The Knowledge', refers to a secret pub that caters exclusively to London cab drivers. The attempts of other people, including Jury, to learn the location of The Knowledge are hilarious.....but it's not easy to get the best of a London cabbie. 😊
The plot was a bit over-complicated in my opinion, but I enjoyed the book and recommend it to mystery fans.
Rating: 3.5 stars
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