Twenty years ago a terrible murder has happened. Paul Stilling, a junior partner in a firm of Birmingham jewelers, was murdered was the Pelican Hotel, Tewkesbury. He was found dead in his bed, stabbed to the heart. In the possession of Ambrose Murray, who was stopping that night in the same hotel, was found a bracelet which had belonged to Stilling and Murray was arrested and found guilty. After twenty years of imprisonment Murray has escaped and he is out determined to clear his name.

T. W. Speight (1830-1915) was English author of novels and short stories mostly in the thriller and mystery genre.