1947 Cool & Lam (A. A. Fair)

Fools Die on Friday

Client Hartley Basset

Case Narrative & Plot Summary

A wealthy client receives anonymous letters predicting that his invalid wife will die of poisoning on a specific Friday. Donald is hired to prevent the homicide, but poison strikes exactly as predicted.

Donald Lam's Legal Gambit

Donald uses stomach-pump toxicology timing and chemical antagonism between arsenic and calcium antidotes to pinpoint the killer.

Bertha Cool Dictum
"If a fool wants to die on Friday, let him pay us in advance on Thursday."