Description

Mr. Connington here turns from the straight detective story to a mystery tale-a real thriller. The Trents have been lent for their honeymoon a large house on the lonely islet of Ruffa. Shortly after arriving, Trent accidentally intercepts a mysterious wireless message and, a bit later, stumbles across a wounded man who vanishes, leaving behind him an ingot which seems to have slipped out of his pocket and which later proves to be pure gold. Next day Trent comes upon a college acquaintance, now a consulting chemist, ostensibly bird-watching. The second house on the island is found to be under armed guard, and the Trents are warned away from it. A strange yacht with an armed crew appears in the bay. Finally, Trent learns that gold is being exported from Ruffa in quantity. Does it come from the Armada wreck in the bay? Or from some old Norseman's hoard? Or has the tenant of the other house discovered the secret of making gold? The rest of the book is more exciting than anything that Mr. Connington has yet offered his American audience, and most readers, although given all the necessary clues, will be amazed at the solution. Gold Brick Island (also known as Tom Tiddler's Island) was published in 1933. The Coachwhip edition includes an introduction by Curtis Evans.