The Death Cap

The story is set around a group of actors and artists in bohemian post-war London, and the poisoning of one of them by deadly Death Cap mushrooms. Once again Professor Stubbs, the rollicking, rumbustious botanist-detective solves the crime in his own eccentric and brilliant manner, assisted by long-suffering assistant Max Boyle, while opposed and supported in equal measure by the argumentative Chief Inspector Bishop.

Written by Ruthven Todd under the pen-name of R. T. Campbell, this is the first publication of The Death Cap since its original appearance in 1946. It has been generously annotated by Forbes Gibb, setting it in the context of war-time London, and relating it to contemporary events in Todd’s own life. In an absorbing introduction, Peter Main also provides much background information on Todd’s lifelong interest in the natural world, and in particular his expert knowledge of fungi, which are a central feature of the plot.