Half a dozen guests are listening to Professor Aldous Lawrence talking about the merits of smoking opium before moving on to a practical experience. Some time later, the Toronto Constabulary are on site, as Byron Sutton, one of the Professor's Oriental Studies students, lies dead on a sofa, having carefully followed the Professor's instructions to prepare the opium for smoking. Sutton was one of four students belonging to the Earth and Dragon Society, which meets weekly for such experiences.The other three are Gregory Cummings, Matthew and Susan Trent, who are brother and sister.
Inspector Brackenreid is rather surprised at Sutton's death, regarding what was going on in the Professor's den as little more than play-acting; he had seen much worse in Afghanistan. Byron's father, Dr Louis Sutton, arrives at Police Station 4, angry at the part Professor Lawrence and his wife played in his son's demise. Byron, he explains, had a weak constitution, and was prone to pleurisy; not only was the Professor pressing Byron to smoke opium, but Mrs Lawrence was plying him with Chinese remedies.
There is a tangled web of relationships and motivations enmeshing the students, the Professor and his wife. Some are real, some are quite literally pipe dreams. What bearing do those things have on the manner that Byron Sutton met his death? Why is Matthew Trent so very protective of his sister Susan, most of the time, and so very laissez-faire the rest? Can Murdoch dispel the smoke and see through to the solution to this involved mystery?
Inspector Brackenreid is rather surprised at Sutton's death, regarding what was going on in the Professor's den as little more than play-acting; he had seen much worse in Afghanistan. Byron's father, Dr Louis Sutton, arrives at Police Station 4, angry at the part Professor Lawrence and his wife played in his son's demise. Byron, he explains, had a weak constitution, and was prone to pleurisy; not only was the Professor pressing Byron to smoke opium, but Mrs Lawrence was plying him with Chinese remedies.
There is a tangled web of relationships and motivations enmeshing the students, the Professor and his wife. Some are real, some are quite literally pipe dreams. What bearing do those things have on the manner that Byron Sutton met his death? Why is Matthew Trent so very protective of his sister Susan, most of the time, and so very laissez-faire the rest? Can Murdoch dispel the smoke and see through to the solution to this involved mystery?
