[King of Detectives 04] • Chantecoq and the Aviator's Crime (King of Detectives Book 4)

Jacques Moret is the dashing man of the hour: a fearless flying ace, devoted to furthering aviation. But even as he enjoys the ball that aeroplane designer Florent Avrillé throws in his honour following his return from a historic Paris-Buenos Aires flight, dark forces are at work...

Poison pen letters accuse Moret of lusting after Avrillé's wife, the stunning but faithful Belle Antoinette, and of trifling with the affections of Avrillé's debutante daughter. The ace and the sensible Avrillé reject this wild gossip, but then, on the eve of her wedding, young Martine Avrillé is subjected to a terrifying assault in her own bedroom. The culprit? She swears it can be none other than Jacques Moret.

Accusations and suspicions mount up, until only one man can uncover the truth behind this aviator's crime...

Chantecoq. King of detectives, master of disguise.

Chantecoq throws himself into the baffling case with his usual flair and extraordinary powers of reasoning, only to discover that this time the truth is far stranger and more terrifying than he could ever have predicted.

An innocent girl's honour, a hero's reputation, and France's entire aviation industry, all are at stake in this tale of deception, passion, and unrequited love.

First published in France in 1929 (as "Le Crime d'un Aviateur"), and never before translated into English, this book is part of the "Further Exploits of Chantecoq" series, which sees the secret agent and expert spy catcher of Chantecoq and the Aubry Affair reborn as the greatest private detective of his age.

Belphégor: Chantecoq and the Phantom of the Louvre

Chantecoq and the Mystery of the Blue Train

Chantecoq and the Haunted House

Chantecoq and the Aviator's Crime

Chantecoq and Zapata

Chantecoq and the Amorous Ogre

Chantecoq and the Père-Lachaise Ghost

Chantecoq and the Condemned Woman

Chantecoq and the Ladykiller