The Peacock of Jewels

In Short

This novel is a traditional detective mystery centered on the search for a fabled, jewel-encrusted peacock statue that holds the key to a family’s lost fortune. When a gruesome murder occurs in Rotherhithe, the investigation pulls together an unlikely group of characters, including an ambitious journalist, a resourceful solicitor, and a suspicious Indian claimant. The story weaves together historical intrigue and contemporary crime, using the central missing artifact to drive its plot. It remains a quintessential example of early twentieth-century genre fiction, highlighting the era's fascination with colonial treasures and complex, puzzle-driven narratives.

The Story

The narrative begins in the fog-heavy streets of London, where journalist Dick Latimer and his friend, the solicitor Alan Fuller, find themselves drawn into a criminal underworld. The primary catalyst is the "Peacock of Jewels," an Indian artifact of immense value that carries a heavy, century-old history of bloodshed. Legend holds that the peacock was crafted in India during the era of Lord Clive and represents a massive hidden fortune that belongs to the Inderwick family.

Alan Fuller is deeply invested in the mystery, not only for its historical allure but because he is in love with Marie Inderwick. Her uncle, Randolph Sorley, is a man of questionable character who possesses the peacock and claims to be preserving it for Marie’s future. However, the discovery of a murder in Rotherhithe—involving a man named Grison—casts a long shadow over Sorley. As police investigations proceed and evidence surfaces, including a blood-stained stiletto found in Sorley’s private cache, suspicion falls heavily on the uncle.

Marie, fiercely loyal to her uncle, refuses to believe he is a killer, despite mounting evidence that suggests he murdered Grison to secure the peacock. The search for the truth becomes a race against time as the characters navigate betrayal and false accusations. An Indian man named Morad-Bakche enters the scene, claiming the peacock as his own rightful property, further complicating the legal and moral landscape.

As the plot spirals, the characters discover that the true threat is not the eccentric uncle but someone closer to the original crime. Through a series of tense confrontations and the revelation of long-buried secrets, it is eventually revealed that the cold-blooded sister of the murdered Grison is the true culprit. She orchestrated the conflict to frame Sorley for her own brother’s death. With the mystery resolved and the murderer unmasked, the cloud of suspicion hanging over Sorley lifts. The story concludes on a bright, optimistic note: the peacock is recovered, the fortune is secured, and the young lovers, Alan and Marie, look forward to a happy future together. The final scene features the golden peacock basking in the sun, symbolizing the restoration of order and the transition of the family from long-standing tragedy to sudden, prosperous grace.

How It Unfolds

The fog-bound crime Dick Latimer and Alan Fuller discuss a murder in Rotherhithe that serves as the entry point into a deeper, more dangerous mystery. The two friends establish their roles as observers and investigators, tethered by a mutual interest in the strange death of a man named Grison.

The legend of the treasure Marie Inderwick recounts the history of the golden peacock, a relic created in captivity during the Indian uprisings of the past. The object is established not merely as a jewel-encrusted bird, but as the literal key to a vast, lost fortune.

The suspicious uncle Randolph Sorley is introduced as an aging, vain, and untrustworthy man who guards the peacock with fanatic zeal. His strange behavior and contradictory stories regarding his wealth create a widening rift of suspicion between him and the young investigators.

The arrival of the claimant An Indian man named Morad-Bakche appears, asserting a claim to the artifact that transcends simple theft. His presence signals to the readers that the peacock’s history is far more violent and international than initially suspected.

The accusation and escape As the police close in on Sorley, he flees, leaving Marie desperate to prove his innocence. The investigators find a bloody stiletto, which seems to seal the case against the uncle until new testimony forces a re-evaluation of the facts.

The final confrontation The truth is brought to light by Morad-Bakche, who exposes the real killer, Miss Grison. The resolution clears Sorley’s name and allows the survivors to claim the fortune held in trust by the bank.

The People

Alan Fuller is a solicitor whose primary motivation is to secure a future with Marie Inderwick. While he is initially cautious, his love for Marie drives him to solve the puzzle, though his tendency toward sentimentality often clashes with the cold facts of the case. Marie Inderwick stands as the emotional center of the story; she is resilient and blindly loyal to her uncle, refusing to let the accusations against him break her spirit. Her journey moves from naive hope to active participation in solving the family riddle.

Randolph Sorley acts as the story's mercurial antagonist-turned-victim. He is a man of vanity and secrets who desperately wants to maintain an image of youth and prosperity. His shifty nature makes him an easy target for suspicion, yet he ends the story as a man whose innocence is ultimately validated. Dick Latimer, the journalist, provides a cynical, pragmatic contrast to Alan. He is the skeptic who forces the others to confront the harsh legal realities of the murder. Finally, the antagonist, Miss Grison, is a figure of cold malice whose actions are driven by bitter resentment. Her eventual downfall serves as the necessary penance for the cycle of violence surrounding the peacock.

In Its Own Voice

Describing the atmospheric setting of the opening chapter, the narrator establishes the obscure, hidden nature of the story's location:

To find Barkers Inn was much the same to an ordinary person as looking for a needle in the proverbial haystack.

When the characters finally find the object of their long search, the narrator captures the sudden transition from mystery to clarity:

The gems flashed out into rare beauty, and in the dusky room, the fetish of the Inderwicks shone like a rare and magnificent jewel.

What It's Really About

At its core, this is a story about the weight of inheritance—both financial and moral. The peacock serves as a powerful metaphor for the corrosive nature of greed, as its possession brings ruin to everyone who touches it until the rightful heirs reclaim it. The book also interrogates the nature of "gentlemanly" behavior, contrasting the youthful, honest aspirations of Alan with the performative and deceitful vanity of the older generation. Ultimately, the narrative argues that truth, however hidden by time and blood, possesses an inherent tendency to surface, restoring balance to a world fractured by the sins of the past.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy the classic "locked-room" style of detective fiction, where the solution hinges on historical documents and intricate puzzles, will find much to admire here. The pacing is deliberate, characteristic of early twentieth-century mysteries, and the prose maintains a formal, slightly dramatic tone that effectively captures the mood of a bygone era.

Modern readers should be prepared for the period-specific attitudes regarding India and the "fetishization" of colonial treasures, which are presented through the lens of 1910s British sensibilities. The characters occasionally speak in the colorful, clipped dialect common to the era’s fiction, which adds to the book's authentic period charm but may require a moment of adjustment. The story is perhaps best enjoyed as a time capsule; it offers a satisfying, tidy resolution that provides the comfort of a classic mystery where justice, however delayed, eventually prevails. It is ideal for those who prefer their detectives to be earnest, their puzzles to be atmospheric, and their endings to be genuinely happy, with all the pieces falling perfectly into place under the light of a new dawn.