Carl Brooke, a scholar of ancient Near Eastern languages, now spends his twilight years chronicling the adventures of his youth as a leading member of the Agora Society, a society dedicated to the betterment of man.

Fans of Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot will enjoy Carl Brooke and his Agora Society in these five very different cases.

This collection includes five complete stories in the Agora Mystery Series:

1) Two Tocks Before Midnight
The Strange Affair of October 24, 1859: When a flurry of forgeries appear in museums and among collectors, the members of the Agora, a society dedicated to the betterment of man, take it upon themselves to stop the rogues.

2) The Penitent Thief
A string of thefts ends in a grisly murder. Certain evidence leads Captain Barnwell to suspect a former thief, Rutherford Nordlinger, as the culprit. Carl Brooke becomes personally involved as Nordlinger's guilt is questioned.

3) The Peace Party Massacre
Kidnapped! An honorable man has gone missing, and his wife is not in the least helpful. The sheriff dithers, and every day brings death closer to a reality.

4) The Curse of the Mad Sheik
Murder and intrigue abound. At the center of it all appears a mysterious sheik and his cursed ruby.

5) The Captain's Play
Captain Barnwell, a longtime honorary member of the Agora Society, presents to the members a solved case one clue at a time. Three suspects. One murderer. Who is the murderer and why?