The fifth of the Earl Derr Biggers Charlie Chan books books involves the Honolulu detective in a case of murder that stretches around the world, as members of a tour group are dying, one by one. Charlies old friend Chief Inspector Duff from Scotland Yard comes to his rescue in this book. Duff is investigating the murder of Hugh Morris Drake, a sweet old man strangled in Londons famous and exclusive hotel, Broomes. Drake is with a tour group encircling the globe. While Duffs ship is docked in Honolulu, the detective is shot and wounded by his quarry; though he survives, he is unable to continue with the cruise, and Chan takes his place on the ship to San Francisco, where finally the mystery is solved.