Warren Ledger in Warren, Pennsylvania

The Crown of Gold Mystery and Murder Tale

A nine year neighborhood mystery ends when Martin Swift is found murdered in his dim Bronson Street liquor store. The narrator’s careful, minute observations reveal a female visitor, a pawned dental crown, and a blackmail scheme guiding a dramatic confession by Swift’s killer. The killer is a young woman who claims self defense after years of abuse by Swift, and she turns herself in after the crown is traced to a Boston dentist. The tale closes with a reflection on justice and a digression on memory by Jefferson and Grant.