The Ambassador's Boots

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Summary

Genre: Detective

Format: Short Story

Recurring Characters: Tommy, Tuppence

Synopsis

The monogrammed kit bag of the American ambassador, Randolph Wilmot, is switched with Senator Ralph Westerman’s. Wilmot hires Tommy and Tuppence to find out why. When the senator’s valet shows up at the embassy to exchange the bags they discover that the senator has never heard of this valet, or of any confusion among kit bags. Who is the valet and why did he need the kit bag?

In this short story Tommy and Tuppence solve the case in the guise of Dr. Reggis Fortune, the creation of H C Bailey (1878-1961). Fortune, the son of a middle-class doctor, is himself a surgeon and consultant to Scotland yard; more important, Reggie is a consummate snob, prone to effete speech mannerisms, who proclaims himself a “man of the people” while consuming enormous gourmet meals or driving around in his Rolls-Royce. Tuppence proclaims herself Reggie Fortune, “because I feel like a lot of hot butter.” This short story is part of Partners in Crime.

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