After a heavy rain shower, the body of Frank Dorrance was found near the center of a clay tennis court - strangled! Yet there was only one set of footsteps in the soft clay surface - and those footsteps belonged to the victim. Despite six suspects who had motive and opportunity, the authorities were stumped; it seemed impossible to prove that anyone could have killed Frank Dorrance . . .

Enter Dr. Gideon Fell

It was "advantage, the murderer," but the famed Dr. Gideon Fell would not be aced so easily. If he could discover how the murder was commited, he'd have his killer . . . unless the murderer made a backhand shot and killed the good doctor first. Before match-point was reached, Dr. Fell would either net himself a killer - or court the end of his own illustrious career!