With Room 13 in 1924 Edgar Wallace introduced readers to Mr J. G. Reeder, one of the least glamorous of all fictional detectives.Mr J. G. Reeder is neither a police detective nor an amateur crime-fighter, nor is he a private detective. In fact he's employed by the Bank of England, and acts as a kind of consultant to Scotland Yard. He's a shabby rather timid little man in his 60s, and even the thought of handling firearms appalls him. He's hesitant and vague in manner and sees slightly dotty. He also has one of the sharpest brains in the country and an encyclopedic knowledge of criminals and crime. British prisons contain many wrong-doers who made the mistake of not taking Mr J. G. Reeder seriously.There are in fact two heroes in this book, the other being a certain Captain Johnny Gray. Johnny is a gentleman, and he's also a criminal. He's serving a sentence at Dartmoor Prison for some rather shady dealings on the racetrack.