"Mrs. Lorrimer telephones Doctor Morelle claiming that she's in imminent mortal danger. In the morning her orange drink was poisoned, then she'd found a deadly snake in her bed and now toxic gas is emanating from the chimney and into the room! But is she really in danger? Is she mad - or perhaps feigning madness? Dutifully, Doctor Morelle sets off to the woman's house with Miss Frayle, his long-suffering assistant, who will soon begin to wish she'd stayed behind ..."--Publisher description.