The Old Man in the Corner by Baroness Emmuska Orczy

the way Baroness Orczy uses the settings of the cafe and the discussions that happen between Polly and the old man in the corner. He so easily unravels the mysteries that baffle the police and then would care less if the police catch the criminals. It is always about the crime and how well it was engineered. The book kept my attention the whole way though. A wonderful collection of stories, well written with an interesting ending.