Murder on the Caronia

Murder on the Caronia puts the Dillman and Masefield team back on a Cunard ship and gives Allen a chance to write the steerage end of the liner with the same attention he usually reserves for first class. A music-hall trio traveling between engagements is at the center of the investigation when one of them is found dead in a way that no one in steerage is willing to discuss with the ship's authorities.

Allen handles the class boundaries on board the ship with care, and the case opens up to involve passengers across decks. The romance between Dillman and Masefield gets a few more pages of development. The reveal lands in the place you expect by chapter 12, with Allen still hitting his marks competently.

Three stars. Reliably enjoyable. The series remains best as a comfort read rather than a puzzle.