Police detective Angus Campbell, a dour and methodical Scottish-American policeman, cordially disliked his partner, the ebullient and overweight Irish cop Patrick O'Rourke. And the feeling was cordially reciprocated by O'Rourke.

Both were annoyed - but not really concerned - about orders to guard the frantic millionaire John Cobb on a late-night train journey on the New York - Chicago train. After locking Cobb in his compartment, they would look forward to antagonizing each other in the club car. That is, until Cobb turned up missing. Whoever is responsible -- and there were several possibilities among the passengers, including an incomparably strong and handsome man, a breathtakingly beautiful woman, and an improbably villainous stranger -- had perhaps discounted each detective individually, and perhaps justly so. But what the malefactor could not have known was the insight of their superior, Inspector Corrigan: "Separate they are not much, but, when they are together, they hate each other so much that they grind one another sharp as razors."

This edition - the first in book form, uncut, and as the author intended - introduces today's readers to a most memorable detective duo.