Shady stockbroker and abusive husband Gerald Parker is found dead in the penguin pool of a NYC aquarium after being knocked cold by his wife's boyfriend.

The body of unscrupulous stockbroker Gerald Parker suddenly appears in the penguin tank at the aquarium. Naturally, suspicion falls on his wife and her boyfriend, who were present. Inspector Piper investigates with the unsolicited aid of teacher Hildegard Withers, a witness who's taken an interest in the case; Piper develops a grudging respect for Miss Withers' acumen (and sharp tongue), as they search among the red herrings for the aquarium killer...—Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>

When a well-known New York businessman is found dead in the penguin pool of a local zoo aquarium, Inspector Oscar Piper is called in to investigate the murder. At first, Inspector Piper is put off by one of the eyewitnesses, a schoolteacher named Hildegarde Withers, who seems overly inquisitive and meddlesome. But as the investigation progresses, Inspector Piper forms an uneasy alliance with the shrewd Miss Withers, whose insights and advice help to crack the case.—Michelle Sturges