Mystery of the Emerald Buddha — Betty Cavanna

The Emerald Buddha, twenty-four inches high and made of purest jade, presides like a fabulous toy over the magnificence of the Grand Palace in Bangkok. The temple in which it sits on its elaborate throne is considered Thailand's most revered shrine. In this exotic setting, Betty Cavanna places her latest mystery that deals with the underground traffic in national art treasures.

The heroine of the story is Lisette Paul, who accompanies her father on assignment to supply photographs for a lavish art book. Through the influence of his collaborator for the text, the Paul's are put up at one of the guesthouses on the palace ground. From this privileged vantage point, Lisette becomes privy to much of what goes on in the royal compound and, along with the others, is suddenly drawn into an almost incredible crisis that leaves Thais and foreigners alike equally shaken.