The Fatal Pool, first published in 1960, is book no. 71 in the Dr. Priestley detective story series. Author John Rhode, a pen name of Cecil Street (1884-1964), was a prolific writer of mostly detective novels, publishing more than 140 books between 1924 and 1961. In The Fatal Pool, the family and friends of Colonel Gayton have gathered together at Framby Hall, and while most of the guests are at breakfast, Yvonne Bardwell is found drowned but with bruises on her shoulders indicating that she was held under the water. The mystery centers around the fact that as nearly the entire household was eating breakfast together, how could one of them have slipped away and murdered Yvonne?