''It Might Lead Anywhere'' by E. R. Punshon (d. 1956), public domain. The story follows Acting Chief Constable Bobby Owen as he investigates the bludgeoning murder of Alfred Brown in a quiet village.
The plot kicks off when a local religious revival led by Duke Dell-a former boxer turned preacher-spills into violence. Dell throws his follower, Alfred Brown, into a river, and Brown is found dead the very next day, beaten with a poker in his own home. As Owen takes charge of the case, he uncovers a twisting web of gossip, hidden hoards of gold, and a tangle of sinister suspects.
Contemporary reviews and literary historians note that the book reflects a weary, post-war Britain, and is famous for an incredibly convoluted plot that requires Bobby Owen to spend pages at the end of the book explaining where exactly the investigation led.