MorseistakenseriouslyillatamuseumreceptionandishospitalizedInthehospital,SuptStrange,visitsMorsetopushhimtotakeearlyretirement,whileDrMillicent'Millie'VanBurengiveshimherbookona140yearoldcourtcaseknownastheOxfordCanalMurdersThecaseinvolvedthemurderandrapeofayoungwoman,MrsJoannaFranks,travelingbycanalboatfromCoventrytoLondonThecaseresultedinthreeboatmenbeingsentencedtodeathandtwoofthemhangedMorsestartstoreadMillie'sbookanddreamsaboutitHesoonhasanumberofproblemswiththecase　　Whyweren'tthethreemenalsochargedwiththeftWhydidMrsFrankstakeaboatinsteadofatrainthatwasmuchfasterandcomfortableandonlyslightlymoreexpensiveWhydidn'tsheabandontheboataftershecomplainedaboutlewdbehaviorofthecrewattheshippingofficeinBanburyWhydidshethendrinkand'socialise'withthecrewWhathappenedtoher'carpetbag'withwhichshearrivedontheboatbutwhichwasnotmentionedinthecourtcase,norwasitstoredinthearchiveswithher,almostempty,trunkThetrunkwasmarkedwithinitialsofherfirsthusbandwhohaddiedHowdidithappenthathershoeswerefoundontheboatbutnobodysawherreturntotheboatfromtheforest　　PCAdrianKershawdoessomebrilliantlegworkforMorseHestudiedhistoryandhasinvaluablebackgroundknowledgeForinstance,hementionsthattheboatmenhadbadreputationbecausetheyworkedonSundaysanddidnotattendchurchLaterachapelwasbuiltfortheminOxford　　Thedeadwoman'sclothesandtheshoesfoundontheboataresubmittedtomodernforensicinvestigationTheresultisthattheshoesdidnotbelongtothedeadwomanfoundinthewaterbecauseshewasmuchtallerTheshoeswereneverusedintheforest　　OnlyMrsFranks'husband,CharlesFranks,wascalledtoidentifythebodyofthedeadwomanHeclaimedthat,whileherfacewasdarkenedanddisfigured,hefoundabirthmarkbehindherearTheprosecutorwelcomedthatinformation"thatonlyahusbandoraloverwouldknow"TheaccusedwerenotshownthebodyThedefenseattorneymerelyclaimedthattheguiltofthethreemenwasnotprovedAllthreeaccusedclaimedtotheendthattheywereinnocentOneofthemwasnotexecutedbecauseheembracedChristianityinprison　　MorseinstructsKershawtoinvestigateifCharlesFranksbenefitedfromhiswife'sdeathand,indeed,hepocketed300poundsinsurancemoneyCaseclosed:CharlesFranksmurderedatallwomenanddroppedherinthecanalaftermeetingJoannaintheforestIfJoannaFranksjumpedofftheboatatthesametimeasthedeadbodyhitthewater,sheswamtothebankandjoinedherhusbandThecouplechangedtheirnames,inthecaseof'CharlesFranks'asecondtimeafterhe'died'asJoanna'sfirsthusbandThefourthboatman,ayoungsterwhowasnotcharged,wasprobablypaidbyJoannatogivefalsetestimony　　MorsetravelstoIrelandandhasagraveofJoanna'sfirsthusbandexhumedThecoffincontainsbagsofsandandsomestones