At Scamnum Court, seat of the Duke of Horton, the Lord Chancellor of England is murdered at the climax of a private presentation of Hamlet, in which he plays Polonius. To solve this crime, Inspector Appleby pursues some of the most famous names in the country, unearthing dreadful suspicion. The Green Popular Penguins Story It was in 1935 when Allen Lane stood on a British railway platform looking for something good to read on his journey. His choice was limited to popular magazines and poor quality paperbacks. Lane’s disappointment at the range of books available led him to found a company – and change the world. In 1935 the Penguin was born, but it took until the late 1940s for the Crime and Mystery series to emerge. The genre thrived in the post-war austerity of the 1940s, and reached heights of popularity by the 1960s. Suspense, compelling plots and captivating characters ensure that once again you need look no further than the Penguin logo for the scene of the perfect crime.