Introduction Biography Addresses Portraits
Books Short stories Stage plays Film and TV Radio and audio
Quotations Fishing Poetry Food Settings Dedications Narrative style Canning in the OED Reading lists Articles on Canning
Centenary News Links Availability

The Chicken Breast Pattern

Short Story (4440 words)

This is the fifth of the Department of Patterns stories, the fourth to feature Papa Grand.

Portois, a trainee, notices many stolen lorries in one area were never recovered. In six cases the driver has the same description but wears a variety of wigs, and has a dog. Another similarity is that the loads have all included tins of chicken breast from a local food factory. The tricky question is why anyone should want to steal such unappetising foodstuffs.

Argosy, July 1961.
Reprinted as "The missing tins of chicken breasts", Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, June 1962.