Nick Carter Stories No. 152 August 7 1915 The Forced Crime; or Nick Carter's Brazen Clew.

In The Forced Crime; or Nick Carter's Brazen Clew detective Nick Carter is faced with a particularly perplexing case that seems impossible to solve at first glance. A series of seemingly unrelated crimes all featuring the use of force and violence have occurred in a well-to-do part of the city. Each crime bears a chilling hallmark: the criminal left behind a “brazen clew” a direct clue so bold and evident that it seems almost deliberately placed to mislead or provoke the authorities. Nick Carter is called upon to solve the case when it becomes clear that the crimes are part of a larger more sinister plot. As Carter investigates he quickly realizes that the crimes are not random; they are part of a methodical series intended to cause fear and confusion. The force used in each crime suggests an organized effort but there is no clear connection between the victims or the perpetrators. The “brazen clew” is a trail of seemingly impossible-to-ignore clues leading Carter down unexpected paths and forcing him to think outside of the conventional investigative methods. The criminal behind the plot known only by a cryptic alias seems to be pulling the strings from behind the scenes using deception and clever tactics to stay one step ahead.