The Law of Hemlock Mountain

"The Law of Hemlock Mountain" by Hugh Lundsford is a story set in the early 1900s, about army officers stationed in the Philippines. It tells of friendship, competition, and the mental challenges of being in the military. A key person in the story is Lieutenant John Spurrier, who likes to gamble. He gets caught up in a scandal when Captain Comyn dies in a strange way. This makes everyone question honor, guilt, and trying to make up for mistakes. At first, the book shows the stress among the officers during a card game, highlighting how the hot weather and boring military life make them uneasy. Captain Comyn struggles with worries about his mental health, and Spurrier's good luck at cards makes others jealous. When Comyn and Spurrier argue and Comyn ends up dead, Spurrier is suspected of murder. The story then follows the results of this event and Spurrier's efforts to prove he's innocent, surrounded by secrets and things from his past.