No question, The Dragon Murder Case showcases Our Philo at his most entertainingly irritating. The book is set at a mansion in the northern reaches of Manhattan, complete with picturesque pool. Into that pool dives Sanford Montague, never to be seen again. Fools rush to blame the supernatural: They note that the pool is known as the "Dragon Pool," supposedly home to a monster known to the Lenape Indians. Know-it-all Philo's not so sure: He is, of course, an expert on both dragons and the Lenape, with a sideline expertise in pools and fish.