Anty Boisjoly takes on his twistiest test to date in a tale of curses and crows, crypts and conspiracies, concealed corridors and clever killers, delivered with a generous overpour of locked room murder and bouyant Boisjoly badinage.
The ancient curse of Carnaby Castle has begun taking victims again - either that, or someone's very cleverly done away with the new young bride of the philandering family patriarch, and the chief suspect is none other than Carnaby, London's finest club steward.
Anty's wits and witticisms are tested to their frozen limit as he sifts the superstitions, suspicions, and age-old schisms of the mediaeval Peak District village of Hoy to sort out how it was done before Carnaby's served his last scotch-and-soda.
Like the other Anty Boisjoly adventures, this is a stand-alone, repertory story intended for those who like their twisty mysteries narrated with a little strategic silliness and boisterous banter.