Charles Lenox, Victorian gentleman and armchair explorer, likes nothing more than to relax in his private study with a cup of tea, a roaring fire, and a good book. But when his life long friend Lady Jane asks for his help, Lenox cannot resist the chance to unravel a mystery.
Prudence Smith, One of Jane former servants, is dead of an apparent suicide. But Lenox suspects something far more sinister: Murder, By a rare and deadly poison. The grand house where the girl worked is full of suspects, and though Prue had dabbled with the hearts of more than a few men, Lenox is baffled by the motive for the girl's death.
when another body turns up during the London season's most fashionable ball, Lenox must untangle a web of loyalties and animosities. was it jealously that killed Prudence Smith? or was it something else entirely? and can Lenox answer before the killer strikes again - this time, disturbingly close to home?.