'Michael Innes is in a class by himself' - Times Literary Supplement


A vast and glittering party, attended by the pinnacles of society, is held at the expansive Seamnum Court. The high-profile guests mill about the sweeping estate. All is pleasant and cordial. Or is it?


As the guests prepare for their amateur production of Hamlet, thinly veiled threats are secretly delivered among attendees. As tensions mount, the Duke of Horton, The Lord Chancellor of England, is killed during his portrayal of Polonius.


With the spectre of war looming, it seems that espionage may be afoot. The Prime Minister dispatches Inspector John Appleby to investigate. But within hours of Appleby's arrival, he has another body on his hands.


Acting on orders, Appleby attempts to locate a sensitive government document. But as he searches for clues, he finds he may be stuck in a calculated game of personal vengeance. In this closed quarters party, Appleby must unearth the motive to find the killer with a deadly grudge.