About the book
From his majestic eighteenth century English manor, Sir Adrian Beauclerk-Fisk, a millionaire, indulges in writing mystery novels and teasing his four spoiled children with the threat of disinheritance. However, growing weary of this game, the rotund patriarch decides to introduce a sinister twist into his already well-established scheme. Assembling his family for a dinner, he drops the bombshell of his clandestine marriage to the captivating Violet, a woman once suspected of murdering her spouse.
Shortly after this revelation, the eldest son and designated heir, Ruthven, is discovered brutally murdered with a medieval weapon. Given Ruthven's unpopularity, nobody appears particularly shocked or saddened by his demise - especially not his calculating wife Lillian. Tasked with unraveling the mystery, Detective Chief Inspector St. Just encounters a chilling composure that transcends the customary English stoicism. Before long, Sir Adrian himself is found lifeless at his writing desk, a decorative knife plunged into his chest. Trapped amidst eerie gargoyles and imposing stone walls, each family member becomes a prime suspect. Can St. Just, armed with his no-nonsense attitude and physical prowess, unmask the killer before the next potential heir inherits a deadly fate?
