“Peter Dickinson is my own chosen demigod in the pantheon of crime fiction.”
—Laurie R. King

For best-selling author Lady Margaret, the past is no longer a pleasant memory. Her first lover's mysterious death and the seeming inevitability of her inheriting the family's stately home are cast in new light by secrets unwillingly revisited. The first in a series of reprints of Peter Dickinson's mysteries, this classic British mystery will win fans currently engrossed in Downton Abbey.

Praise for Peter Dickinson's mysteries:

"A literary magician controlling an apparently inexhaustible supply of effects . . . Craftsmanship such as this makes for compulsive reading."
—Penelope Lively

"He is the true original, a superb writer who revitalises the traditions of the mystery genre . . . incapable of writing a trite or inelegant sentence . . . a master."
—P. D. James

"He sets new standards in the mystery field that will be hard to live up to."
—Ruth Rendell

"He has an eye and a mind and a voice like no other."
—Donald E. Westlake

"A fresh triumph . . . a simultaneous insight into kids and their minders, and emerging nations, and the concept of freedom - all done with consummate story-telling skill."
—Peter Lovesey

"Read this book carefully. It's a jewel."
—The New York Times Review

"Brilliantly imaginative first detective story . . .wonderfully convincing."
—The Observer

"Mr Dickinson is the most original crime novelist to appear for a long, long time."
—The Guardian

"Brilliantly original, as always."
—Times Literary Supplement

"Wry, witty, irresistible."
—The Financial Times

"Dickinson tops all his prizewinners with this stunning psychological thriller."
—Publishers Weekly

Peter Dickinson has twice received the Crime Writers' Association's Gold Dagger. He lives in England and is married to the novelist Robin McKinley.