Part of Aunt Dimity Mystery, book 8
First published 2004
Lori Shepherd accompanies her husband Bill to the grand country estate of Earl Elstyn for a will reading that promises to reshape the entire family fortune. The aristocratic earl has gathered his relatives to announce who will inherit his wealth, but the gathering takes a sinister turn when someone begins targeting the family with escalating acts of sabotage. A topiary bursts into flames. Threatening notes appear throughout the house. The maid acts suspiciously, and buried family secrets surface one by one. As the attacks grow bolder and more dangerous, Lori realizes the perpetrator plans to burn down the entire estate with everyone inside. She turns to her ghostly confidante Aunt Dimity for guidance, racing to unmask the vengeful culprit before the final, deadly strike destroys the Elstyn family forever.
Genres: suspense, mystery, thriller, cozy-mystery
Vibes: atmospheric, cozy, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, found-family, ghost-story
Setting: Country Estate
Period: Contemporary
213 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Penguin Books