First published 1987
The guests arrive at Number 5 expecting an ordinary social gathering. What they find instead is a web of secrets that turns their elegant evening into something far more dangerous. As the night progresses, tensions rise among the assembled company. Old grudges surface. Hidden motives emerge. Someone among them harbors deadly intentions. The house itself seems to hold secrets in its rooms and corridors. Each guest carries private reasons for being there, and not all of them are innocent. When violence erupts, the survivors must confront the truth about why they were really invited. The party becomes a trap where past sins demand payment. Trust dissolves as quickly as the evening's pretense of civility. In this classic British mystery, Shelley Smith weaves a tale where social conventions mask murderous intent and where a simple invitation leads to deadly consequences.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Number 5
Period: 20th-century
Hardcover · Constable and Company Ltd