Six guests are invited to Midwinter Trust, an upscale, exclusive resort in the North Pennines. Fieldstone buildings, cozy fireplaces, gourmet meals, a quiet place to enjoy the holiday. The perfect setting for a few people to start dying under mysterious circumstances.
The author has scoured arcane dictionaries, language guides, and encyclopedias to find interesting idioms and items.
Just a few months after Ward solved the Case of Mice and Murder, he is called on once again to investigate mysterious happenings at Inner Temple. As December snows soften the clatter of cobblestones and edges of brickworks, select members of the bar are the unlucky recipients of horrendous gifts.
In the early 1900s, many very smart people were convinced there was life on Mars. Not just some bacteria or algae — actual intelligent creatures that built civilizations on the face of the Red Planet. For a time, Mars and Martians became all the rage in science, culture, fashion, and literature. The most fascinating part of this mania is that it’s not as crazy as it sounds.
Agatha is a writer whose first novel was insanely popular. These days she struggles to get any words on the page, paralyzed by the pressure of creating something even remotely as successful. Her husband surprises her with a first-class ticket to Montreal, a six-hour train ride with drinks, snacks, and quiet — and no Wifi or cell service.