Even the oldest, wildest legends are usually born from some kernel of truth. Elizabeth Bathory’s claim to fame was as a 16th century Hungarian noblewoman who preserved her youth by bathing in the blood of hundreds virgins. But even if the truth is less salacious, surely there must be something to it. Shelley Puhak makes the case that Elizabeth Bathory deserves no such derision.
Carol Spencer, at the behest of her Newport-based mother, agrees to open the Maine summer home ahead of the rest of the family’s arrival. Expecting to find some harried housekeepers looking for clean sheets and an overgrown garden, Carol is shocked to discover the dead body of a stranger.
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.