Synopsis
After the death of the eccentric Philip Haynes, his children are bound by an unusual condition in his will: if they want to keep their inheritance, they must gather for dinner twice a year at Underwood House. It's an arrangement almost guaranteed to cause trouble, since the Haynes family neither like nor trust one another, and even the future of the house itself is bitterly disputed. Then the deaths begin. First Philippa dies suddenly in her bed. Then Winifred falls over a balustrade. By the time Edward is found drowned in the lake, people are beginning to talk of murder. At the request of an old friend, Angela Marchmont reluctantly agrees to look into the matter. But as she uncovers the resentments and rivalries within the Haynes family, it soon becomes clear that someone is determined to keep the truth buried—and that Angela herself may be in grave danger. A classic 1920s country-house murder mystery, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers and traditional British whodunits.