Book excerpt: "Georgette Heyer has given me such great pleasure over the years in my reading, and rereading, of her stories. —#1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts 'Tis the Season—for murder... A colorful assortment of guests at a festive holiday house party discover there is a killer in their midst when their universally reviled host is found dead—in a room locked from the inside. For Inspector Hemingway of Scotland Yard, the investigation is complicated by the fact that every guest is hiding something—throwing all their testimony into question and casting suspicion far and wide. The clever and daring crime will mystify readers, yet the answer is in plain sight all along... PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED AS ENVIOUS CASCA Georgette Heyer wrote over fifty books, including Regency romances, mysteries, and historical fiction. Her barrister husband, Ronald Rougier, provided many of the plots for her detective novels, which are classic English country house mysteries reminiscent of Agatha Christie. Heyer was legendary for her research, historical accuracy, inventive plots, and sparkling characterization. "Sit back, slip away to a happier time and enjoy." —New York Times bestselling author Kasey Michaels "One never forgets one's first Heyer." —New York Times bestselling author Mary Jo Putney "The wittiest of detective writers." —Daily Mail "Miss Heyer's characters and dialogue are an abiding delight to me." —Dorothy L. Sayers