Meet Peter Maxwell: widower, film buff, golden-hearted cynic, bow-tied eccentric teacher . . . and reluctant amateur sleuth.

It’s not every day Peter Maxwell finds a corpse on his doorstep.

Yet as the clock strikes midnight at New Year, the doorbell rings and there lies the frozen body of Elizabeth Pride, an elderly recluse . . . and a known witch.

Elizabeth is stiff and covered in frost with a stab wound to the neck. But more bizarre . . . the killer clearly wanted Maxwell to find her.

The police have no leads and no murder weapon. Only rumours of curses and strange happenings in Leighford.

History teacher Maxwell knows witchcraft is firmly in the past. But this killer is very much in the present. And in Leighford.

As more bodies begin to mount up, Maxwell soon realises he is dealing with something much darker than witchcraft . . .

A calculating killer with a plan. And they aren’t finished yet . . .

If you love Faith Martin, Richard Osman, Ian Moore, Rob Rinder, Sarah Yarwood-Lovett, Janice Hallett, M.C. Beaton or Simon Brett, prepare to be hooked by this character-driven thrilling mystery!