Meet Mrs Melita Pargeter, a vivacious widow with a talent for solving mysteries.

Accompanying her dear friend Jasmine to a charity reception, Melita is looking forward to an evening of champagne and canapes. It turns out to be a more eventful occasion than she expected.

First of all, a woman introduces herself as the late Mr P’s sister. But Melita knows full well that her dearly departed husband never had a sister.

And no sooner has the night begun, the lights go off, plunging the hall into darkness.

When the lights come back on minutes later, the prize auction item — a gaudy gold necklace — has disappeared.

Two days later, the body of one of Melita’s fellow guests is found in a shallow grave in Epping Forest.

With the event organisers more concerned with the charity’s public relations than the murder, Melita decides to investigate.

But finding herself in more danger than ever, she has to ask: Is any mystery worth this much trouble?

Fans of Agatha Christie, M.C. Beaton, The Thursday Murder Club, Faith Martin, Jeanne M. Dams and Jane Adams will be hooked from the very first page!