Escaping the city doesn't mean escaping the criminals... 1916, Midwinter Manor: Desperate for a Christmas weekend break from war-torn London, Hannah Merrill and her Aunt Violet take Bartleby the cat and themselves off to visit Hannah's sister, in her beautiful country estate, deep in the English countryside. The huge house is full of relatives, friends and merrymakers, and everyone's excited to have a Christmas to remember. But then, when a fellow-guest's body is found in the library - apparently bludgeoned to death - and a precious ruby is stolen from another guest, it appears that it's going to be memorable for all the wrong reasons. With the house snowed in, and the rural police force completely incapable of finding a single credible suspect, Hannah and Aunt Violet realise that once again it's going to be down to them to get to the bottom of it. Because whoever's behind the crimes must be at Midwinter Manor... And if they're not found, who knows what their next 'gift' will be?