The acclaimed author brings us crime at a country-house Christmas party in "one of her best and most baffling mysteries" (Daily Express).It''s the Christmas season in 1972, and Agatha Troy is at a house party, enjoying the local holiday pageant and also painting the host''s portrait. The painting''s coming along fine, but the pageant goes a little pear-shaped when one of the players disappears. Could one of the eccentric guests have been involved? Or could the finger of blame come to rest on one of the manor-house servants, each of whom happens to be a recent prison parolee? Inspector Alleyn is on hand to wrap up the case . . ."So dashed entertaining." —Kirkus Reviews"Any Ngaio Marsh story is certain to be Grade A." —The New York Times
