When Sherry, Lucien''s friend and fellow agent, asks him to investigate his half-brother''s death and to take Lady Anne along to support the widow, Lucien didn''t expect to find the inquiry so complicated. The brother was a bookish blue-stocking, not the likely type to collect enemies.

Yet, Lucien uncovers a surprising number of recent events that might have resulted in deep-seated anger and deadly violence-a crooked card game, a forbidden "pistols at dawn," a disputed berry patch, a horse swindle, and a blackmailer''s attempt to discredit the Crown. Even the widow and the local magistrate are under Lady''s Anne''s suspicious eye.

What they hadn''t counted on was the killer wasn''t finished and wasn''t opposed to removing anyone else in the way. In order to prevent another murder...or two, Lucien and Lady Anne find themselves dodging bullets in their efforts to bring a murderer to justice.