The Hunt Ball Mystery

A missing suitcase threatens Hugh Gifford's plans for a country dance before a more unsettling encounter begins. Travelling with his friend Harry Kelson, he shares a carriage with Clement Henshaw, whose confident manners immediately cause friction. The ball will take place at Wynford Place, an estate formerly owned by Gifford's uncle and recently sold to Morriston. Familiar surroundings and awkward introductions establish the social tensions of William Magnay's mystery novel.

Clues and private conversations draw that social world into a darker puzzle. In the woods, Gifford observes Edith Morriston walking with Gervase Henshaw and worries about the troubled expression on her face. His suspicions shape what he thinks he has witnessed, while his concern for her competes with the rules of polite conduct. Readers who enjoy country house mysteries can follow both the physical clues signalled in the chapter headings and the uncertain judgments that arise from loyalty, distrust and appearances.