That brash young woman called Lee Montgomery is no doubt marrying Charles Richardson for his money. Thatโs the unequivocal conclusion of Sheila Maloryโs circle of friends. Despite their disapproval, Mrs. Malory answers Charlesโs plea for help when his unsuitable fiancรฉe suddenly goes missing. Mrs. Malory, who is a no-nonsense English matron with a penchant for marmalade, nineteenth- century novels, and snooping, considers herself the quintessential reluctant amateur detective with a specialty in murder. Now, she feels chillingly sure that something dreadful has happened in this quiet seaside village of Taviscombe. It is her insatiable curiosity, after all, that leads her to discover the stranger waiting by the waterโs edgeโand the shocking truths no one wants to faceโฆ