Gabriel Lacey, retired Dragoon Captain on half-pay, accepts
a position as secretary to Rutledge, the head master at
Sudbury, a school for boys with wealthy merchant families.
After solving numerous murders in London, Gabriel needs the
peace and healing life the country can provide. He left
London estranged from a dear married friend with whom he's
involved in a complicated relationship. The loss of her
friendship threatens to push him into a deep melancholia, a
condition to which he's prone.
Upon his arrival, Rutledge demands Gabriel solve a series
of vicious pranks inflicted upon the school's staff. As
Gabriel begins his investigation, the stable master is
murdered. To Gabriel's astonishment, the victim had ties to
James Denis, a powerful London criminal with whom Gabriel
has established an uneasy alliance.
Coming to Gabriel's aid is Lucius Grenville, a wealthy and
influential man who counts the prickly captain as a
treasured friend. Lucius and Gabriel encounter greed, fear
and blackmail within the school. Gabriel ties the subtle
complexities of the case together, but not before there are
more deaths. When the killer attacks and severely wounds
Grenville, Gabriel swears to exact revenge and unmask the
murderer.
Gardner's fourth Gabriel Lacey mystery draws readers
further into Gabriel's complex world. The story line is
compelling, and watching the dynamics between the
characters is as fascinating as the murders. Don't miss
this excellent series!