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!