Jefferson Grammaticus and his business partners, Jocelyn and Jerome Freeman, had spent two years on the extensive renovation of a two hundred year old building, set in expansive grounds, with the River Darle as it's northern-most boundary.The building work was now finished, the decoration and furnishings were in their appointed rooms, rich drapes adorned the windows, and French crystal chandeliers were being hung. The opening weekend - which included a murder/mystery dinner (in fancy dress) - had been advertised, and bookings taken. Then finally, after all the work and graft, the decisions, the purchases, the planning and last minute hitches, all was ready. Grammaticus booked in his first guests with great optimism, believing that 'The Manse' had a sparkling future ahead of it. He was soon to be disabused of this, however, when two people were killed and another lay gravely ill! And it had all happened on the night of the murder/mystery dinner, except that the bodies were actually dead! Into this fearful and mistrustful mixture of guests and staff, D I Harry Falconer and D S Davey Carmichael arrive, to try to make sense of how the tragedies had occurred and who was responsible for them.