The third Myrtle Hardcastle mystery takes place at Christmas time in the small village of Swinburne.
Part of the festivities in the town at this time of year revolve around a yearly Display of the town in miniature, crafted by the owner of Leighton's Mercantile. Everyone dreams of the Display and the important events of the town the previous year depicted in the shop window.
This year, the owner is late opening the curtain on his work of art. His wife bustles into the shop, however, and draws the curtain before looking for her husband.
Everything is perfect in it's detail, as always, except none of the expected events are depicted. Instead, the focus is on the unexpected inclusion of a nearby college campus. At the center of that is the campanile, a bell tower, with a crowd of people at its base. Near them is a black painted well, and some olives.
There's a scream just then from within the shop, and a gasp of horror from within the crowd itself.
Inside the store, Mr. Leighton is dead. He's been made to drink hemlock. He sits bolt upright in his chair, staring.
Thus begins the unraveling of a mystery from the town's past. A young girl fell from the bell tower but was never found. It seems several prominent people in the past, including Myrtle's own beloved mother, may have been involved somehow in the disappearance of Olive Blackwell.
Myrtle and Miss Judson have their work cut out for them this time, trying to piece together past and present, and hoping to prevent more murders, which inevitably come to Swinburne.
It's one thing to investigate murder among strangers, but when you know all of the suspects well, it's a difficult task.
Next year's Myrtle book is revealed on the last page: In Myrtle Peril.
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