Only hours after Holmes and Russell return from solving one riddle on the moor, another knocks on their front door - literally. It's a mystery that begins during the Great War, when Gabriel Hughenfort died amidst scandalous rumors that have haunted the family ever since. But it's not until Holmes and Russell arrive at Justice Hall, a home of unearthly perfection set in a garden modeled on Paradise, that they fully understand the irony echoed in the family motto, Justicia fortitudo mea est: "Righteousness is my strength."

Laurie R. King has won many awards for her work including the prestigious John Creasey Dagger, the Edgar, the Nero and Macavity Awards. In 2022 she was named Grand Master by Mystery Writers of America. King is the author of highly praised stand-alone suspense novels and a contemporary mystery series, as well as the Mary Russell & Sherlock Holmes series. She lives in Northern California.