American Anglophile Dorothy Martin heads to the picturesque city of Victoria on Vancouver Island to investigate a series of petty crimes - that soon turn deadly.

When Dorothy Martin and her ex-policeman husband Alan are asked by some good friends to look into a series of petty crimes that are perplexing the local Mounties in the picturesque Canadian city of Victoria, they immediately jump on a plane to British Columbia and settle themselves into the heart of the local community. Drinking champagne with the local businessman and would-be politician as well as cups of tea with the local recluse, they infiltrate all ranks of Victoria society. But when a young woman goes missing and a body is discovered, it would appear that the petty crimes have turned deadly.

With their ability to get to the root of a crime and dig out the culprit, it's not long before Dorothy and Alan realize they have embarked on a trip that will become far more dangerous than they ever envisaged.

A nice way to shake up the series without altering it structurally, giving the action a fresh feel while retaining all of its familiar elements. Good stuff for cozy fans * Booklist *
Tension runs high until the surprise ending, the depravity tempered by lyrical descriptions of Victoria and environs * Kirkus Reviews *
An Anglophile's delight, piled high with enchanting details of arcane rituals, all neatly wrapped around a nice case of murder * Kirkus Reviews on A Dagger Before Me *
Dams shows Dorothy at her inquisitive, resourceful, determined best. Fans of the series will be pleased to see this engaging heroine once more * Booklist on Crisis at the Cathedral *
The writing is crisp, the cast of characters is richly described, and the story is delightfully convoluted. For fans of Dams' brand of mystery, a sure-fire hit * Booklist on The Missing Masterpiece *
Another charming cozy featuring two very likable senior sleuths who show no signs of slowing down * Booklist on Smile and be a Villain *