England, 1921. Intrepid reporter Poppy Denby is headed to the English countryside to cover an auction of ancient Egyptian treasures, hosted by renowned explorer Sir James Maddox on his beautiful estate - Winterton Hall.

Maddox is auctioning priceless artefacts from his travels, including the death mask of Queen Nefertiti, which is alleged to carry a curse... Poppy is not one to believe in superstition but when an unfortunate 'accident' during the clay-pigeon shooting leaves one of the gun boys badly injured and she finds herself chased while walking the gardens, that's enough for Miss Denby to smell a headline!

But when Sir James is found dead it's clear there is more at stake than just a byline. Is someone out to reclaim the ancient treasures, by any means necessary? And if so is anyone at Winterton Hall safe?

Fiona Veitch Smith is a lover of Golden Age mysteries and historical fiction and has been shortlisted for the CWA Historical Dagger. She has worked as a journalist, a university lecturer and a communications manager, and mentors new novelists. She grew up in Northumberland, then spent her teens and twenties in South Africa. She now lives in Newcastle upon Tyne.