It's London in 1876, and the whole city is abuzz with the enigmatic
disappearance of a famous foreign pianist. Lenox has an eye on the
matter - as a partner in a now thriving detective agency, he's a natural
choice to investigate. Just when he's tempted to turn his focus to it
entirely, however, his grieving brother asks him to come down to Sussex,
and Lenox leaves the metropolis behind for the quieter country life of
his boyhood. Or so he thinks. Something strange is afoot in Markethouse:
small thefts, books, blankets, animals, and more alarmingly a break-in
at the house of a local insurance agent. As he and his brother
investigate this accumulation of mysteries, Lenox realizes that
something very strange and serious indeed may be happening, more than
just local mischief. Soon, he's racing to solve two cases at once, one
in London and one in the country, before either turns deadly. Blending
Charles Finch's trademark wit, elegance, and depth of research, this new
mystery, equal parts Jane Austen and Charles Dickens, may be the finest
in the series.