Megan Black

In Agatha Christie’s short story “The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor”, Poirot investigates the case of a middle-aged man who died under suspicious circumstances just weeks after insuring his life for 50,000 pounds. Could the man, who was in financial straits, have killed himself to benefit his beautiful young wife?

With her inquisitive mind, Charlotte Holmes has never felt comfortable with the demureness expected of the fairer sex in upper-class society. But even she never thought that she would become a social pariah, an outcast fending for herself on the mean streets of London. When the city is struck by a trio of unexpected deaths and suspicion falls on her sister and her father, Charlotte is desperate to find the true culprits and clear the family name.

After a miraculous escape from death, Brother Haluin wishes to confess that he was responible for the death of the girl he loved and the baby she was to bear, 18 years previously. Brother Cadfael accompanies a crippled young monk on his journey of penance - a path that leads them into a web of old jealousy and deceit. The mission to beg forgiveness also brings death, and Brother Cadfael investigates.

When the castle of Shrewsbury is taken during the war between Empress Maud and King Stephen, 94 prisoners are taken, 94 are hanged. When Brother Cadfael arrives to perform the burial rites, he finds one corpse too many among the bodies stacked about the fortress.