Horatia "Horrie" Pedler is the owner of the successful publisher, Pedlar's Pack (yes, the two names are spelled differently). Marmion Poole is one of the authors who made her a success, but when he returns from years of living abroad and wants her to publish his tell-all memoirs, Horrie is in a predicament. This "elegant thriller" (Times Literary Supplement) is basically a light novel with some mystery trimmings. I enjoyed it, but it's not (unfortunately) a detective novel.

Character Sir John Samaurez, the amateur detective in two other books by Dane and Simpson, makes a couple of appearances, but I wouldn't call this one part of his series. ( )