For friends and lovers Orlando Coppersmith and Jonty Stewart, a visit to Bath starts out full of promise. While Orlando assesses the value of some old manuscripts, Jonty plans to finish his book of sonnets. Nothing exciting…until they are asked to investigate the mysterious death of a prostitute.
Then Orlando discovers that the famous curse of Macbeth extends far beyond the stage. It’s bad enough that Jonty gets drawn into a local theatre’s rehearsals of the play. The producer is none other than Jimmy Harding, a friend from Jonty’s university days who clearly finds his old pal irresistible. Worse, Jimmy makes sure Orlando knows it, posing the greatest threat so far to their happiness.
With Jonty involved in the play, Orlando must do his sleuthing alone. Meanwhile, Jonty finds himself sorely tempted by Jimmy’s undeniable allure. Even if Orlando solves the murder, his only reward could be burying his and Jonty’s love in an early grave…
I don't know where to begin. The introduction of Jonty's old friend, Jimmy Harding is troubling from the first "hello" to both Jonty and Orlando and their relationship. When they are asked to solve a twenty-five year old murder, the pair is thrilled even though their personal commitments find themselves splitting the investigation and doing most of it individually. Even though Orlando continues to come into his own in the world and the intimacy between him and his lover, he is still uncomfortable with the personal nature of their latest case. I truly love the couple and their growing relationship, especially in context to the era. The mysteries that they are commissioned to investigate continue to intrigue me. It's time to start #6.
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