
In an alternate 17th‑century world where magic, not physics, drives progress, the ancient stone halls of Castle D’Evreux hum with routine and ritual. Sir Pierre Morlaix, a seasoned courtier, arrives for his daily audience only to find the Count dead, his lavish attire stained with a fresh, crimson wound. The quiet morning, broken by the Angelus bell, quickly turns into a tense mystery as the household grapples with the sudden loss and the unsettling silence that follows.
Amid the gilded tapestries and the echo of prayers, Lady Mary Duncan faces a dilemma: attend Mass as a guest of the dead lord or confront the unsettling reality of his demise. As whispers of intrigue swirl through the corridors, the story invites listeners to step into a world where honor, superstition, and hidden motives intersect, promising a compelling investigation that hinges on the secrets locked within the castle’s stone walls.
Language
en
Duration
~1 hours (86K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Greg Weeks, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2010-01-02
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1927–1987
A lively, versatile voice in mid-20th-century science fiction and fantasy, he wrote everything from space adventure to clever mystery-fantasy crossovers. He is especially remembered for the Lord Darcy stories, which blend detective fiction with an alternate world shaped by magic.
View all books