Dimpson McCabe (Dimpsie) has invited all of his closest friends of the theatre world to join him for Christmas at his castle on a private island a few hours’ drive from Edinburgh. The festivities have barely had a chance to begin when poor Dimpsie is found draped atop the Christmas tree, electrocuted by the lights with which it is festooned. The Sheriff’s Court yields a verdict of Accidental Death, but in the swirling snow suspicion is dancing among the flakes. Through Dimpsie’s cadre of directors, producers, actors, secretaries and agents runs a hot streak of hidden grievances and theatrical scheming, and as the group return to London the dogged Inspector Smith begins to circle, seeking to find the leading man or prima donna responsible for this ghoulish crime. First published in 1948 and lost for over 75 years, this classic seasonal murder mystery is long overdue its bedazzling return to print.
