When a modest family account book commands an extraordinary price at a Thornwick Manor auction, retired Oxford professor Penny Harrington senses more than competitive collecting at work. But when the successful bidder, renowned book expert Dr.
Julian Whitmore, is found dead in his locked inn room—poisoned by the very pages he sought to decode—Penny discovers the book holds secrets worth killing for.Hidden within the volume's antique binding are fragments of a criminal catalog spanning generations: stolen masterpieces, forged provenance, and a sophisticated art laundering operation that reaches into Thornwick's most trusted institutions.
As Penny unravels the connection between historical bookbinding techniques and contemporary murder, she realizes someone has been manufacturing an entire false history to legitimize stolen treasures.With her methodical investigation skills and deep knowledge of literature, Penny must expose a killer who wields expertise in both chemistry and historical preservation—before another expert becomes the next victim of this deadly deception.
