When widow Mimi received an invite to socialite Jane Ireland's charity auction, her inclination is to say no. Despite being neighbors on small, car-free Mackinac Island, they've never been friends and Mimi's always though Jane's relationship with her son-in-law was just too scandalous for words. But along with the invitation, Mimi also gets a threat to buy a specific item or have her deepest secret revealed. Mimi invites her game-designer granddaughter Addie along for moral support, but when Jane turns up dead before the evening is over, Addie's amateur sleuthing skills and love of classic murder mysteries comes in handy. Especially once the party becomes snowbound and everyone in attendance is a suspect.
Set in a grand mansion complete with a conservatory, study, lounge, observatory, basement speakeasy, and secret passages, and with an eclectic group of party guests in themed period costume, this homage to Clue could easily be a cheap imitation of the classic movie and board game, especially once the blackmail element enters the scene. However, the well-plotted clues and red herrings, as well as Addie's game-design background, keep the story fresh and captivating. I had the hardest time settling on whodunnit, switching my guess from chapter to chapter as more information was revealed, and honestly didn't guess the outcome (though looking back, the clues were there — I just missed them in all the other information!). An excellent throwback to classic locked-room mysteries, highly recommended.
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