A long weekend at the seaside should be enjoyable for the Thorntons, but murder soon changes everything. Mr George Carmichael has invited them to his home to celebrate the birthday of his elder daughter Prudence.

Alexandra and Edith can’t understand why, because even though they had attended Miss Violet’s Finishing School together, they never liked Prudence Carmichael, nor she them. Alexandra suspected that Mr George wanted to quiz her father over the prices of his various antiques.

This had happened before, but they’d never all been invited. After travelling from Thornton Park to Queenscliff, a town on the Victorian coast, they arrive at Monterey, the Carmichael’s home.

On the first evening, tensions run high between Prudence and her younger sister, Winifred, over the possession of an emerald necklace. Alexandra also discovers that almost everyone has their hand out wanting money, as if they consider George Carmichael their personal bank manager.

Later that evening when murder happens, Alexandra isn’t surprised. However, she is astonished at who is murdered.

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