The original paranormal detective returns in the latest installment of a beloved mystery series

Lori Shepherd’s life in England couldn’t be more tranquil or more satisfying—except for one thing. Her five- year-old twins have started school, and Lori fears they’ll catch everything from the flu to fleas. What they do come home with, however, is worse: a report of a pale, cloaked figure with bloodstained lips lurking in the woods.

Lori is skeptical at first but soon grows concerned enough to consult with her late (but not entirely departed) Aunt Dimity and her dear friend Kit Smith. The vampire-hunting trail leads to Leo, a charismatic vagabond who just returned to England after a self-imposed exile, a bitter old crone named Lizzie Black, and finally to Aldercot Hall, where a mysterious murder took place forty years ago. With Kit and Aunt Dimity’s help, Lori uncovers the secret that will shock everyone—including herself—about the true identity of the twins’ vampire.

With its placid English countryside setting, eccentric characters, and lighthearted charm, Atherton’s newest novel will enchant cozy mystery aficionados and the many loyal readers of the Aunt Dimity series.