Behold, Here’s Poison

Gregory Matthews dies at his family home after an evening of quarrelling, and the household initially assumes that his health has finally failed. A post-mortem instead reveals poison, leaving Hannasyde with a group of relatives who all disliked the victim and all had access to him.

The family’s arguments expose rival claims on money, property and personal freedom, but their candour does not make the crime easier to solve. Hannasyde must distinguish genuine hostility from the planning required to administer a concealed poison.