Miss D. Awdrey-Gore, renowned 97-year-old writer of detective stories, is found murdered; then a mysterious hidden packet is discovered. Addressed to her publisher, it contains what appear to be notes and drawings related to a literary work in progress. The contents in their entirety though certain things are patently missingo comprise clues about the who, what, when, where, and how of Awdrey-Gore's demise. Or do they? Edward Gorey takes us on a rollicking ride in this merry murder mystery, but whether or not the killer is revealed is open to speculation. As one scrap of paper in the packet states, The smallest clue may be (or not) / The one to give away the plot.o