One hundred and fifty years later, the mansion is now occupied by Jonathon Lydell IV, an elderly descendant of the original owner and once again the Stranger Room yields a murder victim and, as in the first case, the door is locked from the inside. Also, as in the first murder, there are no clues and very little is known about the victim.

Jonathon Lydell IV considers himself a southern gentleman and an aristocrat and wants nothing to do with police investigations. It doesn’t help matters any that the Sheriff, Ike Schwartz, is Jewish and FBI agent Karl Hedrick is African American. Jonathon’s arrogant bigotry comes through loud and clear as he throws one obstacle after another in front of the investigators.

The cast of characters is rounded out with the addition of the LeBrun brothers, a couple of unscrupulous rednecks with an eye on the Sheriff’s job. They do a lot more than just get in the Sheriff’s way.

But Schwartz and Hedrick have a few allies as well including a conscientious deputy and a dedicated police dispatcher who is willing to go beyond the call of duty.

There are enough red herrings to keep mystery enthusiasts happy and there’s plenty of action for adventure fans.

It’s a really good story and it’s put together well so that it flows easily. This book is a quick read and will leave you wanting more.