Beatrice Steele has none of the accomplishments of a true lady: she is terrible at needlework has no musical ability and her artwork is frighteningly bad. Beatrice also harbours a dark secret: an obsession with true crime cases. But she's vowed to put this most unladylike obsession behind her. Eligible bachelor Edmund Croaksworth is set to attend the autumnal ball and the Steele family hopes that her eldest sister Louisa will steal his heart. Beatrice needs be on her best behaviour. . . though that's made more difficult when a disgraced yet strangely alluring detective inexplicably shows up to the ball. Just as Beatrice thinks she's gotten away with it Croaksworth drops dead mid-dance. As a storm rages outside the evening descends into a frenzy as it becomes clear they are trapped with a killer. But maybe it's Beatrice's time to shine. . .