Swanton Morley sets off to Essex to continue his history of England, The County Guides. Morley's daughter Miriam continues to cause chaos and his assistant Stephen continues to slide deeper into depression. Morley is an honorary guest at the Colchester Oyster Festival. When the mayor dies suddenly suspicion falls on his fellow councillors. Is it a case of food poisoning? Or could it be... murder? A little gem of English crime writing.