Buried for Pleasure

In the ostensibly tranquil English village of Sanford Angelorum, Oxford professor and amateur detective Gervase Fen takes a sabbatical from academia to embark on an unlikely political campaign for Parliament. However, his foray into local canvassing quickly unearths a sinister undercurrent: a ruthless blackmailer is preying on the villagers, exploiting their hidden secrets. When those who come too close to uncovering the blackmailer's identity meet untimely ends, the pastoral facade crumbles. Weary of political machinations, Fen turns his sharp intellect towards solving the escalating mystery. He soon finds himself embroiled in a labyrinthine plot involving a cast of peculiar characters, including eccentric psychiatrists, escaped asylum patients, alluring women, and the elusive quest for lost heirs. Crispin masterfully weaves a complex web of clues and red herrings, challenging Fen's deductive prowess at every turn, in a narrative praised for its wit, intricate plotting, and occasional dark suspense.