It is 1926 and Marchioness Emilia Malade is hosting a weekend house party at Down-at-Heel Abbey. She has invited various improving speakers and guests with the hope of establishing a reputation for interesting house-parties. Her idea is that this will attract rich young men to visit and meet her daughters, fall in love and restore the fortunes of the Abbey. But now all her plans are up in smoke for the new estate manager, Mr Aix, has been murdered by the Temple of Venus in the grounds, which will create quite a different attraction. As the party wait for the police they wonder, who committed Murder at Down-at-Heel Abbey?
Characters
Marchioness Emilia Malade
Emilia Malade is the daughter of an American oil tycoon who thought she would find a better class of husband amongst the English country manor set. She has invited various guests to the house this weekend in hopes of "improving” her daughters. But would she kill to protect the Abbey?
Maud Brownose
Maud Brownose is the housekeeper. Everything runs like clockwork because she makes sure it does. She is prepared to flatter, obey and agree with whoever is acting in the best interests of the house but that doesn’t mean she is loyal to them. She is truly loyal to the house and only the house. Would she kill to protect it?
Hortense Butler
Hortense is a world-renowned lady explorer. She has been up the Amazon, down the Nile and in and out of everywhere else in between. She has come to give some improving talks on her fantastic adventures with her assistant Dorothy Eager.