Late in her career, CWA cofounder Morna MacTaggart—better known by her pen name E.X. Ferrars—introduced retired botanist Andrew Basnett. Ever curious, the professor also seems to have a talent for stumbling across murders when one least expects to, as he does in this sixth book in the series. Perhaps it's not too surprising, given that it's Christmas—a holiday he's always had some trouble with—but certainly no one thought Sir Lucas Dearden would go and get himself blown up. It being the 1980s, everyone blames the IRA and moves on, but some of the details don't quite add up for Basnett.