When the master of a wealthy household, is found face down in his morning porridge, it would seem that Murdoch has entered into a conventional drawing room mystery. The characters are all there: The murdered Percival, his aggrieved wife and two very different sons. But whereas most drawing room mysteries revolve around the affairs of the upper class, Murdoch learns that the heart of this mystery lies in the servant's hall below the stairs, where there's a mix of unsettled emotions and grudges to bear.