The lead singer of a 60s rock band who is believed to have committed suicide 35 years earlier suddenly materializes and wants to reorganize the group.

Dr Stephen Black is found murdered on a tour bus visiting Crevecoeur Hall, where Hathaway's father was once estate manager so the sergeant knows the family. The murder weapon,a candlestick,is found in the family chapel and the priest once knew the victim,who was seen in the grounds a week earlier by Hopkiss the butler and Lord Mortmaigne's nephew Philip. Then the current estate manager dies,an apparent suicide,and Black seems to have known his wife Linda,who left him six years earlier. Whilst Lewis fears Hathaway's friendship with the family -especially daughter Scarlett,making a wealthy marriage to save family fortunes - makes him partial and gives him leave Black's colleague Frances Woodville tells Lewis that Black was after alleged buried treasure,dating from the Civil War, at Crevecoeur Hall. No treasure is unearthed but dark family secrets are,relating to the actual fate of Linda and the reason for Black's death.

Professor Andrew Crompton, an amateur astronomer, is found dead in the university observatory after visiting a priest for confession. A note-book belonging to student Jez Haydock is found by the body and Jez's tutor, Gwen Raeburn, is quick to go through the dead man's belongings. The widow believed her husband was having an affair and obsequious porter Roger Temple names Ella Ransome, a G.P., as the other woman - and then she too is killed. Roger proves to be a manipulator though not a murderer but his father knows the identity of the killer. He's a retired porter, now in a home where he is regarded as senile and deluded but Lewis needs him to get to the truth.

Six couples arrive at out of term Chaucer College for a quiz weekend with a five grand prize. One of the contestants,womanizing know-all Ethan Croft,is murdered and another,Robyn Strong, is an old flame of his, disappointed he failed to recognize her. Ethan was a brilliant linguist but he was sacked from the college years earlier after an affair with a student, now married to another quizzer,whilst Eve,Robyn's quiz partner, is the next victim,after she has been heard arguing with Ethan. Passion, however, is not the motive, the killer being one whose guilty secret was exposed by Ethan's language skills over a past business transaction - with at least two suspects in the frame.

One Halloween, Ligiea Willard, stem-cell researcher and ex-roommate of Laura Hobson, is killed on her way to a reunion with Laura and another old friend named Ellen Jacoby. Her work attracted protests, and she was about to go public on shady practices at her institute. Psychic Ursula Van Tressell senses the killing and exorcises a house where the three women once lived at its owners' request. The next day, a resident is found slain, and a message on the fridge urges to find Mary Gwilliam, who was also murdered after trying to phone Laura. Mary was a nurse at a mental hospital where another of Laura's roommates--and boyfriend--died. After an unsuccessful attempt to kill Ellen, Lewis, her boyfriend, realizes that Laura has not been honest with him. But is she a killer?