Original Sin

Kori Price Brichter planned on a wonderful Christmas. She and her police officer husband, Peter Brichter, had invited their friends, Frank and Mary Ryder and Gordon Ramsey, to spend the holiday with them, their son Jeep, and their nanny, Jill. Most important, Kori had invited Evelyn Biggins to join them. Having believed that all of her relatives had died, Kori was particularly thrilled to have found Evelyn, now her only living relative, to tell her of her family history. But Evelyn had only been in the house for a few hours when she was found, dead, in the house's library, victim of an apparent murder. Since the guests were now isolated in house because of a blizzard, the only possible conclusion is that one of them had killed Evelyn. But who?

"A bright gleam of the golden age peeks through in Original Sin and brings the word classic right up to date. All are party to a death that couldn't have been committed by any of them. With astute misdirection and a cleverly concealed motive, Pulver has constructed a mystery of legendary proportions." -Ellen Nehr, Murder ad lib

"In Original Sin, Mary Monica Pulver offers a delightful 1990s version of the classic traditional mystery. The setting is a country mansion (in the American Midwest) at Christmas, isolated by a snowstorm, with a group of people hiding various guilty secrets. The plot is beautifully and fairly constructed, and readers who enjoy good puzzles will find a great one here. But those who prize interesting characters won't be disappointed. Further acquaintance with Kori and Peter Brichter and new baby Jeep will only whet the appetite for more books in the series. Altogether, Original Sin is a sparkling, thoroughly enjoyable novel-absolutely perfect holiday reading!" -Dean James, Manager, Murder by the Book

"Mary Monica Pulver is one of the best-kept secrets in mystery.... She turns out some of the finest books going. Original Sin is so elegant it takes your breath away." -Drood Review of Mystery

"Clever trickery in the John Dickson Carr classic locked-room puzzle-mode.... A clever, cozy read." -American Bookseller