Pay the Piper

The arrival of Scottish pipers in Badger’s End has the downstairs staff of the Pennyfoot Hotel all agog—and the aristocrats upstairs are equally captivated by the excitement surrounding the village’s bagpipe competition.

Cecily Sinclair is delighted by the festivities until one of the contestants is discovered in the butcher’s cellar, hanging from a meat hook between two sides of beef.

Behind the Pennyfoot’s elegant doors, wealthy guests pursue secret affairs, gamble in hidden rooms, and trust the discreet staff to protect their reputations. But when the dead piper’s connection to the hotel comes to light, Cecily finds herself drawn into another dangerous investigation.

With rivalries among the musicians running high and Scotland Yard threatening to disrupt the Pennyfoot, Cecily must discover who silenced the piper—and why—before the killer strikes a more sinister note.

A lively village festival mystery packed with musical rivalries, eccentric suspects, Edwardian hotel intrigue, and the twists of a traditional British whodunit.