The tranquility of a genteel household is shattered when an elderly piano teacher is found brutally murdered, leaving her sibling devastated and demanding answers. Enter DCI Brendan Moran, called out of retirement at short notice, to tackle the baffling case. As Moran delves deeper into the circumstances surrounding the murder, there emerges a web of complex connections and puzzling alibis among the suspects, leaving him struggling to pinpoint the elusive killer.

As the investigation intensifies, one of Moran's team members becomes infatuated by the enigmatic leader of a self-sufficient commune, and suspicions are raised concerning a possible connection to the murder. With time running out, Moran must unravel the secrets concealed behind the commune's Utopian façade and navigate a dangerous labyrinth of deception to uncover the truth.

In the Key of Death intertwines themes of childhood abuse, psychological coercion and emotional manipulation – all wrapped up in a page-turning police procedural. In the Key of Death is masterfully crafted, blending moments of intense suspense with Hunter's customary wry humour.

In the Key of Death is number ten in the popular DCI Brendan Moran crime series.