The peculiar death of an assistant matron at a distinguished boys' school draws amateur sleuth Primrose Oughterard into another delightfully quirky mystery.

Erasmus House, a prestigious prep school for boys in Lewes, is in uncharacteristic disarray over a looming visit from Her Majesty's inspectors. Convinced that inspectors dislike old-established schools, headmaster Mr Winchbrooke devises a cunning plan to drag Erasmus House into modernity – by replacing the rustic paintings of eccentric local artist and amateur sleuth, Primrose Oughterard, with more 'challenging' abstract works.

But Primrose's paintings are the least of Winchbrooke's worries when the school's assistant matron, Miss Memling, is found dead in a Brighton hotel room, clutching an empty gin bottle. Was there more to dull Aida Memling than met the eye? As one of the school's trustees, Primrose springs into action. With her late brother Francis's pets Maurice and Bouncer by her side, can Primrose solve the Memling mystery?