When archivist Elara Vance is hired to catalog the ancient library of the prestigious—and notoriously secretive—Ashford family, she stumbles upon a hidden journal that details a century of their darkest affairs. The journal, written by the manor's first lady, contains cryptic entries about illicit business deals, political blackmail, and a suspicious death that was never solved. But as Elara delves deeper, her investigation attracts dangerous attention. The current Ashford heirs, a powerful and ruthless bunch, will stop at nothing to protect their legacy. Suddenly, Elara finds herself at the center of a deadly game, racing against time to decipher the journal's clues before a lurking presence silences her for good. With the help of a disgraced investigative journalist who has his own reasons for distrusting the family, she must untangle a web of lies that connects the past to a very present danger. This gripping mystery is a masterclass in suspense, exploring the corrupting influence of wealth and the deadly price of uncovering the truth.