The Maples. A secluded estate along the Hudson River. Home of the powerful Coldfield clan. Where admission was by invitation and exit by permission. Where a respectable facade masked a sinister secret.

Why did Glendon Coldfield suddenly commit suicide? Why was his widow held prisoner in an upstairs bedroom? What clues were contained in a carefully ordered crossword puzzle? The answers lay hidden in letters from the past — letters whose message was Danger, Excitement, Adultery, Terror, and Hatred.