Moira and Charles Edgeworth invite five of their friends to play the Murder Game: an innocent enough pastime, of course, when friends are truly friendly. In this case, however, therer are ugly passions and uglier rumours about. It is revealed that the corpse should prove real, and not pretend. Who killed the chosen victim? Fortunately, a young barrister and Scotland Yard detective are near at hand, first to complicate and then to unravel the mysteries.