Murders occur in Crevecoeur Hall, a lavish Oxford estate where Hathaway's father was in service and he spent his boyhood.

An Oxford professor, also an amateur astronomer and recently renewed churchgoer, is found dead in the school observatory under suspicious circumstances.

A group of people gather at an Oxford college to compete in a quiz contest for a large prize. One of them, an annoying, know-it-all womaniser is murdered. Due to his personality quite a few people would loathe him, but murder him?

During a Halloween, one of Dr Hobson's college roommates is found dead with a stake through her heart and a garlic bulb in her mouth.