In a remote English manor house, modern admirersof the much-maligned King Richard III-one of Shakespeare's most extraordinary villains-are gathered for a grand weekend of dress-up and make-believe murder. But the fun ends when the masquerade turns more sinister... and deadly. Jacqueline Kirby, an American librarian on hand for the festivities, suddenly finds herself in the center of strange, dark doings... and racing to untangle a murderous puzzle...

She may be a best-selling author, but ex-librarian Jacqueline Kirby's views on the publishing biz aren't fit to print. In fact, she's thinking of trading celebrity for serenity and a house far away from fiendish editors and demented fans, when her agent whispers the only words that could ever make her stay: Naked in the Ice. Seven years ago, this blockbuster skyrocketed Kathleen Darcy to instant fame. Now, the author's heirs are looking for a writer...