Henry Twyst, eighteenth Duke of Chellingworth, retains the services of a local book restorer to tackle much-needed repairs to his book collection. This antiquarian also runs the Crooks and Cooks bookshop with his daughter - local TV celebrity chef, The Curious Cook. When the book restorer mentions some strange shenanigans going on at the bookshop, Dowager Duchess Althea brings the case to her colleagues at the WISE Enquiries Agency. As the WISE women try to unravel one puzzle from their base at stately Chellingworth Hall, they then get embroiled in another when they come across a valuable book of miniatures which seems to be the work of a famous local artist, murdered by her own brother. Are the cases linked and why do both mysteries lead to a nearby old folks' home?