Edinburgh’s most unlikely detective duo—“Nine-Nails” McGray and Inspector Ian Frey— must try to solve a murder mystery on the Scottish stage, as a new production of Macbeth is attracting the machinations of a serial killer . . .

Edinburgh, 1889. The Scottish Play is coming home.

But before the darlings of London theater—Henry Irving and Ellen Terry—take their acclaimed Macbeth to the Edinburgh stage, terror treads the boards: A grisly message is found smeared across the cobbles in blood, foretelling someone’s demise.

As the bloody prophecies continue to come to fruition, Edinburgh’s own beloved pair of detectives—“Nine-Nails” McGray and Inspector Ian Frey—enter the scene. Frey scoffs at what he believes is a blatant publicity stunt, while McGray is convinced that the supernatural must be at play.

As they scrutinize the key players, they discover that Irving, Terry, and their peculiar, preoccupied assistant, Bram Stoker, all have reasons to kill, or be killed. But one thing is clear: by occult curse or human hand, death will take a bow the night the curtain rises.

Oscar de Muriel is a violinist, translator, and chemist—and the author of three other novels in this popular series, The Strings of Murder, A Fever of the Blood, and A Mask of Shadows. He lives in England.