When Susan Klein arrives in Oxford to direct an elite adult summer school, she expects literary debates in a charming academic settingâ not a body floating in the Thames. The victim? The College Bursar. And the police have no suspects.

Enter Nelson Sinclair, a Southern restaurateur with a sharp mind, a courtly manner, and, as it turns out, a target on his back. As a prospective donor to the college, Nelson should be enjoying quiet afternoons under the historic spires. Instead, heâ s dodging near-fatal â accidentsâ that seem ripped straight from the syllabus of the class he's taking, The English Detective Story.

With danger closing in, Nelson convinces Susan to enroll in the course, and together they embark on a hunt for the truthâ one that twists through Oxfordâ s cobbled streets, shadowy libraries, and secret societies. But as their investigationâ and their undeniable attractionâ intensifies, so does the peril. Could the murder of the Bursar be tied to the threats on Nelsonâ s life? And if so, will they uncover the truth before itâ s too late?

With wit, charm, and a dash of dark academia, this gripping mystery sweeps you into a world of cunning crimes, romantic love, and the timeless allure of Oxfordâ s dreaming spires.