All the action takes place in this exciting book between Christmas Eve 1888 and Jan 10, 89: Not quite as good as the first two books in the series it is still an enjoyable historical police procedural thriller. What spoiled it was the way the inspector got everyone in a room in the hope that a confession would be gained. This was too much like and ending to a Poirot story. The three books come together as one in this novel. A very good read.