When Professor Emma Fielding's colleague is found murdered in Chandler Castle's crypt, an age-old curse soon enwraps Emma, her students and FBI Agent Conner.

Archaeologist Emma Fielding is hired to consult on the acquisition of an 18th-century castle estate that local legend states is cursed. But she finds herself in the middle of a murder case after discovering the body of the archaeologist she was hired to shadow in a secret chamber in the bowels of the vast building. Assisted by her friend, FBI agent Jim Conner, Emma must sift through clues and a long list of suspects, each of whom has their own reason for wanting the man dead, to discover the killer.—NatZee

Archaeology professor Thomas Webster was hired to investigate the heritage of an 18th-century castle that owner Bray Chandler plans to sell to Emma's study buddy Adelle Fisher's semi-commercial foundation. Webster does secretive about witch-related finds, and just before he would explain to incredulous Emma, whom Adelle asked to drop by, he's murdered in the relevant cellar, where various clues to the 'castle curse' are found, later followed by projectiles fitting the 'stoning demon' part directed at grad students Joe and Cary after Emma is hired to continue the search. Sheriff Goode being eager to get rid of Essex county's first murder case in years, FBI heritage crimes agent Jim Connor makes Emma consultant again, mainly to look into the wave of artifact thefts from the castle, turning up with notorious ex-con fence Sherman Arlington and the dodgy legal collector whom Emma saw around arguing with Webster. Bray's fifth-generation butler claims his boss is unreliable and possibly killed his father three years ago, but he is murdered just before the meeting where he would give details.—Aurora and more (Facebook page)