John Hawthorne Detective Collection

"The Time Conspiracy at Snow Mountain Villa" is the first book in the "The Detectives of John Hawthorne" series. The story takes place in the Scottish Highlands in the winter of 1905, in an isolated snow-capped mountain villa. Industrialist Charles Warrenton invited six relatives and friends to a private dinner, but was found dead in his study at the stroke of midnight, with a dagger stabbed through the heart. The doors and windows of the study were locked, and there were no footprints on the snow. The only clue was the broken pocket watch clutched in Warrenton's hand, with the hands stuck at 11:55 - but all suspects claimed to have perfect alibi. Detective John Hawthorne is trapped in the villa due to a snowstorm and is forced to intervene in the investigation. He must use rigorous logical deduction and physical evidence analysis to decipher the murderer's "time trick": How to fake the time of death? How to create a secret room? How to make everyone witness to each other at the same time? As the investigation deepens, the dark past of the Warrenton family gradually comes to light - the intertwined motives of greed, betrayal and revenge peel off the lies beneath every perfect appearance...