The end of summer means it's time for the Harvest Festival held by Mamie Fish, wife of millionaire railroad tycoon Stuyvesant Fish, at their grand "cottage," Crossways. The mansion is decked out in artificial autumn splendor, and an extravagant scavengerhunt will be held. The guest of honor is Prince Otto of Austria. As acting editor-in-chief of the Newport Messenger, Emma Cross must fill in and attend the Harvest Festival. But the prince fails to appear; the next morning, he is found dead in the side garden-- stabbed in the same manner as another man, recently found on nearby Bailey's Beach. -- adapted from jacket
