The Royal Box: Frances Parkinson Keyes

Lady Laura Whitford, a widow with important connections but little means, disliked Americans. She favours Jacques de Valcourt, a wealthy young Frenchman for her lovely but brow-beaten daughter Althea, over the equally rich Hilary Thorpe, Counsellor of the American Embassy, whom Althea loved. When Baldwin Castle, newly-appointed ambassador to the oil-rich country of Aristan and his bride Cornelia arrive in London unexpectedly, the duty of entertaining them falls to Hilary. Cornelia - who is proving 'difficult' - insists on on a theatre party to see the current hit - Gold of Pleasure, starring Janice Lester, the toast of two continents. On Lady Laura's advice, Hilary secures the Royal Box at the theatre. The party is made up of the Castles, the Whitfords, de Valcourt, Joe Racina, a writer and his wife Judith and Jevad Ahani, the Aristanian ambassador. There is even a meeting with the star and her husband. It would be hard to imagine a more successful evening - yet by midnight, one of the brilliant company is dead and in suspicious circumstances.