In the Hall with the Knife

***In the Hall with the Knife: A Clue Mystery, Book 1*** is a young adult murder mystery novel by author Diana Peterfreud based on the board game *Clue*. It is the first book in the *A Clue Mystery* triology.

## Summary

When a storm strikes at Blackbrook Academy, an elite prep school nestled in the woods of Maine, a motley crew of students—including Beth “Peacock” Picach, Orchid McKee, Vaughn Green, Sam “Mustard” Maestor, Finn Plum, and Scarlet Mistry—are left stranded on campus with their headmaster. Hours later, his body is found in the conservatory and it’s very clear his death was no accident. With this group of students who are all hiding something, nothing is as it seems, and everyone has a motive for murder. Fans of the CLUE board game and cult classic film will delight in Diana Peterfreund’s modern reimagining of the brand, its characters, and the dark, magnificent old mansion with secrets hidden within its walls.

## Synopsis

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Orchid McKee is called into Headmaster Boddy's office.

Vaughn Green, a townie from the village of Rocky Point, prepares to head to Blackbrook.

The next morning, Orchid wakes up to see Beth missing, presumably working out. After getting ready for the day, she meets Beth outside their room, where she informs Orchid of the Hall was flooded after the tarp came off sometime during the night.

## Characters

### Main characters

Orchid Mckee
Orchid McKee came to Blackbrook to hide. Until information from the headmaster suggests that a dangerous piece of Orchid’s past life might have followed her to Blackbrook after all.

Finn Plum
Phineas "Finn" Plum

Finn Plum is sitting on something big. Life-changing big. But one draconian school policy doesn’t mean he’s about to share it with anyone–especially not the headmaster.

Scarlett Mistry
Scarlet Mistry is used to being on top of the school’s gossip and the top liberal arts student thanks to her platonic power couple alliance with Finn. But even with all of her tricks, Scarlet doesn’t know what to make of a murder happening under her nose. Or the fact that her best friend is keeping secrets.

Samuel "Mustard" Maestor
Sam “Mustard” Maestor thought starting at a new school would give him a clean slate. What he didn’t count on was how different Blackbrook would be from his former school, an austere military academy. Starting in the middle of a historically bad storm and a murder investigation also doesn’t help.

Vaughn Green
Vaughn Green is a townie and a scholarship student at Blackbrook. Vaughn balances a nearly impossible courseload and his less-than-ideal home life with working part-time as a janitor at the school giving him a front seat to Blackbrook’s iniquities. And its secrets.

Beth “Peacock” Picach
Beth "Peacock" Picach isn’t interested in anything at Blackbrook unless it’s about tennis. Which is why Peacock is incensed when Headmaster Boddy wants to discuss her standing on the Blackbrook team just before the storm hits.

### Secondary and incidental characters

* **Headmaster Boddy**, the headmaster of Blackbrook Academy and eventual victim.
* **Mrs. Linda White**, the housemistress and caretaker of Tudor House. She was a former student of Tudor House during its girl reform school days.
* **Rusty**, the head of the custodial staff of Blackbrook Academy. He is absent for most of the story due to during to cross the ravine for help.