Death and the Oxford Box

Death in an Oxford Morning Mist

Dawn breaks on a frigid February morning, and a thick mist blankets Oxford, obscuring its spires and domes. Kate Ivory, a spirited novelist, enjoys her early morning run with her (mostly) female jogging group. It’s a welcome escape from her word processor, and a chance to catch up on local gossip.

This morning, one of the women confides in Kate that her husband has left her, absconding with valuable antique enamel mourning-boxes – heirlooms fr…