Egyptian Cross Mystery

The Queens are intrigued when a grisly murder mars a smalltown's Christmas.It's Christmas in Chicago, and Detective Richard Queen isenjoying a busman's holiday at a conference on gangland violence-but his son,amateur sleuth Ellery, is bored silly. Until, that is, Ellery reads of anunusual killing in rural Arroyo, West Virginia. A schoolmaster has been foundbeheaded and crucified. Ellery hustles his father into his roadster and headseast, since there is nothing he'd like better for Christmas than a juicy,gruesome puzzle. When the Queens arrive in Arroyo, they learn that the victimwas an eccentric atheist, but not the sort to make enemies. What initiallylooks to be the work of a sadistic cult turns out to be something far more sinister.In the months ahead, more victims will turn up all over the world-all killed inthe same horrifying manner. It will take several bodies before Ellery divinesthe clue that unlocks the mystery of the Christmas crucifixion.