'Circular Study' Summary

Detective Gryce is called to a perplexing murder scene in a New York City brownstone. The victim, a man named Arthur Brentwood, is found stabbed to death but meticulously laid out in his study. The only apparent witnesses are a mute and traumatized butler and a caged bird that sings out a perplexing clue. Gryce soon learns that Brentwood's death is linked to a family feud stretching back generations, fueled by long-held grudges and hidden relationships. His investigation leads him through a maze of secrets and lies, tangled with the complexities of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of the past. With the assistance of the sharp-witted Miss Amelia Butterworth, Gryce unravels the truth behind Brentwood's murder, exposing the hidden motives and the lengths to which people will go to protect their secrets and avenge past wrongs.