Black Is the Color of My True Love's Heart — Ellis Peters

"Black, black, black is the colour
of my true-love's heart!
His tongue is like a poisoned dart,
The coldest eyes and the lewdest hands..."

The brilliantly talented singer Liri Palmer is obviously sending a message to someone in the audience. Various musicians and students are gathered for a folk music seminar at the fantastic neo-Gothic country mansion called Follymead. Most come only to sing or to listen, but one or two have nonmusical scores to settle. Passions run high; there is trouble brewing at Follymead.

Among the music students are Tossa Barber and her boyfriend, Dominic Felse. When tragedy strikes, Dominic privately enlists the aid of his father, Detective Inspector George Felse, to piece together a broken tune of murder.