BORN-again rock star Leroy Leonard believes he has got it all when he becomes Lord on the Manor at the picturesque Cornish village of Shawlworth, but he is anything but a hit with the locals.

Raising the rents, banning the hunt and plans for open-air concerts write the whole community against him.

Dislike turns to hatred and hatred fosters thoughts of homicide. Leroy does not know it, he is a walking corpse on a date with death.

North-East writer Smith, who lives in Peterlee, has produced a whodunit that creeps below the skin to chill in a very civilised way. The book is available on www.amazon.co.uk and www.waterstones.co.uk