Thunder rumbled across the sky as midnight's darkness pressed in. A single candle flickered on the grand mahogany hall table. Footsteps echoed hollowly across the marble floor's polished cold surface. A crimson stain stretched across Oriental carpet beneath heavy chandelier. Detective Hawthorne arrived quietly, observing broken glass near library doorway. His trench coat flapped as gusts rattled mansion's dusty windows. Within the library, a lifeless body slumped beside oak desk. Dark red droplets glistened beneath desk where victim's hands twitched. Candles guttered out, plunging everyone into pitch-black, suspenseful, chilling silence. Detective Hawthorne's flashlight revealed fingerprints smeared across antique book spine.