Chapter 1
In the opening scene of Murder in Miniature at Honeychurch Hall, the reader is introduced to art restorer and local historian, Emma, who has spent the last ten days at Honeychurch Hall, a large Victorian house, doing some research. She discovers a miniature room in the attic that contains a gruesome murder scene, accompanied by choppy music and strange noises. The discovery leads her to believe that the house is haunted.
Chapter 2
In Chapter 2, Emma meets up with her friend Elizabeth, who is also a historian, to discuss the strange discovery. They explore the tiny room in greater detail, noting that all of the objects in it come from the year 1894. During their exploration they find a small model of Honeychurch Hall with a miniature body lying on the roof. They deduce that the model has something to do with the murder that took place in 1894. Emma comes to the conclusion that the room is the key to understanding the mystery of the death of Honeychurch Hall’s mistress over a century ago.
Chapter 3
In Chapter 3, Elizabeth and Emma enlist the help of a local psychic, who tells them that the spirit of Anne Honeychurch, the mistress of the house in 1894, is still present in the house. She reveals that the murder scene in the attic is a warning to the residents of the house, telling them that someone is out to get them. The psychic’s revelations send Emma on a quest to uncover the truth about the mystery surrounding Anne Honeychurch’s death and the strange occurrences taking place in the house.
Chapter 4
In Chapter 4, Emma begins her investigations into Anne Honeychurch’s death. She explores the grounds of the house and discovers some old letters in the attic that allude to a dark secret. She also interviews some of the locals in order to find out more about the mysterious events that unfolded that fateful evening in 1894. She discovers that Anne Honeychurch’s death was the result of a murder and not an accident, as was previously believed.
Chapter 5
In Chapter 5, Emma and Elizabeth come across a mysterious young man who they believe was present at the time of Anne Honeychurch’s death. After more investigation, they discover that the young man is actually Anne Honeychurch’s son, who was taken away from the house after her death. He tells them that he has recently returned to the house in order to uncover the truth behind his mother’s death. Together, the trio of investigators use the miniature room and the letters they’ve found to piece together the mysterious events of the past.
Chapter 6
In the final chapter, Emma, Elizabeth and the young man discover the identity of Anne’s killer. It is revealed that the killer was in fact Anne Honeychurch’s own sister, who was jealous of her success and wanted to gain control of the family fortune. With the mystery solved, Emma and Elizabeth part ways, with Emma returning to her home town and Elizabeth going off to pursue her passion in art restoration. The young man, on the other hand, stays at Honeychurch Hall to live out the rest of his life in peace.
