The wild and rugged North York Moors remain one of the unexploited and least explored areas of England. In the depths of winter, with dark days, villages cut off by snowdrifts and animals marooned amongst the heather, it has all the appearance of a true wilderness. For Constable Nick of Aidensfield, however, the fierce weather and wild terrain must not interfere with his police work. But the superintendent is not pleased when he catches Nick building a snowman in the midst of a blizzard and Nick faces more resistance when he considers evacuating a market town because a farmer on the moors reckons there'll be a devastating flood within hours. How can Nick convince the authorities the wise old farmer is right? Nick copes with Claude Jeremiah Greengrass almost killing himself on a runaway double bass, ponders why an ageing widower would want a beauty contest in Aidensfield and wonders why a beautiful Spanish senorita has come to visit a confirmed bachelor farmer on the moors. There is crime too - a young boy's precious bicycle is stolen, there is a cruel burglary in an elderly lady's home while a fake policeman is 'fining' people for traffic offences. Nick is also faced with identical twins who commit clever crimes; there are ominous goings-on in a remote churchyard too and Nick has to cope with a spillage of mysterious liquid which threatens the water supply. It's all part of constabulary duties for Constable Nick of Aidensfield.