When a young boy finds a body in a neighbouring village, once again Alex Duggins is drawn into a case of cold-blooded murder.

When a body is discovered in the neighbouring village of Underhill, Alex Duggins, owner of Folly-on-Weir's premier pub, The Black Dog, is determined not to get involved - for once. But when she learns that the person who found the body was young Kyle Gammage, who helps out at her friend Tony's veterinary clinic, she and Tony are reluctantly drawn into the murder investigation.

In her desire to protect Kyle and his elder brother Scoot, Alex finds herself withholding vital information from the police. It's a misjudgement that will have far-reaching - and possibly fatal - consequences. Her relationship with Tony under strain, has Alex's silence put her and