When Thea Osborne agrees at the last minute to house-sit for Oliver Meadows, she expects a few days of peace with her spaniel, Hepzie. Uncomfortable with the news of her mother’s sudden involvement with an old flame, and herself unsure of how to deal with her feelings for Drew Slocombe, Thea hopes that some time alone in the historic town of Winchcombe will help to clear her head. But with the disturbing discovery of a dead body in the gardens of the house, she quickly finds herself at the heart of a sinister mystery.Thea must work quickly to unravel the secrets kept by Oliver Meadows and his brother, Fraser, and discover exactly what lies beneath the surface of their turbulent relationship. But without Drew there to help her, she finds it ever more difficult to uncover the truth. And amidst the chaos caused by the investigation, will Thea find time to deal with her own problems?

A huge funeral for Windermere's popular resident, Barbara Dodge, is taking place and florist Persimmon 'Simmy' Brown and her new assistant, Bonnie Lawson are busy compiling wreaths in preparation. There's word of a series of sinister dognappings occurring in nearby Troutbeck and whilst taking a walk up Wansfell Pike, Simmy and her father, Russell, stumble on a dog, strangled to death – it's not long before Simmy reluctantly finds herself caught up in a murder investigation...

Thea Osborne and her spaniel Hepzibah embark on their second house-sitting commission with few worries. Despite her first disastrous venture, in which she became drawn into a murder case, Thea is convinced that lightening will not strike twice, and arrives at the idyllic Frampton Mansell with renewed enthusiasm. However it seems she is jinxed: within days of her arrival she finds a body hanging from the rafters of one of the barns. But was it suicide...or murder?