In the cold light of dawn, a dead body is found entombed in the smouldering remains of a burnt-out Cotswold manor. Key House has stood empty for years, but its owner, Gervase Crown, is rumoured to have been seen in Weston St Ambrose prior to the blaze. Could he be responsible for the fire and the tragic death that followed, or was he in fact the intended target?

As Inspector Jess Campbell and Superintendent Ian Carter begin their investigation, it becomes clear that Gervase wasn't the most popular person and his return has reawakened old memories... not all of which are good.