A terrible, implacable hatred. Jenny shivered. The needle had been a statement. And so too had the scene.

When Jenny Meaden moves to the quiet Cotswold town of Kerston after her husband dies, she looks forward to a peaceful new chapter in her life. But while volunteering at the local library, she stumbles upon a man slumped in his chair, a knitting needle stabbed through his chest.

Together with fellow volunteer Neeta Biddle, Jenny starts to unravel the mystery. They discover that the victim, retired schoolteacher Avery Sykes, had a past riddled with scandal and secrets-as well as a totally unexpected double life. In between sparring with the investigating officer, Detective Inspector Marek O'Keeffe, they begin to piece the clues together.

When another body is uncovered, Jenny and Neeta realize the solution must lie deep in past events. But can they get to the truth before one of them becomes the killer's next target?