The citizens of Melling are perfectly ordinary. Some might even consider them boring, but not Miss Maud Silver. It's been some years since she gave up work as a governess to become a detective, and her fascination with people has served her well during that time. Now, she's come to Melling to pay a long-postponed visit to an old school chum--but Miss Silver's vacations never last long.

The town's prodigal son has returned, wealthy and not exactly nostalgic for his hometown. He intends to sell his manor house and be done with Melling forever. But this cozy English hamlet hasn't finished with him yet . . .