Newton Magna village doctor Burgess seeks help after he accidentally hits a man following a party. The injured victim isn't found, only a bloody handkerchief by the rural road, after the publican seeks police help, so Barnaby and Troy focus on the more pressing discovery of Robin Wooliscroft's body during renovations of the village well. Attempting to determine who saw him last since his disappearance over a year ago, they find a web of anger, suspicion and lies. Barnaby finds as settled as wealthy, landed race horse trader an acquaintance, ex-con master thief Melvyn Stockard, who uses bribes and his ex-con henchmen to manipulate locals. When a local woman is later murdered, Barnaby learns that she helped a local farmer's wife to leave the area, one whom Robin was having an affair with, raising questions on whether either of their loved ones is the killer. The car victim is found wounded in a barn, having refused being brought to medical help, and identified as Melvyns' Irish horse whisperer. Barnaby works to link the cases.
—KGF Vissers