Because no one is without guilt. Emma Bennett is confronted with the worst trauma of her childhood: Ten years ago, she discovered the body of her best friend in a ditch on a frosty winter day. A woman was arrested, but now a witness has emerged who confirms her disputed alibi after all these years. Detective Vera Stanhope would like to solve the murder case, but that proves unexpectedly difficult: In the village of Elvet, there is hardly a resident who wouldn’t have had a motive to kill the pretty, spoiled, and very cunning Abigail. In no time, the atmosphere becomes toxic. And Vera wonders: Are the villagers afraid of the murderer or of their own guilt-ridden past? With Vera Stanhope, British author Ann Cleeves has created a detective you can't help but like: a bit rough around the edges, overweight, and complex in her relationships.