Betty and Rob, whose families have lived in the South Devon village of Coombe Gilbert since the 17th century, are thrilled to receive the key to a local cottage as a wedding gift. But the key to Lark Cottage unlocks much more than the little home on the edge of the village. Next door, in Sparrow Cottage, a body lies mangled. Deception leads to horror as the villagers confront an unwanted capacity for evil within themselves. DI Cora Bodkin, trim, taut and fierce, takes charge of the investigation. Like an arrow, she penetrates the fabric of lies woven by the villagers. Self-deception and half-truths drip like blood in their revelations. How the villagers confront their inner darkness drives the plot. How DI Bodkin resolves the tension between what is legal and what is ethical shapes the resolution.