Slaughter in the Cotswolds

A rainy autumn in Lower Slaughter, the week following the death of Thea’s father. Emily, Thea’s older sister, comes for a visit and becomes centrally involved in a dreadful death. Thea meets an unsavoury character and a fine upstanding farmer. She fails in her duty of care to the people employing her as a house-sitter, and behaves very carelessly.

Ariadne from Cold Aston reappears, her own life having moved on excitingly.

Thea goes for long walks with dogs, considers the appeal of the upstanding farmer, and mistrusts her own judgement when it comes to human nature and what it is capable of.