Michael Lobb has just been found dead on the floor of his family's tin & pewter workshop. It's suspicious enough that his body was found by a representative of Cornwall EcoMining, a company keen on acquiring his family's land, and it's made even worse when he's revealed to have been the majority owner of the business and the sole obstacle preventing a deal from being made. But it doesn't take long for Inspector Beatrice Hannaford to unearth the layers of estrangement that surrounded Michael in his final days, pointing suspicions elsewhere. In comes Kayla, a young woman half Michaels' age, who has just been made a widow.

Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley and Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers are brought in to help solve the crime and search for justice amid a community that already trusts no one and fears any outsiders.