When Simone Hollingsworth fails to turn up at bell-ringing practice, her fellow campanologists are neither surprised nor concerned. Only the Hollingsworths' neighbors, the ever-vigilant Brockleys, suspect the worst. But even the Brockleys have little idea of the real reason behind Simone's disappearance. And they certainly have no clue that her fate is linked to that of their only daughter, Brenda. When the discovery of a body draws Chief Inspector Barnaby to the village, it soon becomes apparent that uncovering the painful connections is a complex and tragic business.