Agatha Raisin returns to her old home in the Cotswolds to be the talk of the town. Charles is still hanging around but James is nowhere to be seen. Meanwhile, the lothario hairdresser sets his sights on Agatha.
Anxious to begin work on her book, Agatha rents a cottage in pretty Fryfam. She is soon interrupted by a series of odd goings-on in the village: strange lights appear in her back garden, a painting is stolen, and the local squire is found murdered, perhaps by his young wife. Agatha's nose for trouble ensnares her in a maelstrom of jealousy, blackmail and dangerous liaisons, especially with a murderer who plans to keep irrepressible Agatha permanently in Fryfam - as a resident corpse!
When a handsome and popular new curate is murdered, Sarah is arrested, and Agatha must dig into his unsavory past to clear her friend's name.