Quiet and peaceful, Clipton St Marks looks the epitome of a charming English village, with thatched cottages and splendid mansions surrounded by cultivated gardens. Nestled within rolling hillsides wooded by oak and beech, it appears untouched by the challenges of the world beyond-or at least it seems that way to an outsider. But looks can be deceiving.
Wealthy London widow Stella Campbell is out for a drive with her chauffeur on a breezy Sunday afternoon when a flat interrupts their plans near Clipton. While her chauffeur repairs the tyre, Campbell stumbles upon a forgotten, century-old rectory. Determined to breathe life back into what she thinks is her Shangri-La, Campbell purchases the rectory and soon transforms the dilapidated building into a grand new home. Elected a member of the village planning commission, she oversees restoration of Clipton's historic buildings and wins respect from the reticent community.
But just as she is settling in and focusing on new projects, Campbell discovers a friend's dead body. Now unwittingly enmeshed in murder, blackmail, and conspiracy with a New Scotland Yard officer as her self-appointed protector, Campbell comes to the realization that Clipton is not the sedate community it once appeared to be.
In this mystery tale filled with unexpected twists and turns, a widow focused on new beginnings must confront her demons as she attempts to triumph over heartbreak and treachery and rebuild her life once again.