When Harry Bentick retreats to the Lake District to escape his crumbling personal life, he finds himself thrust into the center of a harrowing murder investigation. Bentick arrives in the fells seeking clarity, but the discovery of two murdered girls transforms his solitude into a desperate flight. He must navigate the suspicion of local authorities and his own internal turmoil as the investigation closes in around him. The narrative maintains a tense, atmospheric focus on the psychological weight of being an outsider in a community gripped by fear.

Reginald Hill is widely recognized as a master of the British crime genre, and this early work demonstrates the foundational elements of his later success. Critics often point to his ability to blend intricate mystery plots with deep character studies as a hallmark of his writing. The novel is frequently cited for its evocative use of the English landscape to mirror the internal states of its characters. Readers appreciate the author's consistent wit and his refusal to rely on simple tropes, ensuring that the suspense remains grounded in human complexity. This work serves as a compelling example of the author's early development of the psychological thriller format.