Frances MacFern arrives at the remote Glenalder House in the Scottish Highlands to uncover the truth behind her grandfather's mysterious departure from his ancestral home. Frances seeks to reconcile her family history, but she encounters immediate resistance from the inhabitants of the estate. The narrative follows her investigation as she navigates the social dynamics of her relatives, who maintain a facade of hospitality while concealing deep-seated tensions. The story utilizes a third-person perspective to track the protagonist's discovery of long-buried secrets within the isolated Highland setting.

Readers often note the classic gothic structure of the narrative, which relies heavily on the tension between the protagonist's search for truth and the family's desire to maintain silence. Discussion frequently centers on the effectiveness of the Highland setting as a character in its own right, contributing to the sense of isolation and mystery. Critics highlight the balance between the central mystery of the grandfather's past and the developing romantic elements that emerge as the plot progresses. The pacing is described as steady, allowing for the gradual accumulation of clues that lead to the final revelation of the family's history.